Business Protocol in Iceland
In Iceland,
business protocol is conducted in a certain fashion. You are expected to be
punctual, as it is expected to be able to start the meeting at the scheduled
time. If you have a presentation or such that requires some set up, this should
be considered when you are arriving to meetings, as this will usually take some
extra time to prepare to present. At the start of a business meeting, you are expected
to shake hands with everyone who is present, which also tends to be repeated at
the conclusion of the meeting. The handshake should be firm, and eye contact
should be made during this as well. It is also common to exchange business
cards at this time as well.
Before the
meeting typically takes place, informal conversation usually occurs. A common conversation
topic, especially if one is unfamiliar with Iceland, is how they may like
Iceland. You should be prepared to give a short and positive response. Icelanders
like to mix pleasure and business, and you may be asked to visit one’s home. Most
of the meeting time may be spent on non-business-related conversations with
whoever may be present in the home. Icelanders are known for their own way of
relating to those who are unfamiliar to them as friends, which may come off as
unprofessional, but do not be offended. This is their way of conducting
business, as they are trying to establish a relationship before you get to the core
of the meeting.
For appearing
for a business meeting in Iceland, dress code is taken seriously. Icelanders
normally put a large amount of effort into their appearance. Some may dress in business
casual/formal wear, but some may casually. As someone who is a foreigner, it is
expected and recommended that you dress formally, in such a way that is
appropriate for a business environment.
With
gift-giving, Icelanders usually bring a small gift if invited to someone’s
home. It is given, and expected as a courtesy to the host, as you are showing
your appreciation for receiving an invitation into their home or for an event.
You may bring something like a bottle of wine, but you can also bring something
from your own country, as sort of a fun novelty gift to the host.
Potential Communication Challenges
Imagine
that you were going to find employment at a company in Iceland. You may not be
familiar with some of their communication styles or business practices.
One communication
barrier you may experience is that Icelanders tend to be quite reserved when
you first meet them. At first, this can be very off-putting, as you may find
yourself feeling out of place, or that you may be singled out. You may feel as
if everyone at the office doesn’t like you, maybe because you are not from
Iceland. Overtime, you will find that they are very friendly, you may be
invited into their homes or different places around Iceland. By establishing
relationships with your coworkers and business partners, you will find that Icelanders
will open up and be more friendly that you may realize.
As well,
you may find yourself noticing that Icelanders may come off as too straight
forward. They tend to be very direct in the way that they communicate, which
could make you feel offended if they come off as too-straight forward. Do not
be offended by this, as this is just the way that they typically communicate. Overtime,
you will probably get used to this. Icelanders tend to communicate face-to-face,
and since Icelander’s value being direct and straightforward when you talk to
them, this has great influence. By allowing yourself to be more understanding
of them being direct, and by returning to this communication style, you can likely
find yourself having successful business endeavors.
Icelanders
also tend to value punctuality. While in America, sometimes you may arrive exactly
on time, maybe a few minutes after. This is very uncommon, and you should
likely be prepared to adjust your departure times to arrive earlier to arrive
to things early.
References
and Sources
https://businessculture.org/indian-business-culture/business-meeting-etiquette-2/
https://businessculture.org/northern-europe/iceland/business-etiquette/
https://businessculture.org/northern-europe/iceland/business-communication/
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