Understand the non-verbal communication of Brazilians!

In terms of body language, nobody beats the Italians in sheer number of gestures. But after visiting Brazil, I could easily claim that Brazilians are not very far behind Italians. 

Indeed, the first thing that I have notice when speaking to Brazilians was their constant hand gestures and faces expressions. I believe that, if you are a foreigner, it is necessary to understand Brazilians’ non-verbal communication because it defines their unique identity. Through this blog post, I will try to give you some tips in order to help you to get a better understanding of Brazilians’ body language.

First, let me explain you a little story about my personal experience when I went to Brazil. The first time my friend introduced me to Brazilians, I directly shacked their hands, but only a few seconds after, I have been able to see stupefaction through their faces expressions and I felt really bad. In fact, I should have touched the forearm or elbow of the person and give him a pat on the back. 

Hence, this is the reason why I think that whatever the country you are, you always have to know some tips about their body language and common gestures. Because if I was knowledgeable about Brazilians’ non-verbal communication, I would have known that Brazilians place a good deal of emphasis on touch. 

Common Brazilian workplace interactions would likely include warm handshakes of considerably longer duration than in North America and, in more informal situations, men and women will tend to greet each other with one or two kisses on the cheek or briefly embrace each other. 

Outside of the business, it is common to show more affection easily by getting really close to the person in order to show him/her all the respect that you have. 

Brazilian concepts of personal distance are considerably closer than in North America as it is approximately three to four inches closer than in the United States or Canada. Generally speaking, many Brazilians may be more expressive with their hands than most of their U.S. Also, most U.S. movement is limited to the arms and head; by contrast, movement from the torso is not uncommon in Brazil.

Also, Brazilians use many gestures not commonly known in North America. For example, one of these, the ‘figa’ (placing the thumb between the first and second fingers) is a sign of good luck in Brazil which protects against the “evil-eye”, while its use in the rest of South America is considered obscene. Furthermore, when two Brazilians are close to each other, they will show it by rubbing two index fingers together.

If you are conducting business in Brazil is has to ‘be certain to bring a plentiful supply of business cards because these are always exchanged. Also, during business meetings, a person should not be surprised to be served (often) small cups of very strong coffee.

In Brazil, there are some obscene gestures which are very different than what is expected in other countries. One example is the “O.K.” symbol one can make with their hands. It is regarded as just meaning “O.K.” in the American culture. In Brazil however, this is seen as a very obscene gesture. It is equivalent to giving the middle finger in America. This is seen as one of the rudest gestures you can make in Brazil and should always be avoided.

Besides, in term of clothing, Brazilians tend to dress more conservatively in the Southeast than elsewhere in the country. Still, as a whole, business as well as social dress is usually more formal and considerably more fashion-conscious throughout Brazil than it is in the United States. Shoes in particular receive considerable attention in Brazil, as well as accessories as a whole.  

Hopefully, you are now more informed about the non-verbal communication in Brazil! Don't hesitate to take a look at YouTube video of the Ted Talk made by Amy Cuddy, an American social psychologist, who give depth insights about the importance of body languages and "how your body language shapes who you are": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks-_Mh1QhMc.  

And, don’t forget non-verbal signals including eye contact, tone of voice, and rapidity of speech, can have a significant influence on the dynamic between two people; that is the reason why knowing how to leverage non-verbal signals effectively can be a key leadership tool.