The art of communicating with Brazilians

Getting the most from your teams

The Brazilians have a natural ability to convey positive energy when working together on joint projects. Driven by their determination and innate optimism, they think big and skilfully involve their team, encouraging their teammates to give their very best. A highly-motivated Brazilian will devote all of his strength and emotion to a project while sometimes sacrificing a little rigour in the process... However, when channelled correctly, this energy gives the company the impetus it needs to overcome crises and to initiate new projects, even in a difficult business environment.

It is therefore vital for a manager to know how to "abide by convention" to be able to nurture and preserve this enthusiasm under all circumstances.

Team motivation and cohesion will therefore depend on the quality of the working atmosphere instilled by the manager, who is advised to encourage rather than criticise or restrict his staff.

Learning to assert oneself as a leader

The patriarchal structure which is still deeply rooted in Brazilian society ensures that a vertical hierarchy continues to exist in many public and private organisations.However, this hierarchy, in which the highly respected top-level boss is the only decision maker, in no way prevents the development of simple and informal relationships between staff of various levels within the hierarchical pyramid. Brazilian bosses are often very close to their teams. They get involved in both professional and private life, displaying plenty of empathy and affection. They know how to listen and to communicate patiently under all circumstances and readily call staff by their first names.

They possess the fundamental capacities of "flexibility" and "relativity" in professional relationships and situations, helping them to channel the motivation of their teams during in-house meetings. In Portuguese, this notion of the "good boss" is referred to as ter jogo de cintura ("to have good hip play").

This is the art so skilfully practised by Brazilian managers: asserting themselves without provoking opposition, always tactfully seeking consensus within the group.

Guaranteeing the long-term success of a project

The success of a project with a Brazilian team can only be guaranteed over the long-term if numerous and diverse contacts are forged (including through spontaneous meetings, telephone conferencing, etc.). The more numerous and frequent this dialogue is, the more each person will be willing to get involved and consequently the further the project will progress. It is also advisable to place the emphasis on team working with a consensus-based management system, as team motivation and cohesion is a vital factor for success.

Consequently, the time spent engaging in face-to-face meetings and communication will ensure that the working atmosphere is conducive to productivity and deadline management.

Pitfalls to be avoided and recommendations

Concerning the communication style:

• Get into the habit of communicating verbally rather than in writing: you should avoid communicating only by e-mail… especially in the case of a long-distance relationship. Focusing on human contact and encouraging face-to-face meetings will help avoid misunderstandings and tension within your professional relationships.
   
• Don't react badly to abraços: when this happens, don't be surprised. It will only strengthen your relationship with your staff.
   
• Face-to-face meetings should be the norm: to help you forge relationships based on trust and confidence more quickly and to speed up decision-making. Leaving meetings of this kind out of your diary may hold you back later.
   
• Don't get down to the essential business right away: even in the tensest of situations, even if you're in a hurry, leave a little room for the informal aspects.
   
• Display flexibility in all circumstances and avoid frontal, outright opposition which will only prove counter-productive. In your communication style, you should seek to develop flexibility and adaptability.
   
• Logic doesn't always work in Brazil. Take account of this and don't be surprised. This is in part due to the Brazilians’ cultural profile which is extroverted, sensitive, highly strung, with an aversion to formality and a preference for jeitinho.

Concerning working methods:

• Making a good impression is vital and neglecting this aspect is something that can quickly come back to bite you.
   
• Establish contacts and ensure that you are accepted from the first contact. It's easy to get off on the wrong foot on your very first day in Brazil and this is often due to the way we act. Although some people may find this difficult, it's important to reach out to others and to avoid appearing isolated and withdrawn. The Brazilians are very friendly and hospitable by nature so take advantage of this!
   
• Delegate and supervise, tactfully and intelligently to avoid coming across as being too intrusive and to avoid stifling motivation and determination. To do so, you must encourage and favour dialogue at any cost, avoid becoming isolated and always be available and ready to listen to others.
   
• Maintain contact with your teams: if possible, try to forge a personal and more informal relationship, but avoid going too far. Face-to-face contact is important and you should encourage this, particularly when seeking urgent answers or to motivate your team
• Understand the Brazilian approach to time
   
• Keep an open mind and be tolerant: no tantrums or anger, but plenty of smiles! The Brazilians don't like bad news and tend to avoid tension and stress in the workplace. Therefore, you should seek to avoid creating a high-pressure working environment.

This article was published in ACCOMEX n'110-111