Question

Your boss recently told you that you needed to be more "culturally intelligent." Specifically he said, "I received some feedback from a major client, Palo, who said after a meeting him that you seemed not be very interested in his business anymore." You replied that meeting with Palo is very uncomfortable because he is a "close talker" and invades your personal space so you end up backing up all the time. Your boss said, "well you better figure out what to do and fast, he’s giving you another chance to meet next week." Which of the following actions would be MOST EFFECTIVE in your next communication with Palo?

A. Express appreciation for Palo’s business and communicate your dedication.

B. Ask a colleague to accompany you during the next meeting to diffuse the situation’s discomfort.

C. Explain to Palo that you didn’t mean to offend him, but you are not experienced in working with people from his country.

D. Follow Palo’s lead and maintain a closer distance when speaking than you normally would.

Answer 1

B. Ask a colleague to accompany you during the next meeting to diffuse the situation’s discomfort.

The chance of getting misjudged is more when there is only one party involved other than myself in the project, and that too against me. If I get a mental support through inclusion of another colleague in the process, at least I would be able to judge whether I was indeed over-reacting to such a cultural discomfort or whether it is the same in case of my colleague too. Alternatively, may be Paul does not land me in a discomfort position when my colleague is around. So either ways, the deal could be possibly signed in an amicable manner without any unnecessary confrontation.