Creating Cooperative Relationships with Individuals from Diverse Cultures and Habits!

When I was new to the IT market and needed to participate in product and service exhibitions, I lacked the relevant experience on how to conduct myself, convey my perspectives, positions, and comprehend the stances and viewpoints of individuals from diverse countries and cultures.

Often, I would conclude meetings and conversations with the belief that I had successfully closed a deal. However, this initial assessment was proven incorrect multiple times, especially when interacting with counterparts from the Far East. While these excellent counterparts (who I'm sure will smile as they read this :) appeared to understand my requests, it didn't necessarily indicate agreement or acceptance!

I soon realized that my interpretation of habits, responses, facial expressions, and body language wasn't always accurate, especially when conversing with interlocutors other than European countries.

This prompted me to recognize the need for preparation, considering the behaviors of interlocutors from different continents and cultures. This foresight would enable me to anticipate reactions, acceptance, rejection, and even hidden opinions.

It's crucial to uncover the underlying opinions concealed beneath the surface, understand the emotional disposition of the interlocutor, gauge their willingness to agree with terms, their discomfort, or any additional input they might have.

To comprehensively reveal an interlocutor's character, regardless of gender, nationality, religious identity, or other characteristics, it's vital to comprehend the customs and cultures from their background. This approach fosters effective communication, leading to agreements and helping prevent misunderstandings.

Avoiding actions that might inadvertently offend cultural and religious norms is fundamental. When interacting with people from different countries, especially in settings like presentation events or business dinners, it's important to assess social topics for discussion. This assessment should consider their cultural norms and our own perspectives within the context of the culture.

In essence, understanding and respecting cultural differences while effectively conveying our own perspectives is paramount for successful cross-cultural interactions.

You would probably recognize these patterns, and let me mention some that come to mind.

Time is a negotiation tactic for my fellow American negotiators. They negotiate with conviction and interpret delay and indecision as signs of evasion or incompetence.

I've also observed that Germans tend to invest a lot of time in procedural aspects, while Spanish negotiators prioritize establishing a climate of confidence and relaxation before making any decisions.

These are some of the observations I've made over the years, and I'm looking forward to your contributions based on your experiences in communicating with counterparts from different countries :)

JT