Greeting

Shaking hands is an accepted form of greeting in Mongolia, both in society at large and in business practice.

If you say a few phrases/words in Mongolian to greet them, it will be seen as a sign of respect for the culture of the country by your colleague in Mongolia.

Such greetings as hugs and kisses on the cheek - common between friends and relatives in many other cultures - are not common in Mongolia. Informally, you may see an older person take a younger person's hand in greeting and bring it to their face without touching it.

It is important to remember to show respect to the elderly. There are several ways to address them in Mongolian, including different forms of "you," which vary based on the age of the person and their hierarchical position in the company.

When greeting, especially during the first meeting, it is important to maintain direct eye contact with your Mongolian colleague. This will help create a more sincere relationship.

Introduction

It is customary in Mongolian society to address each other by name. This is primarily because Mongolian surnames are often very long. For the same reason, Mongolians often use nicknames, especially informally.

In business or formal situations, however, you should use your last name, not your first name or nickname, when addressing your Mongolian partner.

If you speak in English, use polite forms of address such as Mr, Mrs, Ms followed by the person's last name.

There is a fairly high degree of formality when dealing with officials, especially in government. When you speak to them, first say their official title, e.g. Director or Head of Department, then their name.

When addressing an elderly person in Mongolia, whether male or female, add the respectful -guay, for example: Batar-guay or Sarnay-guay. This particle may be used to address people who for some reason do not know each other's first and last names.

In Mongolia there are familiar forms of address for the elderly or the old. In relation to a man they are: guay, -aha, -agaa, to a woman: eme, ajaa (something like "grandmother") or egch, -egee, -ania (rather middle-aged woman, "older sister").

After marriage a woman in Mongolian society retains her last name, which is often her father's name. The children usually pass on their father's name as their surname.

After marriage, a woman in Mongol society retains her father's name, which is often her father's name.

Exchange of Business Cards

In addition to your last name, first name, and contact information, include your position at the firm, such as title. This will help your Mongolian counterpart understand where you are in the company hierarchy, and line up with you accordingly.

Sometimes people list prestigious academic degrees, such as Ph.D./Ph.D., or sports titles such as Master of Sports in boxing.

For a business trip to Mongolia, it is best to prepare several versions of business cards, with different languages on them. You can use both sides of the business card, with Mongolian on the side and Russian on the other side, for example.

Other languages are also common in Mongolian business practice, particularly English and Chinese. So it makes sense to order business cards in advance with texts in those languages on at least one side of the business card.

In Mongolia's business and official circles business cards are exchanged frequently. So it is best to have a sufficient supply of them with you at all times. During a business meeting, business cards are usually exchanged at the beginning of the meeting.

There is no special ritual for giving business cards in Mongolia. Just note that you should give or receive business cards from your Mongolian colleague with your right hand or with both hands.

Small Talk: Overview

In Mongolia, great importance is attached to developing and maintaining relationships, especially with foreign partners. In formal situations, however, Mongolians are rather reserved, not allowing for overt displays of emotion. But in casual situations with people they know well, their behavior changes, and they become more expressive.

In the beginning of a relationship, particularly during the first meeting, your Mongolian partner may ask you where you are from or who your father was. Don't be surprised by this, your Mongolian partner just wants to get to know you better.

If you are planning to spend some time in Ulaanbaatar, it makes sense to talk to your Mongolian colleague about it. He will be happy to answer your questions about the best way to arrange your life in the capital, recommend a restaurant or cafe, a shopping mall to shop in, or a trusted cab service. Such questions will indicate the establishment of a more trusting relationship between you.

Formality, modesty, and simplicity are words to guide you when building a relationship with your Mongolian partners. Theatrical gestures and pompous phrases will not be well received by your Mongolian counterparts.

Preferred Topics

The weather is a possible and safe topic of small talk, especially to begin with. For the record, Ulaanbaatar is considered the coldest capital in the world.

Your Mongolian partners will take well to the topic of national festivals held in the country, especially Naadam, which is celebrated annually in mid-summer as Mongolia's national holiday.

The topic of sports is very popular in Mongolia, especially wrestling and equestrian sports, as well as the victories of Mongolian athletes in the Olympic Games, particularly in judo, boxing, and shooting.

Mongolians would love to support a conversation about the country's economic growth and achievements. They will love to hear your positive impressions of Mongolian culture, historic monuments, local places of interest, and nature."

The province your partner comes from can be a good topic of conversation. Especially if you have visited or know the province for one reason or another.

Taboo Topics

Personal topics should definitely be avoided, especially in the initial stage of developing a business relationship. Issues of family, health, age, financial situation are considered inappropriate to discuss in conversation with foreigners. Equally, it is not customary to make any comments about a person's appearance.

Be careful not to talk about your personal life or family, especially if your interlocutor is an official working for one of the Mongolian government agencies. In such a situation, he/she will feel very uncomfortable.

It is interesting that Mongolians themselves may allow some comments about the appearance of the person or ask the foreign visitor questions about his/her personal life, such as asking him/her (especially if it is a woman) about family status or plans to have a family and children.

Politics, history and religion are sensitive and sometimes even painful topics. Do not criticize or repeat the stereotypes common in many countries about Genghis Khan, who is a national hero in Mongolia.

Do not compare or confuse Mongolian culture with Chinese or Buryat culture. Mongolia has its own distinctive culture, of which the people of this country are very proud.

Foreign men should refrain from complimenting Mongolian women. It can be misunderstood.

Personal Space

The comfort zone in Mongolian society can generally be somewhat smaller than in other cultures, such as those in central or northern Europe. Observe your colleagues in Mongolia at an event to draw conclusions for yourself.

The so-called comfort zone can vary depending on a number of factors. One of them is the degree of trust and intimacy between people. Mongolians are more willing to talk with people from their "inner circle" at a fairly close distance, which in this case is less than 1m (or arm's length).

With people who are unfamiliar or unfamiliar, Mongolians will adhere to rules of accepted social distance, which prescribe increasing the distance between interlocutors, it can be more than 1m.

Another factor that affects comfort distance is a person's status in society or their position in a company. In a conversation with someone of higher rank, a Mongolian will also maintain a greater distance. It will in any case be greater in the workplace than at home.

Avoid physical touching when communicating with Mongolian coworkers. The exception is shaking hands as a form of greeting.

If you want to give something to a Mongolian colleague (for example, a gift), do so with your right (not left) hand.

Communication Specifics

Mongolia has a distinctive culture based on the country's rich history and amazing geographical location between Russia and China.

Communication in Mongolian society can vary greatly depending on where people live and in what occupation and even what company they work for. For example, the communication style of employees in domestic companies will be different compared to transnational holdings.

A significant element of Mongolian communication is the context or situation itself, in which a certain meaning is already embedded. It is considered that the participants of communication have this meaning because they have lived together for a long time, and there is no need to repeat what is already known to everyone. Therefore communication can be very short and concise.

When working with foreigners, Mongolians generally adhere to their culture's rules and norms of communication, assuming that the interlocutors can fill in the meaning gaps that arise in the conversation. This, however, often leads to misunderstandings and miscommunication.

In business contacts, Mongolians prefer a direct and unambiguous style of communication. They are more likely to expect their partners to express specific intentions, goals, or proposals. This is probably why small talk is not valued as much.

In dealing with their Mongolian counterparts, especially in the initial stages of developing business contacts, it is important to maintain a formal style of communication. It is also common to be respectful of people who are older, of social status, or of position in the company.