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FriendlyGerman Etiquette - Business Meetings
Business dresses in very formal and conservative. Men wear dark
suits, conservative ties and white shirts. Women also dress in a
conservative manner wearing dark suits and white blouses. Women should
in no case wear flashy clothes or too much jewelry.
Never be late at a business rendezvous. Lateness is a sign of profound
disrespect for the host. Even a few minutes lateness is viewed
negatively as it indicates a lack of planning.
Greeting is made with a firm handshake followed by a slight nod or bow.
It is important to reciprocate the bow of the person greeting you, as
this is another sign of respect. If you have a woman in front of you,
please wait until she extends her hand. The hands of everybody in the
room should be shaken individually. You should shake hands at the end of
the meeting as well. Be sure to have an eye contact while shaking hands.
Titles are very essential to Germans. You should address your
counterpart as Herr or Frau followed by the person’s title and surname.
Older persons have precedence over younger ones. When in a group, let
the eldest person speak first.
Avoid jokes at business meetings. Joking shows that you do not take your
business seriously. For Germans, business is business. There is no
amalgamation possible between business life and private life.
From: www.germanphrases.org.uk
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