Brazilians, not famous for their punctuality, might arrive between one to two hours late for social occasions, but when doing business in Brazil, assume people will show up on time (or maybe just 15 to 20 minutes late).
Regardless, even when meetings do start promptly, don’t expect Brazilians to jump right into the issue at hand—small talk, at the beginning and then at the end of meetings, is the custom and an essential component of doing business in the largest South American country.
Because Brazilians are genuinely interested in the person behind the business, it is important for them to form a trustworthy and empathetic relationship with their business associates so small talk, for them, is a way of getting there.
It’s evident that making small talk while waiting for the subway is not as challenging as making small talk with a foreigner, especially in a different language. So below are some suggestions of what might make good or bad conversation topics.
Good conversation topics depend on where the meeting is being held. If it’s a small meeting in a person’s office, looking around for clues on what to talk about is easier: pictures, trophies, artwork, or books can be guides for safe subjects to discuss. In larger meetings, children, pets, sporting activities or preferences are also practical topics, while asking for advice on restaurants, museums or other activities is also a good idea, since people of all nationalities love to talk about where they live. Talking about yourself, your interests and your country is also suitable so long as it is not done in order to compare things.
Bad conversation topics, just like in the United States, are those that lead to polarizing opinions such as politics, religion, or money. And bear in mind that Brazilians don’t like to be lumped in with their neighbors, so avoid speaking Spanish and never compare them to their archrivals, the Argentines. Furthermore, Brazil is a very large country formed by a variety of immigrants, consequently topics that stereotype the country like soccer, and Carnival should be sidestepped. Unless you are really interested in these events and have pertinent questions, using them to make small talk can backfire and make you sound like the clichéd gringo.
Brazilian business people are really not that different from their North-American counterparts, they may have some different traditions and customs but work, family and nation are just as important there as they are here.
Even if you are not used to the practice of making small talk, don’t show impatience or frustration, consider this yet another fascinating cultural difference, and celebrate that you are able to learn about and do business with people in other countries!
