Belgium: Let's Make a Deal! - Part 1
From ExecutivePlanet.com
What you should know before negotiating
Exchanging business cards is a standard practice in Belgian business culture. It is recommended that you have your business card translated with one side in English and French or Dutch on the other depending on the main language of the region that you are visiting. Ideally, you should have two sets: English-French and English-Dutch. You should present your card with the language of your colleague facing him or her.
Women still remain in a largely subordinate position to men in business, but this situation is changing and female business travellers will usually find acceptance throughout corporate Belgium especially in the major cities.
Senior executives usually arrive at the office later than subordinates. Belgians are keenly aware of their status in the corporate hierarchy so do not think that you are ingratiating yourself with the staff by arriving early as you will only make them feel uneasy. You should not, on the other hand, be late without a valid reason [which does not mean a vaguely plausible excuse].
Open-plan offices are not the norm in Belgium and senior management and executives are particularly keen to preserve their privacy. Before opening a door, you should knock and wait to be admitted; moreover, you should remember to close the office-door behind you.
After the necessary introductions have been made, some Belgians will immediately proceed with business discussions; others will initiate some preliminary 'small talk' before getting down to business. Mutual trust is much prized by Belgian businessmen and an element of 'small talk' allows a more personal acquaintance to develop that will encourage development of this trust. If you are running the meeting, the best policy is to start off with some 'small talk' and then allow your Belgian counterpart to initiate the business discussion.
When you are conducting a meeting, an agenda should ideally be distributed to everyone in attendance. Belgian businessmen like a meeting to be well focused and will appreciate your initiative in providing an agenda. You should try to ensure that the meeting proceeds free of interruptions. Leaving a meeting to accept a phone call, go to the lavatory, or for other any other inessential reason, will only be viewed with irritation by your Belgian counterparts.
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