Making A Good Impression - Vocabulary / Cultural Awareness Discussion
Making A Good Impression
Here are some issues to think about when you are a visitor, or receive a visitor from abroad.
Match the issues on the left with the suggestions on the right. Then decide if the ideas are good or bad.
Issue
Possible Suggestion
Good / Bad
1.
Hand-shaking
Use hand signs while you talk
2.
Bowing
Touch visitors on the hand / head / foot
3.
Self-introduction
Dip your head to show respect
4.
Company Rank
Wait a few seconds between sentences
5.
Use of Gestures
Use a firm grip
6.
Interpersonal Distance
Look people in the eye when speaking
7.
Pausing
Explain your level in your company
8.
Eye Contact
Offer tea / coffee / alcohol
9.
Bodily Contact
Stand close to the listener while talking
10.
Gifts
Take visitors to late night bars / clubs
11.
Refreshments
Give a little speech about yourself
12.
Entertaining
Give expensive presents
When we receive foreign visitors, some actions are inappropriate.
The following adjectives describe different reasons why problems occur.
Match each problem on the left with one of the likely results on the right.
Problem
Likely Results
1.
excessive
causing puzzlement and uneasiness
2.
offensive
causing a mild negative reaction
3.
off-putting
making visitors want to laugh
4.
boring
lacking awareness of your visitor's (senior) rank
5.
disrespectful
sending your visitors to sleep
6.
disconcerting
making an inappropriately large effort
7.
culturally insensitive
causing an extreme negative reaction
8.
a source of amusement
lacking awareness of your visitor's customs / manners
Discuss the issues above with other class members.
Try to decide which (4) issues the following people shold be most careful about.
a) a U.S. citizen visiting your country on business
b) a company in your country receiving visitors from the U.S.