Personal Space – Pocket Perfume to the Rescue
There’s a failure in some folks to recognise personal space in business – this is no more true than when dealing with people from different cultures. In the west, we keep a good arms distance from each other (with my eyesight, it’s a necessity – that’s where I can see people properly!) and in the east, people draw into each other when discussing important deals.
If you get that wrong by intruding or appearing too standoffish, you can negatively affect what could otherwise be a beneficial arrangement.
One one occasion in China, I recoiled during a meeting with some suppliers of promotional products – we’d liaised via email and phone, and struck up a strong banter each way but in the flesh, it was my mistake to take a step back.
I could instantly see the look of rejection, as though I’d broken their trust..and I had in that ill-timed and badly chosen move. For me, I felt I had been projected into an unsafe zone where I couldn’t operate freely- such close quarters are haloed ground for me. It took several drinks on me and a thigh slapping night on the town before I’d crawled my way back into contention.
I do prefer the conventions I’ve grown up with but now exercise cultural sensitivity when overseas….I’m no longer going to fly half way round the globe only to stamp on people’s feelings with my size 11s!
Oh, and the point of this post? When you’ve got to get close in business, it’s important to feel confident about yourself. A female colleague of mine keeps a little bottle of perfume in her bag so she can smell fabulous at any time of the day – as a man, I thought this was ludicrous but then learned subsequently that most of the guys in the office anointed themselves with aftershave before visiting clients and suppliers!
So, until we release promotional male aftershaves, here’s a nifty little idea as a gift for women in business – promotional perfume spray, an advertising product that helps break down barriers!