Doing Business Internationally – Avoiding Faux Pas

As the business world grows increasingly global, it is more and more common for business partners, coworkers, and potential clients to come from drastically different backgrounds. While that is a symbol of increasing global diversity, it may also cause blunders in the workplace. Longtime international businessman Charles Bouri says that communication is so free today that it's easy to accidentally make a public gaffe, and sometimes even difficult to gauge when one has happened.

Cross-cultural communication doesn't have 8 Simple Rules, and no one can be well versed in every culture. That leads some large companies to spend a lot of money on consultants, diversity experts, and translators, and while that is a solution, it costs you the personal touch. Charles Bouri shared some of the techniques he has used with Seament, his international cement production and shipping firm:

1.  Take the time to learn the basics. If you know the background of the people you're doing business with – and you should – you can take the time to familiarize yourself with some of the better-known facets of their culture. Cultural competence isn't necessarily expected; in fact, oftentimes a misstep may be forgiven more quickly if the other party has previously seen you working hard to adhere to their cultural norms. Ignorance is far more offensive than oversight. Cultural competence is so important today that many companies consider it when making hiring decisions.

2.  Start slow. A more reserved approach is recommended in nearly every situation. Stay cool and professional, but polite, until you are able to accurately judge what the other party expects of you. Avoid colloquialisms. It's never a bad idea to speak as if you were meeting a President or foreign dignitary. If they adopt informality as time goes on, you can do the same, but it's more difficult to recover from inappropriately timed banter with a reserved person.

3.  Read your audience. You should always be taking cues from the person to whom you are speaking. If they open the conversation with informal social discussions or polite, unimportant chatter, you may assume they don't wish to dive directly into business. If, conversely, they dive right into business, it can be assumed that they don't make business decisions based on interpersonal skills, but rather prefer to let the work speak for itself.

4.  Avoid excessive gesturing. Body language can mean drastically different things in different cultures. It is for this reason that you should make an effort to be still and formal until you better understand the culture. The following are some examples: in Afghanistan, the thumbs-up signal has a connotation similar to the middle finger in the United States; In Brazil, the "Okay" symbol with the hand is likewise offensive; in parts of China, it is considered unseemly and rude to finish an entire meal.

If you are careful and do your best to read the situation, it is usually a simple enough task to avoid giving offense. Of course, it also behooves you to be understanding of the potential slip-ups of your international friends.