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Arriving on time for meetings is important even though you may be kept waiting up to a half an hour or so.
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Small talk is always used as a starter of meetings, usually for the first 15 minutes. Depending of the time available this “ice-breaking” time can be longer or shorter.
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If a foreigner meets a Colombian, it’s highly likely that one of the starting conversations will be about and how the foreigner likes the country or not (especially if it’s his/her first time), and his/her impressions and some comparisons with his/her home country.
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Normally the host offers something to drink, traditionally coffee, tea, herbal infusions (Colombians refer to these as “aromaticas”), water or soda. It’s ok to accept it or not, and it’s also ok to ask for more. For longer meetings, something to eat may be served. In both cases, it’s ok to reject it, if you do not want to eat it for any reason.
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Normally you greet whoever is closer to you, first. For example if you enter a board room with a group of people, you do not need to walk to the host to greet him/her first and then walk back to greet the rest of people.
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The business discussion can be started by the host or by the visitor, one criteria to define who should start is who has something to show, for example, who brought a proposal, or who prepared a report, etc.
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Meetings are usually ended by the host, but it’s not considered rude if as the invitee after the stipulated period of time you have to go and you express it, as long you make a good closing.
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Meetings can go on for longer than scheduled. Be patient and go with the flow.
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Do not expect a decision to be reached during the first meeting. Expect several.
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