As far as African countries go, Kenya
can be considered very progressive. A
great many business etiquette protocols
overlap with the standard Western
expectations, with few exceptions.
Here’s a quick guide to business
etiquette when traveling in Kenya.
Time
The lax African approach to punctuality
is a pervasive stereotype — which
unfortunately has its roots in truth,
especially in social situations. Being
invited to a social lunch event at noon
generally means guests will start to
trickle in from 1:00 pm onward, with
actual lunch served to an hour later.
However, for business events and
meetings, time is usually well adhered
to. The Kenyan corporate scene mostly
values efficiency, with some
government office exceptions. This is
especially true where dealings are being
carried out with parties from out of
state: the assumption is that Westerners
are more inclined to be punctual; hence
times will be strictly adhered to in the
interest of being accommodating.
Essentially, timeliness should not be an
issue during your business meetings.
Salutations
The way you give or receive greetings
before a meeting is important, as it sets
the tone for the rest of the meeting.
In Kenya, like in most African countries,
it is of the utmost importance to show
respect to your elders or seniors, and to
be friendly to everyone across the
board.
When addressing someone in a business
setting, it is safe to keep with honorifics
and refer to them formally unless
otherwise stated. Use of Mr, Mrs or Miss
So-and-So are preferred, though it is
generally not necessary to use “sir” or
“ma’am” in conversation.
Furthermore, the usual standard shows
of respect are expected: rising from
your seat to shake someone’s hand,
making and maintaining eye contact
when communicating and so forth.
Dress code
A common question from business
travelers with their sights on Kenya is
about dress code: what is acceptable for
a corporate setting and what is not?
Most business is done in large cities
like Nairobi, which is a relatively
progressive business hub with less firm
or extreme guidelines on clothing.
Gentlemen can go with a suit for almost
all meetings, though in a pinch, a
formal shirt and trousers will do just
fine. Many Kenyan offices have a casual
Friday rule, but it is wise to stick to at
least casual formalwear.
This is of course dependent on where
the meeting is: for a corporate
appearance at a weekend event, golf
course meeting, and so on, the suit is
not necessary and more casual attire
can be worn.
For ladies, business attire can range
from dresses, to blouses with formal
trousers or skirts. High heels are not
frowned upon and jewelry is welcome,
provided it is not excessively loud or
gaudy.
Use of color is also okay in most
settings, though for more formal sectors
such as finance or law, muted colors like
navy blue or gray are preferred. The
rule of thumb generally is to err on the
side of modesty.
Clothing that is not too revealing, too
short or too tight is preferred in
business settings, both to adhere to
African morality and to present oneself
as a serious business executive.
Small Talk
A big part of African culture is the idea
of being friendly and welcoming to all,
essentially taking everyone as a brother.
For those visiting Kenya for business
reasons, you will find this to be true
even in business situations. It is
therefore not uncommon to begin
meetings with a session of more small
talk than Western visitors may be
accustomed to.
Should the situation arise, it is
considered polite to engage in the
discussions. These harmless
conversations play an important part in
building camaraderie, and prematurely
ending them could be seen as rude or
standoffish; a few well-meaning
inquiries after how you are enjoying
your stay and anecdotes about previous
trips could very well stand between you
and a productive business meeting.
Gifts and Tokens
When it comes to gift-giving in
corporate situations, discretion is key.
Gifts are generally not expected as a
normal part of business relations, and
you are by no means required to
provide one. Exceptions can be made
for the holiday season at the end of the
year, usually between Christmas and
New Years Day, when business partners
may send each other shows of
appreciation. These are
normally received either by high
ranking officials such as the CEO, or the
executive(s) that one has been dealing
with as company representatives during
the year. It should be made very clear
that the gifts are from you as a
representative of your organization.
In this case, you might consider sending
a gift basket, perhaps with wine and
chocolates. Other gifts can also be sent,
provided they are appropriate and not
overly personal or familiar.
In Summary
When traveling to Kenya on business,
the rules of interaction are for all
intents and purposes similar to what
Western visitors are accustomed to, and
not very far off from how the rest of the
world carries out their dealings.
Chances of you saying or doing
something unforgivably offensive
during your business trip to Kenya are
minimal. Your hosts will likely be very
accommodating of the cultural
differences, so there is no need to waste
your trip to Nairobi obsessing over the
intricacies of business etiquette.
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