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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. 48 convinus.com
Global Mobility Insights - Frühling / Spring 2024 A small faux pas that you should avoid in a restaurant: Don't put your briefcase or handbag on the floor! Some restaurants even offer hooks to spare you this situation. Preferably, you should avoid topics such as politics, poverty, religion, and the rainforest! Short and sweet; my quick tips! Better dress too well than too sporty! Many Brazilians are very well-groomed and take care of their appearance. You may be judged according to the same criteria. Learn Portuguese! If you want to [successfully] lead a team in Brazil, this is basically absolutely essential. If this is not part of your job description, the local language will still open many closed doors for you. The group is important! Brazil is a collectivist culture where many people expect to be protected by their group. This includes, for example, not criticising individuals in front of colleagues. Brazilians are often very expressive in conversations and will certainly interrupt you more often – especially in the heat of a conversation. This is not a sign of rudeness in Brazil, but of dedication to the topic. The bureaucratic hurdles for companies in Brazil are comparatively high. The easiest way to solve this challenge: Reach out to Brazilian confidants who know the system and can advise you! Contact: Eidam & Partner Barbarossastraße 69 +49 371 - 27 37 23 00 DE-09112 Chemnitz info@eidam-und-partner.de Germany eidam-und-partner.de convinus.com 49
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