Taking on the French

by Dean Foster
December 2006





People do business differently in different cultures—so what seals the deal in Paris, Illinois, can be a non-starter in Paris, France. Having a basic understanding of French culture is essential to successful business in the City of Light. Here are some fundamentals to get you started:

1. Get your story straight. Method may be just as important as the final outcome. With a culture still attuned to the tenets of the Enlightenment, the French place a high value on a proper conceptual approach, rationale and the logic that grounds any plan, presentation or decision. You will need to outline all the details from A to Z—big and small—that substantiate your proposal.

2. Embrace criticism. Be prepared, therefore, for meeting interruptions where your Parisian contact questions your facts and demands details that you may have chosen to omit. Critical, careful analysis based on a healthy dose of French skepticism is valued far more than optimistic American decisiveness.

3. Bureaucracy lives. Hierarchy and rigid organizational structure are still very much alive and well in France. Do your homework ahead of time, and make sure you are speaking with the correct individual in the organization to make the decision. If not, your contact will need to solicit others in the hierarchy before making a commitment.

4. Parlez-vous français? Learn some French and use it—but prepare to be corrected, then spoken to in English. The French are very proud of their language as a symbol of their cultural achievements, and they admire when others use it…correctly.

5. The mingling strategy. Take some time to socialize with your French contact, typically over a meal. Resist the urge to talk business (unless they bring it up first). Rather, reveal your personal side, background, thoughts and ideas. This will help insure their receptivity to your business proposal.

6. Here’s to you. When the deal is finally signed, schedule a celebratory French dinner (hors d’oeuvres, appetizer, a main course, cheese, dessert and coffee—after, never with, dessert) in a fine restaurant, and toast (“A votre santé!”) with the best French wine you can afford.

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DEAN FOSTER is principal of Dean Foster Associates (learnaboutcultures.com) and an expert in intercultural management for global business.