When we approach the global business environment we should consider the contrast between our country-specific business rules and ways of doing and the difference between the business style of a particular country compared to others and the fact that if you go global there will be differences.
A person should behave differently in global and country-specific business environments due to distinct work culture values, leadership styles, communication norms, and required skills.
There is an example from one of our fellow students who shared an experience that occurred during Business school, saying that the Japanese humble way of self-introduction was perceived differently from other MBA colleagues, who thought something was wrong and that the person lacked self-confidence when instead the different style was only related to a different work culture-related rule, more specific of the Japanese business style.
A personal example is related to something very simple and that we often overlook because is ingrained in our culture: time management. In my country Italy, starting a business meeting 10 minutes late is quite normal and accepted, but when I was working in the UK that was perceived as very rude towards the other colleagues.
Whenever we have global business interactions, we should value the other way of doing business and try to have a more global-oriented style and methods. While making firm eye contact is poorly considered in Japan, in a global environment it is recommended as a sign of confidence and connection to the other person.
Work culture can be very different from country to country. For example, in Japan, values like collectivism, respect for hierarchy, and group decision-making dominate, while in the U.S., individualism and self-initiative are more emphasized. Instead in a global environment, cultural sensitivity and adaptability are crucial, since people from different countries join and do business together.
Even presenting a speech can be very different; while Japanese leaders are very calm and composed, in a more global environment we may need to put more emphasis and passion in our delivery. In Italy, there is often an emphasis on complex words and elaborate language whereas in a global environment being more direct and clear would be more effective.
Therefore, when approaching the global business environment we should be aware of our communication style and be able to adapt, be flexible and open-minded.