Business Etiquette Paper - Canada
Jessica Wood
MGT/448
May 20,2013
Roy Brugman

Canada: Let's Make a Deal! What you should know before negotiating While Canadians are often confused with Americans by non-North Americans who see few differences between the two peoples, please don’t make that mistake. Americans are much more assertive whereas Canadians are generally low-key and prefer to ease into business discussions. It is appropriate to present a business card at an introduction. Cynicism is a part of the national character, which is directed at those who make conspicuous shows of wealth and/or power. In Canada, there is great love for the ‘underdog’. Canadians generally dislike negotiation and aggressive sales techniques. They tend to value low-key sales presentations. Modesty, casualness, and an air of nonchalance are characteristic attitudes in Canadian business culture. You should also be aware that business schools here teach students that the outcome of all negotiations is that both sides win in a negotiation, i.e., “win/win.” This fits neatly with Canadians’ ideas of equality and fairness. The win/win principle is so accepted today that the very idea of one party winning the negotiation while other party loses, would seem unacceptable to most Canadians. Canadians tend to be receptive to new ideas. Generally, they are analytical, conceptual thinkers. It is at the meeting table that problems are solved and decisions made. Canadians are comfortable with time lines, agendas and deadlines and tend to adhere to them. They will not avoid confrontation or negative responses if they feel they need to question something. Established rules or laws usually take precedence over one's feelings. During negotiations, company policy is strictly adhered to at all times. Empirical evidence and other facts are considered the most valid forms of proof. Feelings of any kind are usually regarded with suspicion, particularly for decision-making purposes. In presentations and conversation, Canadians are often receptive to sporting analogies. Among all individuals, regardless of rank, communication is direct and slightly informal. Hierarchies in Canadian organizations exist for clarity of decision making, not because ranking is important. Those who will sit with you in a meeting usually have the power to make a decision. Canadian business persons may emphasize profit over market share. Refrain from discussing your personal life during business negotiations. Generally, Canadians do not like or trust people who appear to give excessive praise, which raises the suspicion that they are being set up to be embarrassed or misled in some way. Moreover, Canadians dislike being pressured and will only resent the stress that accompanies high expectations. The work environment in Canadian business culture tends to be collaborative. Before a decision is made, top management will consult subordinates and their input will be given careful consideration. It will be in your best interests not to try to rush this process. Negotiations usually proceed at a fast pace and bargaining is not customary. Canadians will expect your initial proposal to have only a small margin for negotiation. Deadlines and producing results are the main sources of anxiety in this culture. Decisions of any kind must be in accordance with company policy. Informing against one's colleagues is regarded with disgust in this culture. If you are teased, take it good-naturedly; you may tease back in a friendly, rather than mean-spirited manner. In the workplace, men may not always treat women as equals, and Canadian women are still struggling for increased salary and positions of authority. Canada: Prosperous Entertaining - Entertaining for Business Success If you are invited out to a pub in Canada, please keep in mind that each person is expected to pay for a round of drinks. Neglecting your turn to pay for a round will create a bad impression. Having said that, bear in mind that in Canada drinking and driving laws are strictly enforced. Hence, do not attempt to drive your rented car back to the hotel if you feel tipsy. Instead, take a taxi. If you are hosting a dinner at a restaurant for your Canadian guests, make sure it is a licensed establishment. Your Canadian guests would likely be unhappy if alcohol were not served with meals. Although wine is the usual preferred drink at meals, beer may also be served. If you are the guest of a Canadian businessman, do not automatically assume that he or she will be paying the bill. True, the host may have a lavish expense account. However, etiquette dictates that the guest should at least make some effort to try to pay a portion of the evening’s expenses. Canadians generally go “Dutch” when the bill arrives at casual get-togethers. Canada is one of the most multicultural countries in the world, and Canadian cuisine reflects this diversity. A visitor to Canada can expect to see virtually any and all kinds of food from literally dozens of cultures. In Canada’s most populous city, Toronto, one could expect to find dozens of restaurants serving hundreds of national dishes. Canadian hospitality tends to be very informal, particularly when you are invited to a home for a barbecue. At a BBQ, you will be encouraged to serve yourself. Hesitation will only cause your hosts to feel annoyance, if only because they genuinely want you to feel ‘at home’. Barbecues are a very popular form of home entertaining. Guests are encouraged to dress casually and engage in lively socializing. Men and women often gather separately. Never ‘drop in’ unannounced to someone’s home. Always phone ahead. Tipping is customary for restaurant visits and taxi travel in Canada. The commonly accepted practice in Canada is to tip between 10%-15% of the entire cost of the bill.
Canada: Appointment Alert A Word About Canadians first: The words agreeable, polite, quiet, reserved, and passive-aggressive have all been used to describe Canadians at various times. Our American cousins tend to think of Canadians as “sheep”, while the former tend to think of Americans as brash, aggressive, and showy. Americans, it would be fair to say, don’t “get” Canadians. We’re the kid in school who never got the best grades, but who still had a smug sense of self-importance about his own intelligence and moral superiority. What does all this have to do with punctuality? Since Canadians largely share the above traits, they’re generally a punctual lot. They are also world renowned for their politeness. Because conflict is a dirty word in Canada, Canadians probably wouldn’t raise the subject of your tardiness if you are late, but they would remember it. Kudos to you if you’re on time, though. - Office hours in the private sector can run from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Flex hours are gaining in popularity as traffic delays in and out of the major urban centers are fast becoming a major issue for companies. In the public sector, unlike the private, government workers take a hardy lunch, which means that if you need to reach a particular person between the hours of 12:00 and 2:00 p.m., you can all but forget it.
Canada: First Name or Title? “Mr.” or “Ms.”, followed by the person’s surname, are the preferred forms of address. Though it may not be used extensively in older cultures, the term “Ms.” for women is now a common form of address in professional contexts in Canada. When addressing a man, the term ‘Sir’ is rarely used, as it is perceived as too formal and hierarchical. Like other younger cultures, such as America’s or Australia’s, first names are used in Canada both in personal and professional circumstances, even amongst relatively new acquaintances. Don’t be surprised if your Canadian hosts move quickly to a first-name basis. In Canada, professional titles are not prominent in business culture, and are generally thought to be pretentious. The giving and receiving of business cards is common practice in Canadian business culture. In fact, it so common that Canadians would think it unusual if their counterparts did not offer them one.
Business Dress Canadians usually dress in dark business suits in the winter and in somewhat lighter suits in the Spring and Summer. For instance, instead of charcoal grey, navy blue and black, Canadians are more likely to dress in beige, medium grey and blue in the warmer months.
Dress codes depend on the context. Like other western countries, dress is becoming increasingly casual. That said, a business suit is still expected at a meeting with other professionals.
Welcome Topics of Conversation: Conversing with Canadians It’s often been said about Canadians that while they are polite, they are not a friendly people compared, that is, to their American cousins. Canadians pride themselves on their tolerance and of being non-judgmental, which means that Canadians often times prefer not to express opinions on various subjects for fear of offending, which, to many Canadians, is seen as a faux pas. Do not expect a passionate debate on any issue from a Canadian. It’s just not in the national DNA. Perhaps the movie Crazy People, a 1990 movie starring Dudley Moore, will help to put some perspective on Canadians. As a burnt-out advertising executive whose mental breakdown lands him in a psychiatric hospital, the character played by Moore, eventually recovers his mental health and is inspired to make truthful advertisements, such as in an ad for Volvo which proclaims, "Volvo. They're boxy, but they're good." When he was handed the account for Canada, Moore racked his brains for days on end and lost many nights of sleep before he finally came up with this slogan: “Canada, it’s not as boring as you think.” While some Canadians might take issue with that slogan, many would not. Woven into the cultural fabric is an avoidance of argument and ideology, and an acute acceptance of appeals to put our self-interests aside in favor of the greater good. While Canadians might sound and look like Americans at first glance, we are very different. Canadians are quieter and much less willing to offer opinions. This can be both good and bad. On the one hand, because of our avoidance of conflict, it is harder to have an in-depth conversation with a Canadian, but on the other hand, it is easier to engage us in small talk. On that note, hockey is always a welcome subject of conversation.
References
Executiveplanet.com (2012). Guide to Canada. Retrieved from http://executiveplanet.com/index.php?title=Canada