Cross Cultural Etiquette and Manners

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Monday, March 6, 2017

Dining Etiquette and Table Manners

Dining Etiquette and Table Manners (Common for All Cultures and Environment)

Dining etiquette and table manners vary from country to country and culture to culture. While one may like to know all these varieties of dining etiquette and table manners in depth, yet it may not be always possible. However, the minimum one should learn is the general decencies one must observe everywhere, in any cultural setting, at the dining table.

We have distilled from all the dining etiquette and manners of all the cultures, some common factors and essentials that everyone should know and follow in practice so as not to shock or embarrass the hosts or the other guests or the traditionalists on the dining table as well as to use the more sophisticated and pleasant side of you.

Given below are the essential dining etiquette and table manners:

Arrive on the appointed time. You may arrive a bit early but never be late.
When invited for dinner at homes, decision to remove the shoes at the entrance of the home will depend upon the cultural aspects. For example, in many Asian countries, it is expected that you remove the shoes before going inside of the house.
As the dinner is announced, take your seat at the table. If there is any particular seating arrangement planned by the host, be guided by it.
Hosts will normally provide cloth napkins to guests. When paper napkins are provided, they should be treated the same as cloth napkins by the guests.
After you take your seat, remove the napkin placed on the dining table in front of you, unfold it, and spread it in your lap. Do not shake it open. At some formal restaurants, the waiter may do this for you, but even there, it is OK if you place the napkin in your lap.
At a private dinner party the meal begins when the host or hostess unfolds his or her napkin. This is your signal to do the same. Or at times, the hostess or host will announce the start of the dinner.
Keep the napkin on the lap till the end of the meal.
Do not clean the cutlery or wipe your face or nose with the napkin.
If you have to move away from the table for some reason, fold the napkin loosely and place it to the left or right of your plate. Do not place the napkin on your chair.
Setting of plates and the silverware on the table may vary from place to place and culture to culture. For example, in USA, UK, Canada and France etc, food is eaten using fork, knife and spoon, in China and Japan chopsticks are used more and in India, most of the items of food are eaten with fingers.
Given such differences, most formal restaurants and homes almost all over the world follow similar table settings for plates and silverware for a sit down dinner. Bread or salad plates are placed on the left side of the main plate. Beverage and water glasses are placed to the right of the main plate. Salad fork is on your outermost left, followed by dinner fork. Soup spoon is on your outermost right, followed by beverage spoon, salad knife and dinner knife. Your dessert spoon and fork are above your plate or brought to you when dessert is served.
Start using the silverware from the outer most silverware to the inner most. Use appropriate silverware. For example, soup is generally served at the beginning of the meal and soup spoon is the outer most silverware on the right side of the plate; so you should use the soup spoon being the outermost.
While in western culture, formal dinner may be served in several courses served one after another in sequence, in Asian countries and particularly in India, all the food items will be put at one time on the table for everyone to see, from where the food will be served.
If you have dietary restrictions, it will be preferable not to request other food at a private function. If you have any food allergies and if you must inform about it, do so politely and preferably when accepting the invitation.
In a restaurant, start to eat only after all the other guests have been served. At private dinners or at homes, when your host or hostess picks up the fork to eat, then you may start to eat. Do not start before this unless the host or hostess insists that you start eating. In this case, host may request the guests to start eating.
Soup is normally served in the beginning of a meal. When eating soup, you should hold your soup spoon in your right hand and dip your spoon away from you into the soup, scooping the soup in movements away from yourself. Take soup noiselessly, from the side of the spoon. When there is a small amount left in the soup bowl, you may lift the front end of the dish slightly or tip the bowl slightly with your free hand to enable collection of the remaining small quantity of soup with your spoon.
For the main course or for eating solid food, you may have to use the silverware set placed on the inner side towards the plate (use the dinner fork and dinner knife). You may use one of two methods when using fork and knife, either American Style or Continental/European Style. In American style, hold the knife in right hand, fork in left hand holding food. After a few bite-sized pieces of food are cut, place knife on edge of plate with blades facing in. Eat food by switching fork to right hand (unless you are left handed). In Continental/European Style, hold the knife in right hand and fork in left hand. Eat food with fork still in left hand. The difference is that, in continental style, you do not switch hands- you eat with your fork in your left hand, with the prongs curving downward.
Do not blow on food to cool it. If it is too hot to eat, wait till it cools down.
Once used, your silverware should not touch the table again. Always rest forks, knives and spoons on the side of your plate or in the bowl.
For more formal dinners, from course to course, your pates and cutlery (tableware) will be taken away and replaced as needed. To signal that your are done with the course, rest your fork, tines up and knife blade in, with the handles resting at five o'clock, on tips pointing to ten o'clock on your plate. Any unused silverware is simply left on the table.
If you must leave the table or you are resting, your fork should be at eight o’clock and your knife at four o’clock positions (with the blade inwards). Also, while moving away from your seat temporarily, as mentioned earlier, fold the napkin loosely and place it to the left or right of your plate. Do not place the napkin on your chair.
Ask for permission from the host and excuse yourself if you need to leave the table. Say "Excuse me," or "Excuse me. I will be right back," before leaving the table. Do not mention that you are going to the restroom or for any other reason.
Do not use your cell phone during the dinner. Use it only in emergency. In that case apologize, excuse yourself and move away from the dining table so that your telecommunication does not disturb the
Do not talk loudly during dinner. Also give others opportunities for conversation. Preferable speak with the persons sitting by your sides. Avoid speaking with the persons seated across the table.
Do not turn a wine glass upside down to decline wine. It is more polite to let the wine be poured and not make fuss of it. Alternatively, you may also hold your hand over the wine glass to indicate that you do not want wine.
When a dish is offered from a serving dish as per the traditional manner in most homes, the food may be passed around or served by a host or staff. If passed, you should pass on the serving dish to the next person in the same direction as the other dishes are being passed. Place the serving dish on your left, take some and pass to the person next to you. You should make a rough judgment of the quantity of food on the serving dish and take from it onto your plate only a proportional amount so that everyone may have some. If you do not want a particular dish, pass it to the next person without comment. If being served by a single person, the server will request if the guest want the dish. The guest may say "Yes, please," or "No, thank you."
Do not lean over somebody else’s plate. If you need something to be passed, request the person closest to it. If you have to pass something, only pass it if you are closest to it and pass it directly to them if you can. Pass on the salt and pepper together.
Remember to say "please" and "thank you" as appropriate.
Before taking additional helping, finish the serving on your plate first.
Bring the food to your mouth by the fork while you sit straight and not lean towards your plate.
Cut and eat in small bites and slowly.
Chew with your mouth closed.
Do not slurp and do not talk with food in your mouth or make loud or unusual noises while eating.
Do not put your elbows on the table. You may rest forearms on the table.
Avoid constant clinking of the cutlery.
Do not play with your food or cutlery. Do not wave or point silverware at others.
Do not blow your nose at the dinner table. Do not use the napkin to wipe your nose.
Avoid burping, coughing, yawning and sneezing at the table. If you do so, say, "Excuse me."
Do not slouch over the table or tilt back your chair.
Do not stare at others.
Never pick food out of your teeth with your fingernails or even with toothpick in public.
Do not apply makeup at the table.
When you have finished eating, place your knife and fork together at six o’clock with your fork on the left (tines facing up) and knife on the right with the knife blade facing in. This signals that you are finished. Some people signal by resting the fork, tines up and knife blade in, with the handles resting at five o'clock, and tips pointing to ten o'clock on your plate.
At the completion of the dinner, leave the napkin neatly but loosely on the table. Do not make a ball of it or do not screw it. Also you need not fold it back meticulously. Give the same treatment to both the types of napkins, the cloth napkin and paper napkin.
Wait for your host or hostess to rise before getting up from the table.
Once dessert and after-dinner coffee have been served, do not be tempted to overstay. The guest who first wishes to leave should rise and may say, "This has been such a nice evening. We hope we can see you again soon."
Thank your host and hostess when leaving.

On etiquette and manners, you may also refer:

(Executive Etiquette and Manners) http://executive-manners.blogspot.com/,

(Email Etiquette) http://email-etiquette-manners.blogspot.com/,

(Telephone Etiquette) http://telephone-etiquette.blogspot.com/,

(Cross Cultural Etiquette and Manners) http://cross-cultural-etiquette.blogspot.com/

Books Suggested for your Professional, Organization's and Personal Library (all the titles below are available online from Amazon in paperbacks and as eBooks)

Business Management, Life Management, Self-help, Personality Development

HSoftware (Human Software) (The Only Key to Higher Effectiveness)
Sensitive Stories of Corporate World (Management Case Studies)
Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (Volume 2)
Classic Team Building Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
101 Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (available only as a paperback)
Stress? No Way!! (Handbook on Stress Management)
HSoftware (Shyam Bhatawdekar’s Effectiveness Model)
Competency Management (Competency Matrix and Competencies)
Essentials of Work Study (Method Study and Work Measurement)
Essentials of Time Management (Taking Control of Your Life)
Essentials of 5S Housekeeping
Essentials of Quality Circles
Essentials of Goal Setting
Essentials of Anger Management
Essentials of Assertive Behavior
Essentials of Performance Management and Performance Appraisal
Essentials of Effective Communication (soon to be published)
Health Essentials (Health is Wealth)
Soft Skills You Can't Do Without (Goal Setting, Time Management, Assertiveness and Anger Management)
The Romance of Intimacy (How to Enhance Intimacy in a Relationship?)

Novels, Short Stories, Biographies and Travelogues

Good People (Dream of a Boundary Less World)- Novel, a refreshingly different love story (Also available under the title Love Knows No Bounds)
The Peace Crusaders- a most intriguing novel
Two Novels in One Book (The Peace Crusaders and Love Knows No Bounds)
Funny (and Not So Funny) Short Stories
Stories Children Will Love (Volume 1: Bhanu-Shanu-Kaju-Biju and Dholu Ram Gadbad Singh)
My Father
Travelogue: Scandinavia, Russia
Travelogue: Europe

For More Guidance, Assistance, Training and Consultation

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Cross Cultural Etiquette and Manners: Russia

Russia: Etiquette and Manners

Business meetings are arranged by appointments. Fix up your appointment well in advance. Confirm the meeting a day or two in advance and also when you arrive in the country.
Lead time for governmental appointments can be even six months.
Russians are business like and logically, as such, you do need have to necessarily establish long standing personal relationships before doing business with them. Yet it may be a good idea to develop network of people who you know and trust and also look out for connections in high places. This can help facilitate to cut through the red tape often encountered in Russia.
Avoid planning your business meetings in first week of May since it is filled with many public holidays.
Arrive in time for the meetings. Punctuality is important.
Things get delayed often and even the meeting schedules keep changing. The meetings may even get cancelled. So be prepared for this and to be kept waiting. Yet, keep your cool.
Dress formally and conservatively for business meetings. Men are advised to wear business suits. Women should wear subdued colored business suits with skirts covering the knees.
Look impeccable.
Hierarchy (i.e. age, rank/position) is important to Russians. They prefer to meet up with the people of similar rank and position.
Shaking hands is the accepted form of exchanging greetings in a formal setting like a business meeting.
Business cards are exchanged after the initial introductions without any formal ritual. Have one side of your business card done in Russian language. Make sure to print your advanced university degrees on your business card; it impresses Russian audience.
Most of the Russians are most comfortable with Russian language (around 81% people in Russia speak Russian language as their first and only language. It's also Russia's official language). Therefore, let your Russian counterparts in the meetings see Russian side of your business card.
In case some participants of the meeting do not present their business cards to you, you should still note their details.
Meetings start with good amount of socializing and introductory exchanges before getting down to business.
In formal situations, address the people more formally rather than using their first names. (Russian names have three parts: first name, then middle name, which is a version of the father's first name formed by adding "vich" or "ovich" for a male and "avna" or "ovna" for a female followed by the third part which is the family or surname).
Make detailed presentations and emphasize your organization's differentiating features. It is advisable to bring along your technical experts with you. Keep ready the handouts in English as well as in Russian.
Don't be surprised if meetings get interrupted frequently for reasons not necessarily connected with the meetings.
Meetings and negotiations are slow. You must have patience.
Russians use a lot of tactics in business negotiations like prolonging the talks (buying/lengthening the time), losing temper, walking out, threatening to call off the association etc. They believe in somehow grabbing a concession from you. So, it is advisable not to use high pressure tactics.
Nothing is final until the contract is signed. Even then, Russians may modify a contract to suit their purpose.
At the end of meeting, you may need to sign the summary of discussions of the meeting called "protokol".
If you are invited to a Russian's house, reach there on time. Being marginally late by a few minutes is OK.
Remove your shoes and wear the house slippers if offered by the host.
Do not be too casual in your dress. Err on dressing in formal or semi-formal clothes.
Greet the host and hostess by a hand-shake and address formally. You may notice their close friends hugging and kissing on cheeks and addressing each other by the first name or by the first two parts of their names.
Offer to help the hostess with the preparation or clearing up after a meal is served. Offering this help second time may be accepted by the hostess.
Give a small gift to the host/hostess which may be politely refused the first time. Offer it again and it will be accepted.
Russians follow continental dining manners and use fork and knife.
Follow all the usual table manners.
Take your seat as suggested by the host and start eating only after the host requests you to start. Same way, do not leave your seat after you finish eating till the host requests you to do so.

(Also refer:
http://executive-manners.blogspot.com/ for general/executive etiquette and manners,
http://dining-manners.blogspot.com/ for dining etiquette and table manners,
http://telephone-etiquette.blogspot.com/ for telephone etiquette,
http://email-etiquette-manners.blogspot.com/ for email etiquette)

(Refer our High Quality Management Encyclopedia “Management Universe” at: http://management-universe.blogspot.com/)

Books Suggested for your Professional, Organization's and Personal Library (all the titles below are available online from Amazon in paperbacks and as eBooks)

Business Management, Life Management, Self-help, Personality Development

HSoftware (Human Software) (The Only Key to Higher Effectiveness)
Sensitive Stories of Corporate World (Management Case Studies)
Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (Volume 2)
Classic Team Building Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
101 Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (available only as a paperback)
Stress? No Way!! (Handbook on Stress Management)
HSoftware (Shyam Bhatawdekar’s Effectiveness Model)
Competency Management (Competency Matrix and Competencies)
Essentials of Work Study (Method Study and Work Measurement)
Essentials of Time Management (Taking Control of Your Life)
Essentials of 5S Housekeeping
Essentials of Quality Circles
Essentials of Goal Setting
Essentials of Anger Management
Essentials of Assertive Behavior
Essentials of Performance Management and Performance Appraisal
Essentials of Effective Communication (soon to be published)
Health Essentials (Health is Wealth)
Soft Skills You Can't Do Without (Goal Setting, Time Management, Assertiveness and Anger Management)
The Romance of Intimacy (How to Enhance Intimacy in a Relationship?)

Novels, Short Stories, Biographies and Travelogues

Good People (Dream of a Boundary Less World)- Novel, a refreshingly different love story (Also available under the title Love Knows No Bounds)
The Peace Crusaders- a most intriguing novel
Two Novels in One Book (The Peace Crusaders and Love Knows No Bounds)
Funny (and Not So Funny) Short Stories
Stories Children Will Love (Volume 1: Bhanu-Shanu-Kaju-Biju and Dholu Ram Gadbad Singh)
My Father
Travelogue: Scandinavia, Russia
Travelogue: Europe

Monday, August 16, 2010

Cross Cultural Etiquette and Manners: France

France: Etiquette and Manners

French is the official language of France. It is the first language of 88% of the population.
If you do not speak French, apologize; yet learning a few commonly used phrases in French language will be appreciated and it may be useful in developing a relationship, mutual trust and respect which will go a long way in your personal and business dealings in France.
French people are private people. And they are generally polite in all their dealings.
Make appointments for the business meetings. Fix up your appointments at least 2 weeks in advance. Appointments may be made in writing or by telephone; they are often handled by the secretaries.
Preferably avoid planning your business meetings during July and August, these being general vacation months.
Your dress for the business meetings should be understated; yet stylish.
Men should wear dark colored, conservative business suit for first few meetings. Later on, choose your business dress by observations of the culture of the organization with which you are doing business.
Women should wear either business suit or dress elegantly in soft colors.
Wearing good quality accessories will be appreciated since French people are believed to generally like the finer aspects of life.
Be punctual for the meetings. If you are likely to be late inadvertently, inform about it to your host organization over the phone and give convincing reason.
Handshake is an accepted form of exchanging greetings.
Exchange the business cards after introductions without any formal ritual. French business cards are often a bit larger as compared to those used in other countries.
It will be appreciated if on other side of your business card you print your details in French though it is not essential.
You may include your advanced academic degrees, if any, on your business card.
You may expect a bit of formal business environment in meetings. Courtesy is expected in dealings. Address the people in a formal way and do not use first names unless invited to do so.
Sit as per the seating plan; you may be to be told where to sit.
Do not exaggerate and do not mislead by giving any false information. Also do not lean on confrontational behavior or over-selling or aggressive tactics. These things may go against you with French people.
They will appreciate a high quality professional presentation that convinces about the benefits from your proposal.
Maintain eye contact while making your business presentation.
Do not be overzealous to be unduly friendly; it may not be seen as correct.
Generally meetings are used for discussions. Often, decisions may not emerge in the meetings.
Pace of the business in meetings may appear to be slow. French people like to go in depth of the business matters involving detailed analysis.
French people adhere to protocol and hierarchy. Decisions are normally made by the top management of the company.
Business agreements are formalized in the form of a comprehensive and precise contract.
When invited for dinner by your business associate or friend to their homes, be punctual. In case you expect to reach late (which should not be more than say, 10 odd minutes), telephone the host about it with reason for being late.
Bring flowers or high quality wine for the host as gift.
If invited to a large dinner party, especially in Paris, send flowers well in advance say, the morning of the party so that they may be displayed that evening.
Dress impeccably. Do not wear a casual dress. French people are normally fashion conscious.
Greet with a handshake though among friends French people may greet each other by lightly kissing on the cheeks.
Do not address the people attending the dinner by their first names as they are reserved for family and close friends. You may use the first name if the person invites you to do so.
You may be directed to a particular seat as per the seating plan. Sit accordingly.
Start eating only after the hostess announces “bon appétit”.
Follow continental table manners. (Refer: Dining Etiquette and Table Manners http://dining-manners.blogspot.com/)
Do not rest your elbows on the table.
Finish everything on your plate. If you have not finished eating, cross your knife and fork on your plate with the fork over the knife. Leave your wineglass nearly full if you do not want more.
If you live in an apartment building, greet your neighbors when you happen to see them or meet them.
Use French greetings “bonjour” or “bonsoir” (good morning or good evening) with the title “Monsieur” or “Madame” when entering a shop and "au revoir" (good bye) when leaving.

(Also refer:
http://executive-manners.blogspot.com/ for general etiquette and manners,
http://dining-manners.blogspot.com/ for dining etiquette and table manners,
http://telephone-etiquette.blogspot.com/ for telephone etiquette,
http://email-etiquette-manners.blogspot.com/ for email etiquette)

Books Suggested for your Professional, Organization's and Personal Library (all the titles below are available online from Amazon in paperbacks and as eBooks)

Business Management, Life Management, Self-help, Personality Development

HSoftware (Human Software) (The Only Key to Higher Effectiveness)
Sensitive Stories of Corporate World (Management Case Studies)
Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (Volume 2)
Classic Team Building Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
101 Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (available only as a paperback)
Stress? No Way!! (Handbook on Stress Management)
HSoftware (Shyam Bhatawdekar’s Effectiveness Model)
Competency Management (Competency Matrix and Competencies)
Essentials of Work Study (Method Study and Work Measurement)
Essentials of Time Management (Taking Control of Your Life)
Essentials of 5S Housekeeping
Essentials of Quality Circles
Essentials of Goal Setting
Essentials of Anger Management
Essentials of Assertive Behavior
Essentials of Performance Management and Performance Appraisal
Essentials of Effective Communication (soon to be published)
Health Essentials (Health is Wealth)
Soft Skills You Can't Do Without (Goal Setting, Time Management, Assertiveness and Anger Management)
The Romance of Intimacy (How to Enhance Intimacy in a Relationship?)

Novels, Short Stories, Biographies and Travelogues

Good People (Dream of a Boundary Less World)- Novel, a refreshingly different love story (Also available under the title Love Knows No Bounds)
The Peace Crusaders- a most intriguing novel
Two Novels in One Book (The Peace Crusaders and Love Knows No Bounds)
Funny (and Not So Funny) Short Stories
Stories Children Will Love (Volume 1: Bhanu-Shanu-Kaju-Biju and Dholu Ram Gadbad Singh)
My Father
Travelogue: Scandinavia, Russia
Travelogue: Europe

Friday, July 9, 2010

Cross Cultural Etiquette and Manners: New Zealand

New Zealand: Etiquette and Manners

The day-to-day language used in New Zealand is English. Other two official languages are: Maori and NZ Sign language. English and Maori languages have adopted words from each other.
People of New Zealand are serious about maintaining the environment and love to preserve their country's beauty.
Make appointments for business meetings at least one week in advance by telephone, email or fax.
December and January are prime summer vacation months and therefore try to avoid planning your meetings in these months.
Dress conservatively for business meetings. You may remove jacket and roll up shirtsleeves when working.
Reach the meeting venue punctually or a few minutes in advance. Late arrivals make an unfavorable impression.
Meetings are conducted in a relaxed manner though it does not mean that the seriousness of the discussions is undermined.
Greet the participants of the meeting with handshake and smile.
While New Zealanders switch over to first names quickly, it is advisable to address them by their title and surname till they call you by your first name or suggest switching to communication on first name basis.
Small talk before getting down to the business agenda is quite common.
Make truthful business presentations; do not exaggerate. Use appropriate facts and figures in your business presentations.
New Zealanders often respect action to mere words.
Maintain eye contact with the fellow participants of the meeting.
Give them the personal space they need.
Do not show aggression in your selling pitch.
Do not oversell. Promise only what you can really deliver.
In negotiating with New Zealander, demonstrating the benefits of your products and services will work better than just talking about the benefits.
Be concise in your communication; stick to the point. Lengthy talks may not be appreciated. Yet, all the terms and conditions should be put forth specifically and in detail.
New Zealanders are friendly and polite people though may be a bit reserved to start with.
You may find New Zealanders saying hello to strangers and offering assistance without being asked.
They enjoy extending hospitality.
If you are invited at home of a New Zealander, make sure to present to the host a gift say chocolates, flowers, a book.
Opening the gifts when received is a common practice.
Wait to be told where to sit around the dining table.
Follow the continental table manners. (Refer: Dining Etiquette and Table Manners http://dining-manners.blogspot.com/)

(Also refer:
http://executive-manners.blogspot.com/ for general etiquette and manners,
http://dining-manners.blogspot.com/ dining etiquette and table manners,
http://telephone-etiquette.blogspot.com/ for telephone etiquette,
http://email-etiquette-manners.blogspot.com/ for email etiquette)

Books Suggested for your Professional, Organization's and Personal Library (all the titles below are available online from Amazon in paperbacks and as eBooks)

Business Management, Life Management, Self-help, Personality Development

HSoftware (Human Software) (The Only Key to Higher Effectiveness)
Sensitive Stories of Corporate World (Management Case Studies)
Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (Volume 2)
Classic Team Building Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
101 Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (available only as a paperback)
Stress? No Way!! (Handbook on Stress Management)
HSoftware (Shyam Bhatawdekar’s Effectiveness Model)
Competency Management (Competency Matrix and Competencies)
Essentials of Work Study (Method Study and Work Measurement)
Essentials of Time Management (Taking Control of Your Life)
Essentials of 5S Housekeeping
Essentials of Quality Circles
Essentials of Goal Setting
Essentials of Anger Management
Essentials of Assertive Behavior
Essentials of Performance Management and Performance Appraisal
Essentials of Effective Communication (soon to be published)
Health Essentials (Health is Wealth)
Soft Skills You Can't Do Without (Goal Setting, Time Management, Assertiveness and Anger Management)
The Romance of Intimacy (How to Enhance Intimacy in a Relationship?)

Novels, Short Stories, Biographies and Travelogues

Good People (Dream of a Boundary Less World)- Novel, a refreshingly different love story (Also available under the title Love Knows No Bounds)
The Peace Crusaders- a most intriguing novel
Two Novels in One Book (The Peace Crusaders and Love Knows No Bounds)
Funny (and Not So Funny) Short Stories
Stories Children Will Love (Volume 1: Bhanu-Shanu-Kaju-Biju and Dholu Ram Gadbad Singh)
My Father
Travelogue: Scandinavia, Russia
Travelogue: Europe

Friday, April 23, 2010

Cross Cultural Etiquette and Manners: Australia

Australia: Etiquette and Manners

You can communicate in English while in Australia. English is the main language used in Australia.
For business meetings, appointments are essential though relatively easy to fix and schedule. Make your appointments well in advance.
For business, dress conservatively. Men should wear a dark colored business suit. Women should wear any smart decent dress or a business suit. Particularly in tropical areas of Australia, you may find Australians wearing shirt, tie and bermuda shorts.
You should be punctual for business meetings in Australia. It is even better to arrive a few minutes early.
Exchange your business cards at the time of introduction. No formal rituals are necessary. If you do not receive a business card from some person, do not feel offended by it; perhaps the person may not have one with him.
Business meetings are serious events but they are conducted in a relaxed environment and manner.
Australians are not very formal. So you can greet them with handshake and smile and by saying “hello” or “hello, how are you”. . People in Australia prefer to use first names, even at the initial meeting.
Normally Australians are modest people with a sense of humor. You can reciprocate in the same way. You need not be pretentious or boasting type.
In business dealings, Australians do not find it necessary to have long-standing personal relationships with people with whom they intend doing business. Business communications are pretty direct. If an Australian disapproves something that you mention, he will tell you about it.
You can get down to business quickly with minimum small talk.
In your presentation, avoid exaggerated claims and present only facts and figures. Australian business people appreciate brevity. Emotional overtures are not important in the Australian business scenario.
Pace of business is relatively quick to start with but may slow down at the time of final decision making since decision are normally made at the top level of the company.
Negotiations or bargaining is done to the extent that they expect your initial proposal to have only a small margin for negotiation. Avoid high-pressure or aggressive techniques while negotiating or dealing with Australian businessmen.
If invited to some one's home for dinner, please take with you a good quality bottle of wine or box of chocolates or flowers and present to the hostess.
If invited to some one's home for barbecue, the invitees usually bring wine or beer for their personal consumption.
You will need to follow continental table manners while dining (for example, holding the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right while eating and indicating that you have finished eating by laying your knife and fork parallel on your plate etc).
Follow other usual dining table manners (refer: http://dining-manners.blogspot.com/).
You can open the gifts when received.

(Also refer: http://executive-manners.blogspot.com/ for general etiquette and manners, http://dining-manners.blogspot.com/ dining etiquette and table manners, http://telephone-etiquette.blogspot.com/ for telephone etiquette, http://email-etiquette-manners.blogspot.com/ for email etiquette)

Books Suggested for your Professional, Organization's and Personal Library (all the titles below are available online from Amazon in paperbacks and as eBooks)

Business Management, Life Management, Self-help, Personality Development

HSoftware (Human Software) (The Only Key to Higher Effectiveness)
Sensitive Stories of Corporate World (Management Case Studies)
Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (Volume 2)
Classic Team Building Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
101 Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (available only as a paperback)
Stress? No Way!! (Handbook on Stress Management)
HSoftware (Shyam Bhatawdekar’s Effectiveness Model)
Competency Management (Competency Matrix and Competencies)
Essentials of Work Study (Method Study and Work Measurement)
Essentials of Time Management (Taking Control of Your Life)
Essentials of 5S Housekeeping
Essentials of Quality Circles
Essentials of Goal Setting
Essentials of Anger Management
Essentials of Assertive Behavior
Essentials of Performance Management and Performance Appraisal
Essentials of Effective Communication (soon to be published)
Health Essentials (Health is Wealth)
Soft Skills You Can't Do Without (Goal Setting, Time Management, Assertiveness and Anger Management)
The Romance of Intimacy (How to Enhance Intimacy in a Relationship?)

Novels, Short Stories, Biographies and Travelogues

Good People (Dream of a Boundary Less World)- Novel, a refreshingly different love story (Also available under the title Love Knows No Bounds)
The Peace Crusaders- a most intriguing novel
Two Novels in One Book (The Peace Crusaders and Love Knows No Bounds)
Funny (and Not So Funny) Short Stories
Stories Children Will Love (Volume 1: Bhanu-Shanu-Kaju-Biju and Dholu Ram Gadbad Singh)
My Father
Travelogue: Scandinavia, Russia
Travelogue: Europe

Cross Cultural Etiquette and Manners

Monday, March 6, 2017

Dining Etiquette and Table Manners

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Cross Cultural Etiquette and Manners: Russia

Monday, August 16, 2010

Cross Cultural Etiquette and Manners: France

Friday, July 9, 2010

Cross Cultural Etiquette and Manners: New Zealand

Friday, April 23, 2010

Cross Cultural Etiquette and Manners: Australia

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