Author: admin

Remember Foghorn Leghorn? The Disney cartoon rooster with the southern drawl. He would pitch a baseball to the little chicken hawk who, try as he might, was just too short to hit the ball. There was just no connection whatsoever. In Asia, the communication style is known as high context. This means that communicating relies more on non-verbal body language, and what’s hidden between the lines. Messages are often implied and not plainly expressed. In North America, communicating is known as a low context. Good communication is precise, simple, and clear. With such different ways of communicating ‘ol Foghorn Leghorn called it right ” I keep on a pitch’n and you keep on a miss’n.”

How Asia cultures view time is quite different from how we view time in the West. In Asian cultures, time exists but is not determined by people’s actions. Time is in the background, there is usually plenty of it, relationships and immediate needs come first. In the West, our monochronic revolves around clocks, agendas, deadlines. Time is a commodity and needs to be carefully managed. As a result, some cultures move quickly with limited amounts of information, while others move slowly and prefer getting lots of information before taking action.

In Hong Kong, place your chopsticks on the rest provided when you’re not using them. If you are in a dim sum restaurant crossing your chopsticks across each other tells the server you want the bill. If you are NOT in a dim sum, crossing chopsticks across each other is believed to bring BAD LUCK. Never point with your chopsticks or stick your chopsticks in your rice bowl standing straight up.

Most Westerners think of the heart as being the center of one’s being. Take, for instance, a saying such as, “My heart has been broken” or “sweetheart.” In Japanese culture, it’s the stomach – not the heart which is the center of emotions. In ancient times the stomach was looked to as a way to understand other people. This was referred to as, haragei, or the art of the stomach.

Because of its importance, numerous expressions were used to relate to this part of the body. One of these was heso wo mageru, which means to bend the belly button. Bending the belly button means that someone’s feelings have been hurt. Anyone who tinkers with this center of emotion could expect some serious consequences.

For Western business people, dealing with Japanese can be difficult and managing Japanese even more so. Foreigners who are unaware of heso wo mageru, can easily hurt the feelings of their Japanese counterparts. Most likely, the foreigner will not know the slight has been made.

The offfended will unexpectedly go silent, anger is building, and even revenge is on the table. Just as suddenly, a Japanese could walk out and quit or nix a deal with no explanation.

The first course of action is to be aware of heso wo mageru, and to watch for subtle indicators. This is where a good relationship with a Japanese associate can help keep the foreigner informed on what’s going on. Address the situation quickly but respectfully and hopefully, this will help to resolve the problem.

The term Kibun (key-boon) literally means “feelings” but it goes far beyond a Western definition of the word. Kibun is the foundation of harmony, it sets the tone, style, and quality of all interpersonal relationships. In the book, The Business of Korean Culture, Richard Saccone writes that “the goal of kibun is to help others stay unthreatened, relaxed, comfortable and happy.” Kibun affects a Korean’s attitudes, mood, and behavior in all areas of daily life. And if damaged can cause negative reactions. such as resentment, grudges, and even the creation of enemies.

Westerners frequently fail to follow the variety and number of precise rules involved in Korean etiquette. This often results in damaged kibun. Common kibun breakers are not bowing properly to superiors, using disrespectful language, questioning honesty, competency, or being the bearer of bad news.

Being aware of kibun is the first step. But this doesn’t come quickly with mistakes that are easily made. In fact, frictions between Koreans and foreigners often start with the kibun being unintentionally disturbed.

One of the best bits of advice I got in Korea was to be extemely aware of kibun. Or, as the English expression says be careful and, “don’t rain on anyone’s parade.”

Learning and displaying correct Asia Business Etiquette can be the difference between landing the deal and future revenues or losing it to a competitor. Business history has proven repeatedly, that 90% of all failures by western companies in Asia can be traced back to originate from a simple cross-cultural mistake.

Interested in learning proper Asia Business Etiquette? To get more information click this link, https://lnkd.in/gnrAp2QR

Whoa!! Did I just see that? I realize there are differences in manners and culture, but this one was off the charts shocking.

On TV right now (April 2022) there’s a beer ad showing two young guys watching sports. One is lying on the couch, shoes off, the other is sitting in a chair beside a coffee table. Because they’re such great buddies, the couch guy slides a beer down the table to his friend using his foot. HIS FOOT!!!

Nowhere in Asia, that I know of, would something like this ever be remotely considered. Yet here in North America, no problem. Friends push beers to their buddies with their feet. If a westerner living in Asia did that to his Asian buddy, he may very well lose that friend for good.

If this doesn’t show how these societies can differ, I’m not sure what is.

What is easier? Finding a needle in a haystack or a specific Mr. Kim in the Seoul phone book?
Once upon a time, there were phone books. Inside were all the names and phone numbers of the people living in an area. It was quite easy to flip through the pages to find the person you wanted to call. But in a country like Korea, finding a specific Mr. Kim would be almost impossible.

Korea has just around 300 last names. Such as, Jeong, Oh, Rhee and so forth. However, the most common by far is Kim. Statistics say that about 22% of all Koreans have the surname of Kim, followed by Choi, Lee and Pak (park). By the way, the Kim family name comes from 32 separate clans which are located all across the country. Considering all the Kim’s in Seoul, let alone the rest of Korea, finding a needle in a haystack just might be a tad easier than finding a specific Mr. Kim.

If you drink alcohol, funerals can be a killer
One drinking custom caught me by surprise while at the funeral of one of my spouse’s relatives in Busan, Korea. Liquor flowed freely with drinking rituals going on as per usual – but with exceptions.

The size of the drinking glasses appeared a bit larger than usual which was odd, but this was the biggest surprise. When the person drank, they drank the entire glass in one shot. Not in sips. And, when I refilled it, the entire glass was downed once again. I later discovered this was to quickly get relief from the sorrow of the person who passed.

The rule was that if the bottom of the glass could be seen, then the glass had to be filled to the top. Which meant downing it all again in one gulp. When at a funeral in Korea leave some liquor in your glass.