Brazil – Rogério Bohn - Communicating with Other Cultures

Following up on the first post of my newsletter on LinkedIn, I am sharing this week’s article with a summary of the interview I did with Rogério Bohn, from Brazil. ??

Rogério is the CEO of Tempus Consulting, which focuses on business consulting.? He also provides international business mentoring and is an author of several books focused on leadership, business, and other topics.

The article below is only a short summary of the conversation I had with Rogério, but in the recorded video, he shares key points to take into consideration when thinking about doing business in Brazil, especially when interacting with people in different parts of the country.? Don’t miss out Rogério’s full video interview on this direct link.

For more information about Rogério, and his work, you can reach him through these links:

Website https://www.rogeriobohn.com.br/index.php/pt

LinkedIn? www.dhirubhai.net/in/rogeriobohn

Instagram www.instagram.com/rogeriobohn

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As I mentioned in the first post of this newsletter, all the international interviewees will be asked the same 7 questions.? The objective is for us to learn new insights on the most effective way to communicate and understand different cultures when doing business in the specific country where the interviewees work at.?

This will help the foreign businessperson who wants to enter a new market to increase empathy and cultural understanding with their international colleagues, clients, or partners.?

We will be publishing the full recorded interviews on our recently rebranded and relaunched YouTube Channel.?? I will share a summarized version of each of the interviews through a new article on this newsletter.? ?Don’t forget to subscribe to the YouTube Channel and receive updates of the future interviews we will be organizing.?

So, let’s begin!

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The 7 questions, and Rogério’s answers, are the following:

1.?Tell us more about you and what kind of work you do.

Rogério lives and works in Porto Alegre, the capital city of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in the southern part of Brazil.? He has traveled to over 30 countries already.? He works with business consulting, including family business organizations, by developing the succession and leadership transition in these organizations.?

He also likes to write and has published 12 books already (11 in Portuguese and 1 in Spanish).? Rogério has been organizing international trade missions for many years, taking Brazilian companies to other countries, and receiving foreign companies into the Brazilian market.?

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2.?What are some things you recommend people to do or say when first meeting and speaking with a person with whom they might initiate a new project or business opportunity together in Brazil?? What should someone not do or say?

Rogério reinforces that Brazil is equivalent to a continent, in reference to the size of the country.? To this point, he mentions what NOT to do when you arrive in Brazil:

-??Do NOT think that everyone looks the same.

-??Do NOT think that everyone likes the same things (not everyone likes Carnaval, for example).

-??Do NOT think everyone has the same tastes in music and food throughout Brazil.

-??Do NOT think that everyone lives on the beach, dances samba, or that they like soccer (futebol in Portuguese).

When doing business with someone in any specific region in Brazil, learn more about the region first.? Research a bit on the cultural preferences that exist in each region, which can then help you connect better with the locals.

3.?We recognize that it is important to have a deeper cultural understanding of a local place when doing business there.? What cultural aspects might be considered when doing business in Brazil?

Rogério asserts that those who come to Brazil should begin by understanding the regional cultural differences in the country.? ?For example, in the Northeast region of Brazil, people tend to be more open and social when interacting with others. This is part of their culture.

Yet, this is not common in all parts of the country.? ?In S?o Paulo, and in other states in the south of Brazil, people are more closed in their interactions.? This does not mean people are rude or don’t like you, it is just not in their culture to be as “friendly” in social or business gatherings.?

Do not think that, if you come to Brazil for business, everyone will have the same willingness to connect with you quickly or to be very social in the first interactions together.? Avoid the stereotype that all Brazilians are the same.

After you build a relationship with your business clients or partners, naturally the connections and openness will occur. ?

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4.?If someone does not speak Portuguese, what do you suggest a foreigner do to be able to communicate more successfully with locals in Brazil, and to be able to do business there?

Rogério reminds everyone that people in Brazil speak Portuguese, and do not speak Spanish, as it happens on many occasions when people stereotype and think that everyone in South America speaks Spanish.? However, he does note that in the south of Brazil, where he is from, many people do speak Spanish as a second language, due to the proximity to Uruguay and Argentina, two countries that border with the state of Rio Grande do Sul, for example.

He recommends learning a few words in the foreign language of the country you are going to, which is respectful for when you interact with someone there.? For example, in Brazil you could learn to say Good Morning (Bom Dia), Good Afternoon (Boa Tarde), Please (Por Favor). ?

You could also have a translator, someone you can trust, to be in your business meetings.?

In Brazil, and in South America in general, Rogério highlights that there is only a small percentage of people who can speak English, or Business English, very well.?

Spanish may be helpful, depending in which region you are going to in Brazil.? In the south of Brazil, you might be able to communicate a little better with Spanish, due to the higher probability of people speaking Spanish because of their continual interactions with tourists and businesspeople coming from Uruguay and Argentina to these states (Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, and Paraná). ?

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5.?To get better results in visibility or sales, what are your recommendations on the most effective ways to do marketing for products or services in Brazil?

Brazilians really like social media, and LinkedIn is a great tool to use for establishing connections, especially in the professional environment. ?Instagram is also a very popular platform.

Brazil is identified as one of the countries with the most connected people in the world in terms of social media.

Facebook may be losing a little of traction, but it is still used.? Yet, Instagram is what Rogério recommends as one of the most effective forms of promotion for products and services, and to connect with people.?

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6. If a business partner in Brazil wants to get to know you better, and invites you to a local coffee / tea place, restaurant, or wants to do a “virtual happy hour” via Zoom, what are the kinds of topics people in Brazil like to talk about, and that is not related to business, for example??

Rogério suggests you ask the Brazilian you are meeting with, what in their local culture do they like to eat or drink.? Brazil, as he reminds us throughout the interview, is not only Rio de Janeiro or S?o Paulo (which are usually the cities that pop up in people’s minds).?

What is the local food or drink that is common in the region you are visiting?? What kind of music do they like to listen to there? ?Show interest with the local culture, so ask questions.?

*Important note: Brazilians may complain and say bad things about Brazil, or something specific that is negative and taking place in the country.? But Brazilians do not appreciate if you say bad things about Brazil (or even repeat what you heard other Brazilians say negatively about their own country).? Only Brazilians can say these bad things, and they don’t like it when you are speaking bad about their country.? Yes, it is true, and keep this in mind when you are in Brazil.? ??

Watch the video interview to hear examples of what you can say in different regions in Brazil, as mentioned by Rogério.

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7. What one word should everyone learn to say in Portuguese, and why??

The word OBRIGADO, which means thank you in Portuguese.

It is a powerful word, because it can be used when someone helps you with something, and it shows your respect towards that person.

Remember that, in Brazil, women say OBRIGADA and men say OBRIGADO.

Rogério finalizes with a reminder: People do business with people.? In South America, people like to connect with one another, so it is key to learn more about each other.

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I hope you enjoyed this summary of the conversation with Rogério, and don’t forget to watch the full video interview with him through this direct link, and subscribe to our recently rebranded and relaunched YouTube Channel for more content on cross-cultural communication tips and lessons learned to share with everyone.?

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• Is there anything else, related to cultural or communication aspects with Brazilian counterparts, that you think would be interesting to share with everyone as well??
• Or some experiences you may have had when working with Brazilian colleagues, clients, or partners? Feel free to write them below in the comments.
• What other country (countries) do you want us to highlight in this channel, and to share their cultural and communication insights and suggestions?

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Would you like to recommend someone for us to interview from a specific country?? If so, write to us at, [email protected], for us to learn more about this person.

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*Please note that the answers provided by Rogério are based on his own experiences and knowledge of the local culture.? There is no intention to generalize all the Brazilians to any specific behavior mentioned in this interview.

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Thank you again (muito obrigado)!

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Sign up for the Newsletter through this link, and stay updated with the future interviews we will share and the lessons learned, suggested action steps, and examples of successful cross-cultural communication solutions.

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For more information about the work we do at Occasio International Advisory Services - www.occasioias.com

For more information about the work we do with Cross-Cultural Communication – https://occasioias.com/cross-cultural-communication

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