One of the challenges of global business we have to face is the varying business culture. When visiting companies in a foreign land, it is always best to prepare one's self.
If you are planning to conduct business in Finland or with a Finnish company, it is important for you to understand their culturally-influenced protocols. Your success might depend on this.
And today, I had the chance to "practice" a few of the things I have learned while interacting with some Finnish people.
Here are a few musts which I kept in mind:
- I did not fold my arms lest they think of me as being arrogant.
- I looked at them in the eye whenever I talked to them. I found that this works for most cultures.
- I made sure that my hands were out of my pockets while I spoke lest they think of me as being rude.
- I kept myself from fidgeting and filling the air with endless chatter whenever there are periods of silence. It's normal for Finns to have periods of silence.
- I refrained from addressing anyone using their first names, no matter how friendly they were. It's always best to wait for them to make the first move. Very much like the Germans, I think.
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