Business etiquette, international business etiquette, travel etiquette or social etiquette – depending on the situation and circumstance, you will have to read up, adjust and learn about each depending on your purpose. In any case, you should not see etiquette as a set of rules, but rather as a notion of communication. Like language, we need to learn the customs of a culture we are dealing with or of the country we are living in. Growing up in a country, you learn it automati

I will never forget one of the dilemmas I ran into when I went on my first trip to the Philippines. My husband introduced me to one of his best friends, but had to leave the room to welcome his other buddies. We were left alone, sitting in awkward silence. Me, being Western thought it would be polite to ask some questions and get to know his best friend. However, I noticed he would never answer my questions. He would simply raise his eyebrows quickly up and down every time I

Is it your first time to meet Japanese business clients? How should you greet them or exchange business cards? Have you ever wondered how to conduct yourself in a Japanese business meeting? Japan is a country rich in traditions and culture and manners are highly regarded in this land of the rising sun. To start off on the right foot, learn some basic etiquette about Japan. Stay on top of your game and impress your Japanese clients by showing you made the effort to learn the e

I was very surprised and maybe somewhat shocked recently when I was told I should not be offended by something that was said to my husband when I shared to a friend something I had observed. Why was I surprised? Well, I was not offended in any kind of way. Why did the person think I was offended? Because the person thought I had been implying my discontent when I had merely stated what I had observed. What happened here? This is a simple but typical example of communication p

What exactly do we mean when we talk about culture? Is communication just about talking and getting your point across? Just as culture is not just about visible differences, nor is communication just about talking. Let us start by looking at the meaning of ‘culture’. Many people who have spent a considerable time in a foreign country would probably agree that your own culture is something you take for granted until you are actually out of your usual environment. It is only th