Business today has expanded far beyond the days of your grandfather’s local small engine repair and the local general store. When we look at just what money can buy, we find a long list of associated countries around the world that provide these wares and goods. Someone has to market these wares and someone else has to broker them. This is where the business world comes in.
South America has become quite the exotic export location in the past few decades. Import and export of these goods requires business deals which are brokered through the deals of businessmen from both countries. South America has such a wide diverse culture that one must prepare for his or her travel to the region for these deals. Brazil has the largest area and population with the primary language is Portuguese, however, Peru, the third largest country, actually has three official languages. (Agency, n.d.) Having some familiarity with the language helps tremendously in communications with your soon to be partners.
Understanding the differences in their business dealings and general cultural traits work hand in hand as well. In an article by Linda Ray, of the Demand Media, discusses how businessmen in South America differ from North Americans. She states how businessmen will greet an associate with a kiss on both cheeks rather than a handshake. (Ray, 2015) To many this seems awkward at best, but imagine your first time in Brazil, your potential buyer for your product approaches you and you push him away. You just offended him and possibly lost his business! Another fact from Ray is the ties of partnership that make a business deal work. Judgment based deals are all about family ties or a closer relationship to the businessman than your connection in the States. If you have family ties this is a huge asset. If you have someone who can directly refer you to your future business associate then you will most likely have much fast and better dealing with them, Honesty and trust is very important to people in general in South American Countries and this is what they bring to the table during business deals.

Think of dealing with a man as important as Cesar Chavez. Without proper communications skills, you may as well be walking in the park and conversing with the trees. Gary Wederspahn spoke of communicating with cultural differences in his Webpage “Professional Knowledge Center” where he outlines the need for communications skills in the modern world of communications when he states” Communications between peoples of a different cultural backgrounds involves much more than overcoming the language barrier.(Wederspahn, 2005) Wederspahn goes on to talk about the message context and placing focus on the details of the relationship rather than the facts and figures of the business deal, these will be what helps you seal a deal or what.
So to prepare for a business trip in South America, we see that much more preparation is needed than simply packing a bag or two and grabbing the file folder for a presentation. When we understand what drives our business associates and we learn to play into those emotions, become that partner that is a trusted friend and almost a family member, this is what will bring your business deal to fruition.
Bibliography
Agency, C. I. (n.d.). The world factbook. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html
Ray, L. (2015). Examples of Cultural Differences in Business. Retrieved from Chron: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-cultural-differences-business-21958.html
Wederspahn, G. M. (2005). Cross-Cultural Communication Between Latin American and U.S. Managers. Retrieved from Professional Knowledge Center: http://www.grovewell.com/pub-Latin+US-mgrs.html

By today’s standards we are far advanced in learning than we were 100 years ago. In the early 1900’s if you wanted to learn about a culture more than what you could read in a text book, you had to travel to that country, visit someone from that country who knows the culture very well, or attend a cultural studies course, program or seminar. Today, we have so many other methods of learning available to us that we can sit in our homes and learn. As tomorrow’s leaders we must step forward today and embrace this new path of learning that is growing at a dramatic rate. With the click of a mouse or touch of a finger tip, we have access to several forms of communications where we can sit back and talk to other from other parts of the world. Even more amazing is the fact we can translate their language into our own so there is no need for learning another language just to learn about their culture. Forbes contributor Meghan R. Biro has an online forum where she details today’s world of social learning through global media.
Leader of today are made by learning and adapting to the constantly changing world around us. Before the time of telephones we had really slow forms of communications, namely letters, hand written and correspondents. However, with a blackberry, cell phone, or computer, one can instantly have access to all sorts of information on not only the company you are dealing with, information on the people who work for this company, the people who own and manage this company, but online records of their dealings, both good and bad, their stocks and investments as well as the investors. A leaders of tomorrow, this is a powerful tool in helping us learn how to be prepared to deal with meeting with a company or the CEO’s or any other leader. As discussed in previous lessons, we must also be aware of cultural differences and how these differences can affect meetings and business dealings. With social media we can interact with others from these cultures, learn how to deal with their people first hand, in a laid back atmosphere, we can discuss issues that may be important to their leaders and what they think of ours as well. this will prepare us for dealings on a professional basis as a leader to leader.
Nothing is more frustrating when an important meeting is taking place and it seems you cannot get anything right. Your not grabbing a clients attention or interacting with them in a way that makes them, or you, feel comfortable. online we can join social learning communities that offer cultural lessons. This is a fantastic way to learn to interact with people from the very culture you will soon be dealing with as a leader. You can gain help and tutorials from people who live this culture every day and are willing to teach you how to deal with others from their own culture in a professional, business manner. Instead of looking like a stooge to your boss, you will greet your guest with proper attitude, gestures, and offer the right words that will impress your guest. Your boss will be pleased that you have taken the time to learn what was necessary to make this effort rewarding for you and your company. All because of the growth of social media.
Think back a 100 years ago. Who would have believed we could sit in our homes and talk to someone from Japan. Who would have thought we could open dialogue to a leader from Venezuela politely and appropriately without offending him without even having stepped foot into his country to learn their ways. Imagine what this Can do for you as a developing leader and how the willingness to adapt to social learning changes will make you more marketable. Change, it is everywhere and in everything. It is time we embraced this new style of learning.

This past couple of weeks have been quite interesting in both what I have learned and further have experienced. This Organization Leadership class has opened my eyes to many problems that are present in the business world that I never knew existed. When dealing with diverse cultures, especially with ethnic backgrounds not from the United States, I had never considered communications an issue. I am a fairly sociable person, communicate fairly well and have a decent understanding of respect for others. However, when we began to explore the communication variations, I began to understand I wasn’t as good as I thought. In fact, I would say it is a good thing I do not negotiate for my company. Not that I am ignorant, at least not on purpose, however, little “communications” by actions can be deal breakers.
After our lesson on diversity and how gestures can affect a communications link, I had the pleasure of meeting with a representative of a company that I have had dealings with in the past. While past dealing were not business related in the sense I was negotiating contracts or conducting business for my company, I did have the pleasure of talking with this gentleman while he was there for other work and I was able to converse while he observed. This time we met in town and I was able to talk to him on the communication barrier between our nations and how he felt about how American vs. Swedes deal with forms of hand gestures, language, and various other communications errors. I was quite surprised by his response on how he adjusted because he knew American would not. He didn’t mean it in a harmful way but I asked for clarity and his response was quite intriguing. He said most of his countrymen feel Americans are too aloft and will not learn global communications, and that would be our downfall. We offend without knowing and therefore we don’t try to make amends.
I reflect back to other lessons on how a leader must be willing to recognize his traits and skills and make change to make himself a better leader. After hearing this, I began to look at myself in a new light. Could I be that guy who blew deals because I offended our customers? Most likely. I learned this day that, while I will most likely never be in that position of settling deals or traveling on business, I will in the future, almost certainly deal with someone on the street, maybe at work, or in my travels in the U.S., run into someone from a foreign country. My wish is to be able to not only communicate with this person verbally, but to also walk away knowing that my actions, my gestures, and my tone didn’t offend them in any way, this making myself look better in their eyes and not look like some barbarian. We as a nation need to be aware that others are watching us, as we grow, so does our reputation.
Another key communication area we overlook is our technological era of communications. Recently, I have observed several forms of media that can be and have been taken out of context by individuals. I myself thought these posts were funny and amusing, however, when reading the comments, I found out how wrong I was. My mind wandered back to this lesson we have learned in Global Communications. Even simple text communications are often misread, therefore we should take care in what we type out, clarifying where there is the opportunity of miscommunications and know our target audience. Myself finding a post funny, I suddenly was aware I was only a few out of several hundred who did. When I went back and reread what was written, I did see the other points of view but it took me looking at it in a different light. Cell phones, black berries, Ipads, and laptops are all the norm today in the communications world. Business is conducted hundreds or even thousands of miles apart without any face to face contact. How easy is it to send out just one joke that offends, one off key comment that is taken the wrong way, and one picture to a buddy that is online of something we find amusing but the rest of the recipients are thoroughly offended at the vulgar scene. Know your audience, be professional at all times, leave the “possible” out of the equation and together we can have better communications not only here in the US, but around the world.

This past week we have had several lesson,read several chapter, and watched several videos on difference amongst us. There are several lessons I learned early in life while I was a young Marine, and the biggest one was, this is a pretty large world and many, many cultures around the globe. I made my fair share of cultural mistakes and offended some people in different countries even though it wasn’t my intention to do so.Little did I know 30 years later I would be involved in a class talking about culture around the world but I do believe it prepared me for whats coming in my business planning.

One of our lessons talks about cultural mistakes. These mistakes are often overlooked in not only by the common public, but by the business world as well. As Americans, we consider business just that business. We enter into meetings with contracts on the table from the beginning and we deal in terms of work and progress with contracts than relationships. Japanese on the other hand rely much more on building a personal relationship with their partners before they begin working on contracts and business dealings. (Chron, nd)

Another lesson could be as simple as exchanging business cards hoping for future business and expansions. Again we see this in the Japanese culture. They believe that placing ones business card in the back pocket is a sign of being uninterested or disrespect to the owner of the card.(Global Business: Leadership and Gestures,2009) The appropriate action would be to take the card and place in your briefcase or at the very least a front pocket. How many of us throw stuff in our back pockets all the time without thinking?

Today, there is so many differences between countries and companies, its hard to know them all, but with the right attitude and a little research we can better ourselves to become prepared or these meetings and cultural divides. With the increased expansions and development of the international businesses, there is a real need to learn the fine art of global communications, this being the ability to converse and interact with other countries and other peoples without offending.

 

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-company-failure-due-cultural-mistakes-70712.html

http://www.globalbusinessleadership.com/gestures_asia.asp

I live in Greene County, Pa. just outside of Jefferson. I currently work as a foreman in the coal mines for Consol Energy. With the completion of this degree, BS in Organizational Leadership, I am hoping it will unlock doors for higher level of advancement within my industry. While money is the main objective, I also believe in leading for success.Many can become a boss at work and tell people what to do, but it takes skill and courage to become a leader. This is what I am striving to do with this degree.

MY favorite quote will seem a bit odd to many, unless you have been there most will not understand.  “Semper Fidelis” or “Semper Fi” for short. This simple little phrase is the Marine Corps Motto. It is Latin for “always faithful” or “always loyal”  and provides much, much more meaning to me. Having served in the United States Marine Corps, I have this instilled into me in such a way that i use it in every day dealing with life. Faithful to my job, my employees, my work, my goals, and my family. Marines have always led the way. As a Marine, we were taught you lead by example and the meaning of being a leader is not standing tall barking orders, but shouting over your shoulder for the rest to follow you as you LEAD them. As many have guessed by now, I am partial to Marines and more importantly to our Veterans of all ages. This takes up most of my free time by being involved with the American Legion, Patriot Guard Riders and American Legion Riders, all of which I currently hold leadership roles both at the local and the state level.

When i do have that very rare occasional moment of free time, I do enjoy woodworking and extensive remodeling of our new home with old wood.