The International Entrepreneur – Saving Face in Business – International Style

By Becky DeStigter in May 30th 2013 Comments Off
Filed Under Culture Competence Tags: Africa, Asia, Becky DeStigter, business cultures, cross-cultural business, Dutch, Hong Tu, How to Manage Face in China, indirect communications, international, international business, Mike Black, Netherlands, Saving Face in Business, Sweden, Thailand, The International Entrepreneur

In doing cross-cultural business, situations involving saving face frequently arise. In my experience, saving face means handling situations so that neither you nor your counterpart would feel embarrassed or ashamed by your words or actions. Saving face becomes particularly important in business cultures with strong indirect communication styles. This includes most of Asia and Africa. […]

The International Entrepreneur – Making the Most of Modesty in International Business

By Becky DeStigter in March 16th 2013 4 Comments »
Filed Under Culture Competence Tags: American, Chinese, Cultural Competency, East Asia, East Coast U.S., Entrepreneurs, Filipino, give sincere compliments, Global Social Media, indirect communications, international business, Isreal, Japanese, knowledge and skills, Korean, Modesty, non-verbal cues, savvy entrepreneurs, Thai, The International Entrepreneur

I once worked for a Filipino department director. Above all else, he was incredibly modest by American standards. He was quick to credit others for their accomplishments and he never bragged or boasted even in quieter moments when his success was obvious. He is an incredibly pleasant person – very easy to work with and […]