PORTUGAL | Internship: At work | Negotiating
Building Relationships
In our society, business relationships are built with people and not with companies. The Portuguese prefer to do business with those they feel comfortable with, thus the best way to create business and commercial relations is through a common contact. The whole process of building relationships can be a bit slow, so be prepared to invest some time developing the relationship. The relationships built are meant to last and the contracts established are to be respected.
Communication
According to Portuguese business culture, communication between work colleagues and associates is formal and relies on strict rules of protocol. Portugal has a hierarchical society that respects age and position. In business dealings the Portuguese are not overtly demonstrative when speaking and are contained in their gestures. At meetings it is important to maintain eye contact with the person speaking and with whom you are speaking to. This shows respect and creates a comfortable atmosphere. During a meeting you should not interrupt the person who is speaking, but should wait for the person to finish before asking questions or commenting.
Meetings
Appointments and meetings should be made in advance and your presence should be confirmed a few days before they take place. Even though the Portuguese are known for arriving late at meetings, in reality this doesn’t happen. It’s true that there is a 15 minute tolerance for late comers, but in the business world punctuality is respected by and expected of those involved. Small-talk and getting-to-know-you conversation usually takes place before meetings begin; empathy between people is very important. Agendas are seen as a starting point for business discussions, presentations should be well thought out and thoroughly backed-up and, it’s usual not to arrive at a decision by the end of the meeting; the negotiating process takes time and consensus is more important than a win/lose situation.Avoid confrontations and other unpleasant situations with other people; the Portuguese take everything to heart.
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