Nine Nasty No-nos for Smart Global Leaders
Align4Profit Wins for Leadership Excellence Again
May 1, 2015Coffee, Tea, and Leadership Intimacy
May 18, 2015As the world shrinks, leaders are expected to lead teams consisting of professional people living and working in cultures spread around the globe. As a result, inevitably and innocently, cultural differences cause misunderstanding.
I can illustrate how easily this can happen with just a few examples. Below are nine gestures, expression, and behaviors that can get a leader into hot water. There are many, many more. But let’s start somewhere.
Never give gifts in groups of four in China.Doing so suggests bad luck, because the word for “four” is similar to the word for “death.”
Never use this gesture in Brazil.It’s an insult to some men’s masculinity.
Never eat with your left hand in the Middle East.It’s taboo. The left hand is reserved for bathroom duty.
Never write on the business card of someone from Japan.Always offer and accept cards with both hands and treat them with respect.
Never stand with your hands in your pockets in Russia.It’s considered rude.
Never use this gesture in Australia.It’s an insult equivalent to the finger in the United States.
Never wear leather in India.Some Hindus revere the cow, the source of leather.
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A woman must never offer to shake hands with a pious Muslim man.
The Quran forbids men to make physical contact with women other than family.
A man must never offer a woman a ride in the UK.The word “ride” refers to the sex act. Offer her a lift.
Never give gifts in groups of four in China.Doing so suggests bad luck, because the word for “four” is similar to the word for “death.”
Never use this gesture in Brazil.It’s an insult to some men’s masculinity.
Never eat with your left hand in the Middle East.It’s taboo. The left hand is reserved for bathroom duty.
Never write on the business card of someone from Japan.Always offer and accept cards with both hands and treat them with respect.
Never stand with your hands in your pockets in Russia.It’s considered rude.
Never use this gesture in Australia.It’s an insult equivalent to the finger in the United States.
Never wear leather in India.Some Hindus revere the cow, the source of leather.
A woman must never offer to shake hands with a pious Muslim man.The Quran forbids men to make physical contact with women other than family.
A man must never offer a woman a ride in the UK.The word “ride” refers to the sex act. Offer her a lift.
So what’s a global leader to do?
The cultural landscape doesn’t have to be a minefield of potential missteps. Here are four things you can do right now to navigate the world as safely as possible.
- Ask about what you don’t understand or what to do when you’re not sure.
- Paraphrase what you think you understand someone has said or suggested, especially if you have any doubt or if something sounds out of the ordinary to you.
- Explain yourself thoroughly and carefully until you feel more confident that you are being clearly understood.
- Get some help from a third party whom you and your business associate trust.
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