Business Meetings

Initial interactions should be utilized to forge relationships and establish trust because Chile has a culture that values relationships. Spend time having conversations that are not business-related while you wait for the other party to bring up a new topic. Pay attention to how your hands are moving; gestures vary in meaning depending on the culture.

It's normal to cut someone off in the middle of their sentence. The flow of meetings is not necessarily linear. Issues can be resolved simultaneously and schedules are not highly regimented. It's crucial to exercise patience because meetings in Chile will run as long as they need to. It's crucial to offer all required information at the meeting, but keep in mind that decisions aren't made at meetings.

Chileans tend to be indirect in their communication, but if they become emotional, they can become highly animated and assertive. The way we communicate is often tuned to how others are feeling. It may be required to read between the lines in order to completely understand what is really intended because confrontation is typically avoided in order to protect another person's honor or dignity. Never voice criticism in public.