I don't need to... (actually... we all do.)

I really don't need to learn your language.  Most everyone speaks English nowadays.  The fact that I can spend all my time elsewhere is just simply going to be more productive for me.  Also, I don't need to learn much more about your culture than the common preconceptions.  Right...?  If there is an issue, we will simply discuss it in my language and correct everything that way.

Let's hope that this is what your competitors are thinking!  If this is the case they will be going nowhere fast.  The truth is, most everyone knows that communication in general is important to the success of a company.  That is why there are so many training opportunities focused towards management level jobs.  What we often do forget is that even if we are speaking in the same language, it is just as important to know cultural backgrounds.  Read the following excerpt from the link I provided.

In sending an email to a Japanese colleague with whom may wish to collaborate on a potential business deal, you would be most successful if you

1. Begin the email by addressing the individual warmly and openly, by his first name, immediately closing the cultural gap
2. Always use Mr. , Miss or Mrs. followed by the last name of the individual, followed by an embracing and forthright interaction
3. Use the last name, followed by the term “sama” to address your email, followed by clear text set forth with the utmost formality.

Answer: 3.

The risk of email is that it lacks certain social contextual cues such as body language, eye contact and intonation and can therefore create misunderstandings.  There is also no way to see the demeanor or reaction of your counterpart and adjust your communication strategy to compensate for a misunderstanding once it is created.   When in doubt, it is always safer to err on the side of greater formality and deference.  The Japanese have become accustomed to making allowances for informal communication from other countries, but you will proceed with more credibility if you make a sincere effort to adapt to their customs.  The use of the term “san” and, for those in a position of high authority, “sama” is honorific.  Use the last name, followed by the honorific term, followed by extreme clarity and formality in the text, with as few assumptions for context as possible.

International HR Forum: Denise L. Hummel – Universal Consensus, Posted on June 8, 2009, http://internationalhr.wordpress.com/2009/06/08/why-culture-is-important-in-international-business/