Germany
How do Germans usually answer the phone?
Giving their last name
Giving their phone number
Giving their position title
Offering a greeting
1. Giving their last name
The last name is the typical way to answer the phone. Very likely, your German contact will pick up the phone, and just say ‘Müller…?’, after which you are free to speak. In a context where external calls are expected, especially from customers, the formula will be extended to company – name – greeting, such as: ‘This is Sasol Performance Chemicals, you are talking to Matthias Müller, how can I help you?’
How do South Africans usually answer the phone?
Giving their last name
Giving their phone number
Giving their position title
Offering a greeting
4. Offering a greeting
In South Africa it is common for people to offer a greeting, normally in English. If the caller is unknown and an unsolicited business call, it is normal for the caller to fully introduce themselves and the purpose of their call before proceeding to ask for personal information. If the call is a solicited business call, it is normal practice to have some small talk (e.g. weather, sport etc.) prior to getting to the purpose of the call.
How do Americans usually answer the phone?
Giving their last name
Giving their phone number
Giving their position title
Offering a greeting
4. Offering a greeting
In the USA it is common for people to offer a greeting, usually hello.
If the caller is unknown and an unsolicited business call, it is normal for the caller to fully introduce themselves and the purpose of their call before proceeding to ask for personal information.
If the call is a solicited business call, it is normal practice to have some small talk (e.g. weather, sport etc.) prior to getting to the purpose of the call.
What behavior is typically accepted in a German business meeting?
Being 10 minutes late
Very direct/blunt statements
Avoiding eye contact
Accepting important phone calls in the meeting room
2. Very direct/blunt statements
Showcasing respect is very important in German business culture. Being on time and giving one’s full attention to the meeting and its participants are important indicators for this. Eye contact is another way to demonstrate full attention and interest to one’s discussion partner. Being very straightforward in discussions, however, is taken more as being a sign of an open and honest partner. Therefore, experiencing bluntness that might be considered rude in other cultures may not be unusual in Germany.
What behavior is typically accepted in a South African business meeting?
Ending the meeting 5 to 10 minutes late
Very direct/blunt statements
Avoiding eye contact
Accepting important phone calls in the meeting room
1. Ending the meeting 5 to 10 minutes late
Business meetings in South Africa can end later, particularly if the topic is very engaging or pressing. This practice is becoming more difficult due to high demand of meeting venues, particularly in the Sandton office Accepting important phone calls is generally acceptable only for operations personnel that need to be contactable for emergencies. Avoiding eye-contact should not be interpreted as a definite sign of disrespect or disinterest, but rather a sign of respect especially if done by Africans. Blunt statements which could result in embarrassment are frowned upon.
What behavior is typically accepted in an American business meeting?
Starting and ending the business on time
Very direct/blunt statements
Avoiding eye contact
Accepting important phone calls in the meeting room
1. Starting and ending the business on time
Arrive on time or slightly early to show your professionalism. Lateness can reflect poorly. It is even more important to begin punctually if you’re chairing or hosting the meeting.
Generally, American meetings end at the designated time as scheduled tend to be full and meeting participants mention if they must leave on time to get to another meeting.
In German, there are two versions of ‘you’ when addressing a person – ‘Sie’ as a polite and respectful way, which is generally used in business meetings, and ‘Du’, which is the way to address friends and family, but also becoming increasingly common amongst colleagues working together on a regular basis. In a business context, who would usually propose to move from ‘Sie’ to the more familiar ‘Du’?
The older person
The younger person
The lower-ranked person
The higher-ranked person
4. The higher-ranked person
Typically, the person with a higher position in the hierarchy will offer the less formal way of addressing one another. However, it does become more common that companies will prefer ‘Du’ as a standard in their company culture across ranks.
In South Africa, there are 11 official languages, namely English, Afrikaans, isiZulu, isiXhosa, siSwati, isiNdebele, Sesotho, Sepedi, Tshivenda, Tsonga, Setswana. Which language is acceptable to speak during a business meeting?
Whatever the common language is amongst participants
The most prevalent language in the region
English
The language spoken by the higher-ranked person
3. English
English is the accepted language for business. Speaking other languages is likely to exclude some members of the meeting, which can cause embarrassment or mistrust. It shouldn’t be assumed that participants with lower English skill have lower potential to contribute to the content of the meeting
When meeting an American business partner, what is the acceptable greeting:
1. A hug
2. A handshake
3. A bow
4. A salute
2. A handshake
Americans usually refrain from greetings that involve hugging and close physical contact.
The standard space between you and your counterpart should be about two feet. Most executives will be uncomfortable standing at a closer distance.
Which of the following is typically considered most critical when it comes to business contracts, and should be avoided in German business culture?
Working ‘around’ an individual by addressing the line manager directly
Negotiating very hard on pricing
Sudden changes in business transactions with an existing contract
Not inviting a business partner for a joint dinner after a contract closure
3. Sudden changes in business transactions with an existing contract
Germans are big believers in written agreements, doing what can be interpreted as breaching such an agreement from one side is therefore not a good idea. All other aspects may be more commonly found in German business relations, but all of them should be applied with judgment – a preferred partner will usually try to act more accommodating.
What is typical when you conduct a meeting in South Africa?
Start the presentation and introduce yourself on the first slide
Wait to be introduced by the most senior person in the room
Greet only the most senior people in the room
Greet each person individually
4. Greet each person individually
South Africans value building personal relationships. It is seen favorably when you greet everybody individually and remember their names. Set aside 5min before the meeting to give sufficient time for meeting participants to exchange pleasantries and walk the room.
When negotiating a contract in the US, what terms could be mentioned when discussing the business:
1. Touch base on the development of the contract
2. Ballpark figure on the initial price offering
3. Game plan on the negotiation strategy
4. All of the above
4. All of the above
Americans tend to adopt sports terms in their business speech (“Touch base”, “Call the shots”, “Ballpark figures” and “Game plan” are a few examples).
What do Germans do traditionally when a more senior person enters a (meeting) room?
Stand up
Voice a greeting the second the leader enters
Stop all conversation immediately
Offer the chair closest to the entrance to the leader
1. Stand up
Typically, Germans greet superiors standing up, thereby showing their deference. If a meeting is in progress, it is not necessarily halted – the leader may quietly walk around the table and shake hands, but the meeting participants will stand up to conduct the greeting.
What do South Africans do traditionally when a more senior person enters a (meeting) room?
Stand up
Pause the meeting to greet the senior person and give them a chance to contribute
Stop all conversation immediately
Offer the chair closest to the entrance to the leader
2. Pause the meeting to greet the senior person and give them a chance to contribute
Typically, South Africans will pause the meeting to exchange pleasantries with the senior leader and offer them an opportunity to talk if they have a message. If the leader declines the opportunity to talk, politely continue the meeting and offer the leader and opportunity to contribute again before closing the meeting.
How should information be conveyed in a meeting with an American counterpart?
1. Without structure and not following the agenda agreed upon
2. Direct and to the point
3. Without preparation or regard to the topic at hand
4. With no clear objective on the purpose of the meeting
2. Direct and to the point
Americans are direct in the way they communicate. They value logic and linear thinking and expect people to speak clearly and in a straightforward manner. Time is money in the U.S. and therefore people get to the point quickly. Communicating virtually is very common with very little protocol or formality is required in the verbal interaction but face-to-face meetings tend to me more structured as more money is invested in this type of interaction.