A Primer On International Business Etiquette

Following certain rules of etiquette is important in all walks of life. Thanking someone for holding the door open for you, knowing where your place in a queue is, not crowding people while getting in and out of the bus are all simple but important rules of etiquette. When someone does not follow these rules, we feel disturbed and disrespected.

When you are traveling to foreign countries for business purposes or hosting international visitors, it becomes all the more important to be aware of and respect some of their local rules of etiquette. Not doing so may not only end up with you disrespecting your clients or contacts, but also jeopardizing the success of whole trip.

Here is a quick primer on some important international business etiquette rules.

Proper Communication.

The way people speak is very different from country to country. You should not be surprised if you find that in some countries, they speak fairly loudly like in the US or Germany while in others like India, China or Japan, people communicate very softly. In countries like Denmark or Holland, communications can be very direct but in the United Kingdom, it is more indirect. You may be excused for interrupting in Brazil while it is considered particularly rude in Canada. Make sure you understand what the proper etiquette for communication is in the particular country you are visiting or conducting business with, so that you modify your tone and language accordingly.

Gift Giving.

You may be surprised to find that there are rules of etiquette attached to gift giving as well. However, this does form a very important part of business communications and understanding how or what to gift could mean the difference between success and failure. If you would like to present some gifts to your clients or your contacts, make sure that you understand what you can or cannot gift. For example, it is considered to be in very bad taste to present anything alcoholic in a Muslim country while in China clocks are frowned upon.

Giving enough personal space.

Is a handshake considered good enough and when is a slap on the back a bad idea? How close can you stand to other people? All these are sensitive issues and need to be understood before you visit a foreign country or greet international visitors. For example, touching someone on the head in Thailand or Indonesia is considered a big insult.

Dressing Properly.

While in many countries, people dress for comfort or style, in other countries, they dress more conservatively. What you choose to wear rather than what you would like to wear, indicates respect and an understanding of the culture of your international visitors. And your visitors are bound to appreciate the efforts you have made to show respect to their culture.

Understanding these rules of etiquette will not only lay the foundation for a good relationship with your foreign visitors but also ensure success in your business venture.