Business Across Borders…In Spain

Shanghai, New York, Dubai – Gone are the days when everyone called just one country or city home, with professionals now working and living at different bases all around the globe. Companies are expanding, and preparing to take to the stage on local markets from America to India and China. But making the right moves here often poses challenges for modern businesspeople. New partners and situations, foreign customs and etiquette – all of this calls for diplomatic and relaxed dealings; and that’s easier said than done. Lest we forget: Those who want to play along (and win) have to start by gaining a good grasp of the rules.

Starting with Luis G de la Fuente from Madrid, XING members from diverse countries and continents will be reporting on the nature of their work, how facial expressions and gestures in their country can go awry, and what all this has to do with business etiquette.
Far more than a collection of culinary mishaps, we give you a glimpse at the real faux-pas to be found off the usual well-beaten business paths.

P.S.: Read more: Community members discuss this topic in the XING Group “Pitfalls – when doing business abroad”

1. Luis, What do you do professionally, when you are not using XING?
I´m the CEO of LastInfoo, a “content broker” platform. I started it up almost 2 years ago. We create online magazines, corporate blogs, online TV channels, and a growing variety of branded information channels.

2. What does the CEO of LastInfoo S.L. do?
Well, on first hand, I am thinking about business and the best way to implement a strategy we follow ‘more or less’ closely. I meet people from media companies and present our services to prospects. I talk to my employees and read about other related initiatives. From time to time I invite some investors to good meals and go out for some drinks with others. But right now I am just wondering what you are going to ask me next…

3. Where do you conduct most of your business?
I am Spaniard and do most of my business travel here in Spain. I am
away on business in Madrid, Barcelona and Santander, a city in the
North of Spain.

4. Do meetings differ depending on the towns where you are doing
business?
Absolutely! In the last years Barcelona has become a slower city than
Madrid to do businesses, and there’s not the amount of business that
Madrid is reaching, which is definitely the hot spot for businessmen
to be.

5. After Singapore and Copenhagen, residents of Madrid are the
fastest walkers in the world scientist found out. Can this high-speed
tempo be seen in the city’s business life as well?
I don’t think so; business-life runs pretty smoothly here. In fact I
wonder from time to time why everybody seems in a hurry on the
street.

6. Dealing with time is one issue, what else is custom in Spain?
Casual Friday
… is something known only in tech-related Spanish industries.
“Nine to five”
… believe me, such working hours sound like a joke anywhere outside
the public sector.
Business Dinners
… are important here because lots of businesses are made in Spain
around lunch or dinner. Watch out though: Drinking starts only after
an agreement has been made!

7. In such situations -as dinners for example- people often send
(unwanted) signals to their dialogue-partner through gestures and
facial expressions. What should I pay attention for in Spain?
I guess Spain has no special gestures or facial expressions
‘toolbox’. I use to look at my counterpart’s eyes to talk and say
‘Hi’ and ‘Goodbye’; I don’t like people who don’t look directly while
addressing someone. But what might be strange to foreigners is the
Spanish humour. People here still have a special sense of making
sarcastic-like jokes, which is not very well understood among
foreigners.

8. Once I have disregarded that, which useful small-talk topics will
save me?
One mustn’t forget that business is about people. Businesswomen could
flatter one’s ego and businessmen could show cultural awareness by
talking about sports especially Spanish soccer. Keep in mind these
suggestions and people are likely to let any mistake you make pass.

9. In general: What are most frequent faux pas of foreign businessmen
in Spain?
They talk a lot about money they have made doing this or the other
thing and they show too much pride in general.

10. You should have seen their faces: which particularly amusing
situations from your previous years on the job could you tell
according when you hear this question?
Politics work different here. A Dutch co-worker used to be very mad
in Barcelona about the power local authorities have in every corner
of Spain. Since the country is so de-centralized he used to complain
and get really mad about bureaucracy and local idiosyncrasies.

Stay tuned for the next interview…