Gestures to Avoid in Cross-Cultural Business
By Gayle Cotton, a renowned keynote speaker, internationally recognized authority on cultural science and the author of Say Anything to Anyone Anywhere: 5 Keys to Successful Cross-Cultural Communication
Success leaves clues, or in some instances, the lack of success leaves clues! Gestures are one of the first things to come to mind that can cause a major cultural faux pas. They can quickly sabotage anyone, including the most savvy business professionals. People from every culture, including various country leaders and several U.S. presidents, have been guilty of unintentionally offending people from different cultures through the use of inappropriate gestures. When it comes to body language gestures, the wisest advice might be to keep your fingers to yourself!