Speaking to a group of prospective clients in Saudi Arabia, he does not begin his speech with ebullient, sweeping claims to his own or his company's expertise and success. A sense of modesty is appreciated, and it extends to all aspects of life, including one's abilities. To the Muslim Saudis, success comes from God more than from man's will. Modesty aside, John Dough also remembers to repeat all significant information. Arabic is a language of hyperbole.
Every good presenter knows that in addition to verbal language, there is the language of symbols.
But there are also cultural guidelines to be heeded here. What works at home may not work abroad. The graphics in John Dough's multimedia presentation include triangles and bold swaths of yellow. They have been successful elsewhere, but he finds them unsuitable for many Asian clients. In South Korea, the triangles may completely turn off the audience.