One really interesting and insightful part of our pre-assignment education and preparation work has been learning about cultural sensitivity / cultural intelligence.
Its very easy to fall into the trap of thinking that how your own culture does things is the best way, the regular way or the accepted way to operate. The reality is that each country (and even at a lower level within regions of a country) has its own set of behaviours and norms, which can be very different or alien to your own!
Being aware of this fact and being able to adapt to it is a key part of developing good relations with other people/cultures, and also to ensure both personal and professional relationships lead to a positive end result. Failure to respect this fact can lead to problems in relating to people from different cultures and certainly can have a negative affect in developing a productive relationship.
The following are some really useful tips we were provided with for working with counterparts from Brazil. A lot are very different from how myself as an Irish person may tend operate/behave by default.
The Essentials (10 Key Tips)
- Recognise that a face-to-face meeting is preferred to written communication. Brazilians like to know the person with whom they will do business. You will be able to do only limited business by phone, fax or e-mail.
- Personal relationships are key to doing business in Brazil. Hence the expression: "For friends, everything. For enemies, the law."
- Be prepared for meetings conducted at a casual, unhurried pace. Don't get right down to business. Engage in conversation first. Wait for Brazilian colleagues to raise business subjects.
- Recognise that Brazil is a group culture - don't do anything to cause a Brazilian to lose face, e.g., don't criticize an individual in a group meeting.
- Expect decisions to be made by the highest ranking individual; people you negotiate with will often not have decision making authority.
- Remember that flexibility is essential. Try to confirm meetings in writing. Appointments might be cancelled or changed at the last minute. Do not appear to be impatient.
- Be prepared to be interrupted in conversations. Brazilians are expressive and passionate conversationalists.
- Expect lenghty negotiations. Brazilians will take time in reviewing details. Do not try to rush them.
- Dress well, but conservatively - dark coloured business suits.
- Have the other side of your business card translated into Portuguese; present the Portuguese side to the recipient.
#ibmcsc Brazil
