Culture Clash: A Communication Tip

One barrier to building rapport is clearly culture. Recently, I have been working between Rio de Janeiro and New York City and I had an interesting experience that spoke just to this point. In looking for an apartment to rent, I was lucky enough to meet a friend of a friend who was looking to sublet her place. We had spent the day together socializing prior to us making the connection that I could be the one she rent her apartment to. Everything was groovy. We were talking about the furniture she'd leave behind, the rules of the building and naturally the price per month. Everything was perfect until the next day when I received an email from her explaining that there would be a $400 per month increase to the originally stated fee. "Hmmm...What was this for," I wondered. And being American (see suggested communication tips), I asked. And from there, a cultural misunderstanding began to split our rapport in two leaving us little room for mending. I came to learn that in Brazil and more specifically in Rio, it is better not to ask direct questions. Even if I didn't understand why there was an increase in price from our original conversation, I was to either take it with a smile or find a way to quietly walk away. What is in question for me today is when there is a culture clash such as the one in this story, does the culture you are in get the steering wheel? Or, is it important for both parties to feel understood and respected? From my perspective, I aim for the latter. To be added to Lanartco's Communication Performance Tip of the Week, please connect to this link or send your email address to info@lanartco.com.