Global Mobility Insights NEWSLETTER Frühling / Spring 2024

Global Mobility Insights - Frühling / Spring 2024
In Brazil, business is [often] personal!
Brazilians are generally very sociable and usually attach great importance to
relationships. You should definitely bear this attitude in mind – which also applies
to professional contacts, when communicating with your Brazilian business
partners! If you want things to run smoothly, you need this personal level. Without
relationships, on the other hand, nothing might work at all.
Please also be prepared for an implicit style of communication! "Saving face" is
usually just as important in Brazil as it is for many people from China or Japan.
What does that mean exactly? The focus of communication is more on how
something is said: Harmony plays a particularly important role. You don't want
your fellow human beings to feel offended or personally attacked.
This is why implicit people either completely refrain from communicating negative
things or they merely hint at negative things gently. It is important for you to
adopt this style or at least adjust to it!
Time management estilo brasileiro [the Brazilian way]
The attitude towards "time" varies geographically in Brazil: in the north, people
tend to be more relaxed and flexible when it comes to deadlines, while managers
in São Paolo and the south tend to be more American or northern European. They
are more likely to complete tasks much faster. Compared to many "western"
countries, the sense of time in the south of Brazil is nevertheless very relaxed and
decelerated.
I have had very good experiences with monitoring adherence to timelines in a
subtle way – for example, by letting a topic flow into a conversation over a coffee
and casually asking about the status of things. You should also know that by
making such gentle inquiries in Brazil, you are expressing urgency: the more
inquiries, the greater the importance!
Being a good host or guest!
Brazilians generally shake hands with everyone in the room – both before and
after the meal. The seating arrangement at a table should reflect the importance of
the guests: The most prestigious position is at the head of the table, with the host
sitting directly to the right. Hosts will usually give a toast during the meal. It is
customary for the other party to make a toast as well and to drink on it afterwards.
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