Tips for Foreign Negotiation
It is easy for Americans to believe that most of the business world vibrates in our within borders. Given our record in technology, wealth creation, and per capital accomplishment since our inception, we have some justification. One of the manifestations of this xenophobia is a provincialism that we might not see in ourselves.
A recent survey of college kids found that almost 90% could not locate Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Israel, Afghanistan, etc on a map. We don’t have to go that far! I dare say that barely 5% of American adults could identify the provinces in Canada, let alone name their capitals. We won’t try that exercise, but if you are among that 95%, you know who you are…
This is certainly an issue for us, so what can we do? We are confronted by the age old bugaboo of not knowing what we don’t know. One thing we can do is to just be aware of culture, our own, which seems natural, and everyone else’s, which is normal for them. Let me give you an example of what I mean by cultural awareness.
The reason we don’t want to approach negotiation from a linear viewpoint is that it has no defined start and stop points. Plus, it is a mixture of arts and science. Further, the progression is scattergun, not logical as from arithmetic to algebra, to trigonometry, to calculus. Since negotiation comes at you from many different and unpredictable angles, pros need to be able to play the game from any position. The training should prepare you for that if delivered in a fashion that simulates negotiation.
Foreign lands and languages
If you speak one or more foreign languages, you know to just accept what other cultures do. I mimic their behavior because it helps me to acculturate, an effort that does not escape my counterparts’ notice. In much of Europe and the Middle East, greetings are a bus on the cheek, an air kiss as it were, twice in Western Europe and three times in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. I don’t know why, it’s just the way it is. Don’t question it.
In Romance languages the adjective usually comes after the noun, such as house red, or load heavy. It is perfectly logical either way and neither is “backwards”.
In Europe, salad is commonly the last course in dinner, not before as we do it. There might be a good dietary reason, but I do not know. If you have spent much time abroad, you have observed differing “personal space” practices. The Japanese hire people to push and cram subway riders into cars at rush hours while bus riders queue up politely and quietly while keeping a respectable distance apart. It is just the way it is.
Some tips for acculturating and improving your negotiation success
No matter where you go, two piece of advice always apply; learn to speak even a few words of the language and study the culture and history. Doing so will not only ingratiate you with your hosts but differentiate you as a concerned and polite guest.
Middle East is mostly Islamic and Arabic cultures. Some no-nos are:
- Showing soles of feet
- Touching with left hand
- Friendliness to family members
- Discussing business before dinner
Pacific Rim
- Business relationships are more important with foreigners than personal relationships
- Refrain from excessive shows of enthusiasm or effusive body language
- Do not John Wayne the business card into your pocket – study it
- Try to speak a few words of the language –your efforts will be appreciated
China Cultural appreciation is required to succeed with negotiations in China. It is a huge country with an enormous population that has wrestled with starvation through the centuries. It is not surprising to learn that food is a keystone in their culture.
While traveling with friends, we ordered a duck dinner. The servers took everyone’s leftovers, boiled them into a soup which was served as the last course. I knew that not much food is wasted in China from the popular adage, “The only part of the pig not eaten is the oink”. Had I studied more of the culture, I would have known of the dietary belief in China that consuming hot liquids such as soup and tea after a meal is done so that any fats consumed are kept warm as they travel the alimentary canal so as to be excreted rather than absorbed. I am uncertain about the scientific sensibility but convinced of the cultural value.
Meals are an important part of relationship building. It is impolite not to try some of every dish. Watch what they do and mimic as best you can. Put the rice bowl up to your mouth and eat with chop sticks. At dinner, ask your hosts about their country, particularly the history. The Chinese are proud of their country and want you to appreciate it.
Taiwan I invited a counterpart at a Taiwan steel mill to dinner the first day we met. Well, I waited for an hour, had diner and went home. The next day, I asked the fellow if something had happened, but he said that he did not think I meant that night. He explained that a dinner invitation is the equivalent of the “How are you” question. No one really expects a response, but the question is expected. Dinner invitations amongst relative strangers are understood to be sometime in the future.
Japan Japanese are big believers in ceremony. Their society is built on degrees of honorific differentiation, quite a difference form our Americans informality. However, the cultural influences of the west have brought on the Karaoke bar phenomenon a distinct departure from ceremonial behavior. The younger folks take this quite seriously. Excessive drinking usually accompanies this singing. Some over-indulgers rent little cots to sleep in Tokyo because they live far out of town and cannot afford in town hotels, so they sleep in these stacked bunks. Bowing is the accepted form of greeting.