The Importance of Friendship

Its impossible to know all of the different cultural differences in body language that you can withdraw into. And trying to abide by all of them is even tougher. If I did, Id be running around not looking at anyone with my detainment in my pockets. Of course, then I would be offending both Turkish people (hands in my pockets) and all of my friends in the States. This is article is a compilation of my research. I apologize if I omit anything or make a mistake theres so untold information in regards to this subject, and its strong to capture it all.Drop me a line or comment if you see an error or want to add something. 1. Eye Contact In the United States and Canada, intermittent eye sense of touch is extremely important in conveying interest and attention. In many Middle Eastern cultures, INTENSE eye contact amongst the same genders is often a symbol of trust and sincerity however, between opposite genders, especially in Muslim cultures, anything more than BRIEF eye contact is c onsidered in tolerate. Additionally, in Asian, African, and Latin American cultures, extended eye contact is considered a challenge.The Japanese tend to consider even brief eye contact uncomfortable. And, in some cultures, a woman should look down when talking to a man (thanks to thank Denise Gerdes, a former Peace Corps volunteer from atomic number 25 for that information). 2. Handshakes In my handshake article Ne twainrking 101 You Better Get A Grip and Read This, I talked about the handshake in Western cultures. amid cultures, however, there are differences that could throw you off For example, in powers of Northern Europe a quick tight one-pump handshake is the norm.In parts of Southern Europe, rudimentary and South America, a handshake is longer and warmer meaning the left hand usually touches the clasped hands, the elbow, or even the lapel of the shakee. Beware that in Turkey, a firm handshake is considered rude and aggressive. In certain African countries, a limp handsh ake is the standard. Men in Islamic countries never shake the hands of women away(p) the family. 3. Greetings In America, we have the standard greeting Hello, my name is.. with a handshake.At a networking event, chances are somebodys from a different culture will probably assimilate into everyone elses style, however, there are separate greetings out there of which you should be aware. In Japan, people bow. In Italy, people kiss cheeks. There is a very raise list over at Bruce Van Patters website. 4. Personal Space I get freaked out when someone gets too close to me and I immediately try to end the conversation. However, in some cultures it is normal to be in the bubble.In China, if someone is doing business, it is widely accepted to have NO person-to-person space at all. Strangers regularly touch when standing near each other. On the other hand, some cultures require much more space than in America. Keep in mind, that personal space will differ for everyone based on their up bringing. The advice that I would give, is that if you are unsure, start with your comfort zone, and let the other person move to where they are comfortable. 5. TouchingThis is a big no-no. It may look okay, but you could be fooled.For example, did you know that in some sects of Judaism, the only woman that a man will touch in his lifetime is the woman he is married to? In Japan, Scandinavia, and England, touching is less frequent. In Latino cultures, touching is encouraged. This may not have a place in this article, but still interesting NEVER touch a persons head. This can be religiously offensive. Really, when you are out networking, just DONT touch except to shake hands. If you are comfortable, let the other person guide what is appropriate to them. 6. Small Talk Its tough to make small talk.And to make it even tougher, sometimes it is different in cultures outside of America. There was not much research on this, however, some of my loyal readers were able to help me out. Susa nne Ebling of Washington, D. C suggests that in other cultures, just because you are asked How are you? , it doesnt mean that the other person is asking for a full health report. Keep in mind that this is not always a cultural thing. If someone you dont know asks you how you are, you should never say anything but, excellent, or fine, or some derivative.Also, James Yoakum from New York reminded me that in America, often it is appropriate to ask what a person does for a living in a conversation. In fact, thats how most people make small talk and, in certain situations, its completely wrong, which I will discuss in another article. However, what you need to know now is that for many cultures it is inappropriate to ask this altogether. I say, learn how to network without making this part of your small-talk routine. 7. Personal Dress and Hygiene I dont know of any culture where it is acceptable to not brush your teeth.I could be wrong. However, everything else can set forth Some cultur es dont shave their mens faces (or womens legs or underarms). Some cultures never wear deodorant and others dont bathe as frequently. You must be careful to make sure you do not offend anyone. And yes, sometimes odors that are quite odd to you might be very acceptable in another culture. 8. GesturesThey mean different things everywhere. Seriously, keep your gestures to yourself. If you want to flip off the business card warrior, it might not have any effect at all if he/she is from a different culture.In fact, in some cultures, its used as a pointer. The thumbs-up has all different meanings too. At the peril of destroying my reputation, I am not even going to write about them. Also be careful with the American A-Ok sign and putting your hands on your hips. Conclusions The two most important ideas to take away from this article is that you know these differences exist and that you treat others how you would want to be treated. Once again, the best policy is to let the other person l ead the interaction if you are unsure. That way, you can never be wrong