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Business Meetings -- Russian Style

by Richard Steffens

The etiquette of doing business in Russia is quite different from the way things are
generally done in the United States, a fact often overlooked by U.S. executives
new to Russia.  Many top-level Russians are used to American business customs
and will ignore our protocol errors, often attributing them to ignorance or Western
decadence.  Still, adjustments to Russian style can pay off for those willing to
make the effort. 

Old World Formality

Incongruous though it may seem, Russia is one of the last bastions of Old World
Europe.  In the nineteenth century, many Russian aristocrats adopted the formal
manners and tastes of other Europeans, especially the French.  While such
formalities are long gone in most of Europe, they linger in Russia.  In the 1990s,
many Western visitors are surprised to find themselves stepping back in time to a
more formal, less hurried epoch. 

Three general comments will carry you a long way in dealing with Russians.  First,
be courteous.  Simple courtesy goes a long way, and the Russians remember little
things.  Second, be prepared for a slower pace.  Russian meetings still move
deliberately and many Russians, especially the older generation, do not like to be
rushed.  Third, respect the Russians' need for initial formality.  After an hour or
two, the ice will be broken and Russians will become warmer; but don't force it. 

Setting Up the Meeting

Your first encounter with the niceties of Russian business protocol will come long
before you sit down to negotiate with your Russian counterparts--when you set up
your meeting with them. 

 Write an Invitation.  Russians expect to receive formal requests for meetings and
formal invitations to meetings.  Phone calls are not enough, though faxes are. 
English is acceptable, though Russian is better.  Specify the name and title of all
those attending on your side, and identify the purpose of the meeting.  If you
change the composition of your delegation, let the Russian side know.  They don't
like surprises.  If you are meeting at a Russian site, this detail is very important.  
Unexpected visitors probably won't be allowed into the building.   

 Don't Expect Short Meetings.  Expect long, drawn-out meetings where a lot of
emotions and ideas are expressed, though often no agreements are reached. 
Russians are developing a taste for shorter meetings, but, especially outside of
Moscow and St. Petersburg, it will take a while for this to catch on.  Don't expect
to just drop in for fifteen minutes to say hello.  Be careful to avoid constantly
checking your watch, as well.  Russians will notice this tendency and hold it
against you.   

 Expect Two Types of Meetings.  The first is the one-on-one negotiation, which
usually lasts for an hour.  The second is the more intense official visit lasting four
or five hours, which could consist of a meeting, a factory visit, an official lunch or
dinner, and perhaps another formal meeting. 

 Send Senior People.  Try to send a senior official who is at the same level as the
senior Russian official.  To send a project manager, no matter how gifted, to meet
a Deputy Minister is a huge breach of protocol.  Try not to send too many
people--Russian officials usually travel with only one or two staff.  Don't overload
your side of the table with 10 assistants, since it will only inhibit discussion.  In
general, negotiation should be senior person to senior person, with few
interjections from staff.  Russian organizations are hierarchical, and Russian
managers are often disconcerted by American managers who want to let all their
staff people talk. 

 Getting to Your Seat.  Typically, a junior official, often the protocol officer, will
greet you at the door when you reach the Russian office and escort you to the
meeting room.  It can be a bad sign if the Russians don't send someone to meet
you.  If you are the host, station a company representative--not just a secretary--at
your firm's entrance to escort the Russians up to your meeting.   

Typically, you will be taken to a formal meeting or reception room.  The senior
Russian will greet you there with a warm handshake and welcome.  Usually, this is
a large room with a long table in the center.  Americans will sit on one side of the
table; Russians on the other.  The senior American is expected to sit in the middle
of the U.S. side of the table with the most experienced interpreter.  If you are
playing host, it is helpful to use such a conference room, too.  Russians will feel
awkward meeting you at your usual desk, especially if the phone rings constantly.  

Future articles in this space will address other aspects of conducting a business
meeting in Russia.  Richard Steffens is with the Commercial Service of the United
States in Moscow.
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