8.3 俄罗斯商务礼仪在线视频

Hi welcome back

This time we explore the intercultural business etiquette

In this part

we are going to talk about the following etiquette

that you should pay strong attention to while communicating

with Russian business men and women

table manners

business dress code

Work life balance

be flexible

Greetings

art of conversation

verbal communication

gift giving and business cards

Table Manners

Be aware of your drinking limits

The vodka may be stronger and you should not try to drink

more than you can handle

Don’t try to keep up with the locals or you may find yourself in trouble

The more you drink

the more you will be served

If you really can’t drink

you need a really good excuse

like a doctor’s order

You’ll need to eat some bread after every drink

Politely decline more portions when needed

Russians are great hosts and love to entertain guests in their home

They tend to put more than they can eat on the table to show

that they have enough food with or without it

Guests leave food on their plates as a sign of respect for the host

This means they are eating well

Plenty of food can be a sign of riches

so once you’re full

politely decline to partake again

Toast often

depending on the situation

during a meal

After the toast

most Russians like to clink their glasses together

If you’re drinking something that doesn’t contain alcohol

don’t do it

Business dress code

Depending on the type of business

business attire in Russia is mainly divided into two main categories

professional and business casual wear

Professional attire is the most conservative type of business attire

mostly encountered frequently in accounting

finance and other industries

A decent business person should appear formal and conservative

Business people in Russia usually wear dark except in the hot summer suits and expensive shoes

In Russian eyes

wearing very light or bright colors can make you look lazy or unreliable

Women dress rather conservatively and avoid overly flashy outfits

Women should wear suits and dresses or pants

However

this rule cannot be applied to areas of the creative industry

such as fashion and design

And for men

professional wear means a business suit or blazer

formal pants and a tie

Business casual wear is a looser version of professional wear

but that doesn’t mean employees can be absolutely casual

and some meetings and events still require professional wear

Basically business casual is when women wear a sweater

formal pants and nice shoes

Women can also sometimes wear dresses or skirts of modest length

For men

business casual means a polo shirt or shirt with a leader and/or sweater

formal pants and formal shoes

No need to wear a tie

Work life balance

Russians value work-life balance

and this may have something to do with not wanting to joke around at work

Since Russians try not to be at work all the time

they tend to be very serious in meetings

so that they can spend time with family and friends later

Russians generally don’t linger on the phone after a conversation

Just because you hang up the phone once it’s agreed

doesn’t mean the other person is rude

Be flexible

In Russia successful companies are able to adapt quickly

to the changing environment

Schedules can change due to weather

long distances

and inconvenient transportation

You may encounter resistance to planning

but your ability to plan and improvise will ensure

that you have a back-up plan that will often put you one step

ahead of your competitors.

Greetings

When greeting

shake hands tightly and maintain direct eye contact

Avoid shaking hands and giving things away in houses

or rooms across the threshold

When coming and going

it is best to cross the threshold completely

before shaking hands with your host

Always take off your gloves when shaking hands

It is considered rude not to do so

Never use first name unless invited

as it is important to respect authority and decorum

You can use Gospodin(Mr) or Gospozha (Mrs)

to their last names

However

if you know the other person’s full name

you can use a combination of first and last names

Art of Conversation

Russians appreciate foreigners’ interest in Russian

so it’s a good idea to try to learn or at least partially talk to them in their language

Many Russians speak English

because they are often taught to speak English in school

Russians love to talk about Russian culture and history

Also Russians are very attached to their children

so if you’re a parent

don’t hesitate to show a picture of your child

Avoid talking about such topics as your complaints about Russia

the Holocaust

tsarism and monarchy

conflicts with minorities etc

Verbal Communication

Oral communication is considered more trustworthy than the written word

Be sure to repeat and confirm verbally after any agreement

or written communication

You should also be prepared for silence

There is often a long pause before a response

Don’t interrupt others

Another unique habit of Russians is

to take cell phone calls at extraordinary times

For example

they may answer the phone while in a meeting or at dinner

Gift giving

It’s hard to do business in Russia without the help of local contacts

To get help

it’s often a good idea to give small gifts

when doing business in Russia

Gifts can symbolize the status of your company

and the importance of the business you’re about to close

preferably items with local characteristics

or items that display your company’s logo

Also the value of the gift should be commensurate

with the rank of the Russian businessman

with whom it is being exchanged

If you are invited to a Russian home for a meal

bring a small gift

Male guests are expected to bring flowers

but do not give yellow flowers

Do not give a baby gift until after the baby is born

since it is bad luck to do so sooner

Business cards

Business cards and all documents must be printed in Russian and English

Your business card should be in English on one side

and Russian on the other

Try to stand your ground and put any advanced degrees

you have on your business card

as these will make a big impression

Ok that is the end of this lecture

Please stay tuned and watch the following lecture videos