Greeting

Greetings in Ethiopian business culture seem quite formal and polite, especially in the early stages of the relationship. The traditional form of greeting is a fairly long yet light handshake accompanied by direct eye contact.

Handshakes are usually exchanged between men. If there is a woman among Ethiopian partners, the foreign man must wait for her initiative before offering her a hand to greet him.

In Ethiopia, it is customary to show respect to elders, both in age and position. Such people should be greeted first. In this case, for example, a younger person greeting an older colleague touches his right hand with his left hand while shaking hands, covering it, i.e. as if extending both hands for a handshake.

Ethiopian male residents of Islam do not shake hands with women. It is only possible if they are united by kinship or long-lasting friendships. In any case, a man has to wait for the woman to take the initiative and offer her hand in greeting first. If not, a welcoming nod of the head or a slight half bow is sufficient.

People in a friendship embrace and kiss each other during the greeting-usually 3 times, but sometimes (if not seen for a while) there can be more kisses.

There is no need to rush things when greeting. It is important to give each person you greet with enough attention.

The formal greeting in Amharic is Tena Yistilign - Hello - (reads Tenaiistilin).

Introduction

A resident of Ethiopia usually has a first and last name, without an intermediate middle name or patronymic, such as Seyoum Mesfin (a well-known politician in this state). When moving to other (especially western) countries, Ethiopians sometimes use their father's name as the middle name. In this case, the last names of members of the same family may look different, which may cause some confusion.

In formal, formal and business situations, use your partner's titles, degrees or ranks, if available.

In terms of using names and titles/ranks, follow the example of your Ethiopian colleagues. Keep the level of formality appropriate to the situation.

Don't forget to mention your job titles, professional qualifications, academic titles and degrees at the time of submission and in correspondence with your Ethiopian counterparts. This will help them better understand your level of authority, especially when making decisions.

If you don't know (or don't have) your partner's professional title or rank, use polite forms of address, such as Mr, Ms, Mrs, Miss, followed by the person's last name.

Women don't usually change their last name after marriage.

Exchange of Business Cards

In addition to the standard information (first name, last name, company name, contact details), you should also include your position or position in the company, as well as other regalia you may have. This will help your Ethiopian colleague understand your place in the hierarchy of the organization you represent.

The text of your business card can be in English, which is consistent with the expectations of the business community in that country. However, your Ethiopian counterpart will be pleasantly surprised to see it in Amharic (the official language of Ethiopia).

In general, exchanging business cards is not an essential part of business communication in Ethiopia, and many business people may not even have business cards. Accordingly, there is no special ritual in business communication. It is important to hand the business card to the partner with the right hand (or both hands), but never with the left hand.

Small Talk: Overview

In conversations, it is important to maintain a pleasant, supportive atmosphere to foster a relationship between those involved.

In the beginning, you could describe your communication style as polite and fairly formal. A relaxed, level and level-headed approach is well-received without much emotion.

In Ethiopia, it is common to listen attentively to your interlocutor, especially in the early stages of a relationship. Guests, especially foreigners, are expected to do the same.

Your partners in Ethiopia will be direct enough to give their opinions and opinions. You may not notice it during the first meeting, but over time you will see it. Business people in Ethiopia generally tend to be more direct than people in other African and particularly Asian cultures. This is important to keep in mind when talking, especially if you are among older people.

In Ethiopian culture, a person's status and age are important.

Preferred Topics

Show interest in Ethiopia, its culture, its landmarks. Ethiopians are proud of their country and will appreciate your interest in what is happening in the state and how it is developing.

Positive statements in general about Ethiopia will make a good impression on a member of the local culture.

Family and family matters. In Ethiopia it is common to talk about your family. Don't stop talking about it abruptly if it seems pretty personal. Try to steer the conversation in a "safe" direction.

Don't be surprised if your Ethiopian colleague brings up the topic of health. The weather is considered a universal conversation starter in any society, including Ethiopian society.

Taboo Topics

Many people in Ethiopia are religious and, one might say, quite conservative. Avoid even veiled criticism of a person's religion or religious stance.

Political topics in general should be avoided, especially criticism of the state or government. Nor should you talk about how life is "better" or "safer" in other countries.

Topics of morality and ethics will not be well received by your colleague in Ethiopia.

Do not ask your colleague in Ethiopia about what ethnic group he/she belongs to. It will not be received well. Instead, you can ask what area or region your partner's family is from.

Personal Space

We should keep in mind that the distance of comfortable communication among Ethiopians, even those from different ethnic groups, is shorter than in other cultures, i.e., less than arm's length.

Ethiopians feel comfortable when they are quite close to each other. During conversations, they often touch each other to express their involvement and interest in the topic of conversation.

Touching (arm, shoulder) is possible in same-sex as well as inter-sex conversations. The exception to this is people practicing Islam. According to the canons of that religion, touching between men and women who are not related is impossible.

In the streets of cities one can see people, including those of the same sex, walking around holding hands. This shows a friendly (not necessarily loving) relationship between people.

When talking to an Ethiopian colleague, it's important to maintain direct eye contact. This demonstrates your interest in the conversation.

Communication Specifics

Communication in this society is based on relationships that require people to trust each other. Your potential partner in Ethiopia needs to get to know you better before they are ready to start a project with you. If you rush into things right away, you could lose that partner forever.

As you establish a relationship and develop a sense of trust, you will see your Ethiopian partner change: they will express their opinions more freely and directly, respond openly to suggestions and make them themselves. There will always be a personal element in communication.

Please pay attention to the way your partner communicates. If he continues to be reticent and formal, then trust has not been established, and you still have work to do. If it has been a while, then think about whether something is amiss in the relationship.

The communication style of Ethiopian colleagues varies, depending on the language they speak. When they speak English, they tend to express themselves quite directly and clearly, making sure they are adequately understood. English is second only to Amharic for most Ethiopians, so it is important for speakers to avoid ambiguity and the potential for misinterpretation.

When speaking in their native (Amharic or some local) language, Ethiopians tend to be less direct. They use forms and turns of speech that can be interpreted differently by interlocutors, depending on the situation and context.

In their native language, Ethiopians tend to be more straightforward.