Happy CEO

Despite the feeling, the planet in which we live doesn’t shrink. There are just more and more people on it.

Let us share with you the exchanges between export managers from all over the world sharing their vision of export. The question was “In your opinion, what are the critical factors for export success?”

The number one priority of these managers is the need to understand the culture of others. We present you here a compilation of the 230 answers given on the subject of multicultural factors in international relations.

Understand the culture of others

1. Cultures are not good or bad, just different.
2. Culture plays a predominant role in international affairs. 85% of export success comes down to understanding the business culture of other countries.
3. Don’t limit yourself to understanding the differences in mentalities. The most important thing is to accept them.
4. These socio-cultural differences generate greater uncertainty in relationships.
5. The way in which you negotiate, your non-verbal behavior in particular, directly impacts positively or negatively your interlocutors and this behavior derive directly from your ability to properly absorb the culture of your hosts.
6. You have to understand the principles and rules of “business etiquette” for the market you want to address.
7. Learn the history of the country, the events that have marked, the artists, thinkers and intellectuals, the great entrepreneurs and the organization of the economy.
8. Learn at least a few basic words like “hello, goodbye, please, thank you or excuse me”
9. Think. How is it possible to adapt to the different ethnic groups that exist in a country?

Know-how

1. Who we are dictates what we do.
2. The more control you have over the nature of your perceptions, the more you will be able to understand other cultures and accept new ideas.
3. People usually do business with people they like.
4. Don’t start talking about “your country”, “with us”…
5. Refrain from comments such as “we are the best”, “my product is the best”, “we know what we are doing”. Do not take the attitude of the professor who knows better than the others.
6. Avoid prejudice to local beliefs and customs.
7. Respect all local communities.
8. Appreciate each other’s differences and communication skills
9. Success depends on your professional and personal attitude. Because if you manage to adapt to local customs, in the end, the two are linked and interconnected.
10. Cultivate empathy. But still, don’t trust anyone. Never.
11. Stay open-minded.
12. Approach each new situation with a willingness to learn.

Relationships with others

1. Acceptable closeness, manners, non-verbal communication, behaviors, politeness and business practices vary dramatically across the planet.
2. Understanding the decision-making process from a cultural point of view is very important because mentalities and therefore decisions can be individual or rather group.
3. It is important not to belittle the client during negotiations and to always leave something on the table.
4. Never drink during business meals.
5. Never talk about religion, politics and family until someone alludes to it and never more than necessary.
6. It is a question of both professional and interpersonal relationships. We must be able to understand and talk about our cultural differences, both professional and personal.
7. You will need topics for discussion outside the trading room.
8. Refrain from speaking ill of anyone, especially competitors.

Doing business

1. Yes, your company can help change a community and the world.
2. Understanding cultures is very important to succeed in innovating, redesigning your product and its packaging to adapt it to the target market.
3. You must have a good knowledge of the sector in which you operate.
4. Always keep in mind the language barrier and the time difference.
5. The devil hides in the small details and unacknowledged misunderstandings.
6. If language is a barrier, you need to be 100% sure that everyone understands and is committed to the same thing.
7. Just because someone says they understand doesn’t mean they actually understand (much less that they think you understand what they’re trying to tell you so you don’t lose face).
8. Check, check, double check that everyone understands the same thing.
9. The notion of time, and therefore of patience, is a criterion that must be understood and taken into account.
10. Time does not mean nothing in some cultures. Do not push customers.
11. One of the critical success factors of the company abroad is its conception of its social responsibility in the country.
12. Be specific and deliver your promises on time. There is nothing more irritating for a customer to wait for an answer that never arrives. Even less when it comes to a business proposal.

“My faith in humanity leads me to believe that people are looking for something more elevating than the sordid details of the intimate aspects of one’s personal life.”

Ginger Rogers