Speed in Brazil is never good!

I wanted to start this blog post by simply telling you one key word to always keep in mind in Brazil: PATIENCE!

Brazil and the United States are extremely different in the way each conceives of time. Brazil is what Edward T. Hall termed a polychronic culture; the United States, a monochronic one. Brazil, like all polychronic cultures, performs many tasks simultaneously, time is viewed casually and the primary importance is to establish long lasting relationships. In contrary to the United States, where most businesses view personal interactions as less important than maintaining the schedule.

Therefore, if you are doing business in Brazil, you have to be conscious that Brazilians approach time in a very relaxed and flexible manner. Punctuality and precise plans are not common as Brazilians tend to live life at a slower pace, and this carries over into business which can result in negotiations taking much longer than you are used to. And it is important to not rush this process of business dealings with your Brazilian colleagues by spending the necessary time to continue building strong relationships for negotiations to be successful.

Besides, if you are doing business with Brazilians, schedule two to three weeks in advance and confirm once you arrive in Brazil. Also try to leave a few hours in between appointments in case they go on longer than anticipated. Nevertheless, you should remember that meetings are often delayed or cancelled without any prior warning; therefore, it is necessary to adjust budgets and planning accordingly.

Besides, avoid putting pressure on your counterpart(s) for final decisions and don’t show feelings of frustration or impatience as this will reflect poorly on you as an individual. Indeed, Brazilians pride themselves on their ability to be in control; therefore, learning to hide your impatience will help you to be keep maintaining a good atmosphere within the workplace.

Even during business lunch in Brazil, you will see that the word 'fast' doesn’t fit into their vocabulary: do expect a meal to take longer as it is always like a celebration.

To conclude, I just need to remind you once again that the operative mindset you need to have when starting a new business, investing in Brazil or simply doing business with Brazilians, is patience!

"Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why."- Eddie Cantor 

Sources:

Hall, Edward T. The Dance of Life: The Other Dimension of Time. Garden City, NY: Anchor Press/Doubleday, 1984.