to a foreigner. In polite Iranian society, it was once customary to offer as a gift an item of one’s possession that was praised by the other party in the conversation. Until most Iranians realized that Americans didn’t share the same understanding, they would generously make gifts of these things and expect the Americans to graciously and politely decline acceptance. Then they would repeat their gift offer and expect a similar response. After three or more repetitions of this interaction, both parties would be ready to move on, usually without a gift exchange. When Americans, following their own standards of politeness, would thankfully accept the proffered gifts, they risked offending their Iranian counterparts. They also unknowingly caused irritation when, in response to a statement of praise about an item in their possession, they did not make a gift of it to the Iranian partner.

How do you avoid offending foreign business contacts whose cultures you don’t know?

Extending common ground
Professionals don’t treat international business lightly because there can be so much at stake. You may run into people who are having a difficult time and are hard to work with, for reasons completely outside of the context of work. Generally, however, you can assume that everybody has the best intentions and wants to make a great impression on business partners. You and your foreign contacts have an interest in addressing the business concerns at hand in the most efficient and pleasant manner—you share significant common ground before you start a conversation. Together, you can tackle the obstacles of culture and language, and build even stronger relationships—as long as everybody is willing to keep an open mind, and to forgive and be forgiven for errors.

Of course, you don’t always know what you don’t know. And you don’t want to make things needlessly difficult or make unrealistic assumptions. Here’s an indicator that may help: How well do you speak the native language of your business contacts? If you would consider a business conversation without an interpreter difficult, you will probably find that there’s also much to learn about your partners’ work culture. On the other hand, don’t assume that you are culturally informed just because you speak the language well.

Developing best practices
With the right attitude, learning your way in foreign business cultures can be highly rewarding and enjoyable. Prepare yourself as best as you can, and come willing to have your assumptions tested and horizons broadened. Here are some basic, practical ideas:

• Be as pleasant and professional as you can, and people will usually recognize that you’re trying your best. When you don’t know or understand something, it’s better to admit ignorance instead of pretending. Make sure not to imply that your international counterparts are at fault for your lack of education.
• If you are fearful or prejudiced when it comes to things foreign to you, you want to be completely aware of your attitudes so you can see how they might influence your interactions and behaviors. Take a mental or written inventory, or talk with a person you trust. And don’t let your ideas stop you from leaving your comfort zone.
• Most people like being helpful and appreciate being asked for advice. Once you are past the first formalities of a business relationship, your contact person in the other cultural or linguistic environment may become your professional mentor and advocate when you ask him or her to assist you in understanding local styles and preferences.
• Find those in your company who have traveled or done business internationally. They may have interesting insights to share. Be careful in using the advice of people who don’t speak a foreign language and who tell you about their experiences in countries where they had to rely on translators and interpreters. They may be confused or misguided, even with best intentions.
• Online guidance may get you started, but be aware of any bias or limitations expressed in those sources. Some of what we found—including sites offering expensive reports—was dated, vague, or simply wrong. A free site with some helpful, mostly current information is "Executive Planet," which also lets you meet others in forums.
• Hire a vendor with international experience. Experienced vendors of marketing or language services should be able to help you accomplish more than just bridge a gap in language—they should be ready to support you with the intelligence that lets you do well in a foreign business climate.
• Finally, be sure to document any best practices you identify in working with people and businesses in other cultural and linguistic environments. If nothing else, doing so will help you gauge the value of any marketing or language services vendor you consider hiring.

At Washburn Communication, we have acquired international experience on many projects during the last ten years. Almost everyone in the company has worked on international projects, either with our own resources or in concert with our language services partners. That experience and seasoning benefit all of our clients because writers, editors, and project managers generally do their best work when they deal with a highly diverse range of people and projects.