Executive Travel

* Name: John J. Irvine

* Position: Corporate communication consultant, Santa Ana

Preparations for overseas business trips typically focus on the physical aspects--jet lag, health insurance, climate. Building personal relationships in a new culture, however, requires some preparation as well.

No one can know all the details of a new culture, so here’s a survival checklist when you’re traveling to an unfamiliar country. Eventually, you’ll know which of its rules you can start to bend and when.

* Know before you go. Visiting another culture unprepared can make you look foolish--or worse, uncaring. Learn basic cultural dos and taboos, foods, history, geography, social structure and economy. Years ago, several Americans were arrested for climbing on a giant Buddha image in Thailand. The visitors pleaded ignorance, but many Thais were outraged.

* Speak the body language. Familiar signs like “thumbs up” or “V for victory” are rude in some countries. A U.S. World Cup official flashed the OK sign in a meeting with Brazilian dignitaries, not knowing the gesture is obscene in Brazil. He had to quickly say he meant no insult.

* Let hosts lead. Business practices vary greatly. In Russia, executives spend a lot time getting to know you, but in Australia they get right down to business and chitchat later.

* Be flexible. Overlook foul-ups. Don’t correct mistakes in English or misunderstandings about the United States unless absolutely necessary. I prefer colleagues to use my first name, but some Vietnamese contacts would rather call me “Mr. John.”

* Know eating rituals. Eating together is often vital to business. You’ll find you can eat at least a bit of almost anything--if you cut it very small and eat it with food you like. Watch other guests. In Indonesia, when my host served iced coffee, I drained my glass in grateful gulps. Only later did I notice that no one else drank until invited several times, and then only when the host drank.

* Learn, don’t judge. Resist the urge to say, “Back home we do it this way.” Cultivate a sincere interest in the new culture; it will enrich you. For example, in Saudi Arabia, a meeting may be recessed briefly to allow Muslims to pray at prescribed times.

* Behave conservatively. Don’t be too talkative, too informal, too friendly or too joking. This doesn’t mean be over-serious. Take your cue from your hosts and smile. California executives meeting a manufacturer in Bangkok recently slighted their host by dressing in informal tourist garb.

* Watch your tongue. Avoid ethnocentric terms such as Third World and underdeveloped countries . Although it’s a mouthful, the term newly industrializing countries respects the dignity of every culture. Don’t refer to past colonization. Avoid discussing politics, sex, race or other delicate topics. For example, a Korean official told me she felt put off by Americans who bring up the Korean War when making small talk.