English Language Programs Academic English

Level 6 Advanced

Avoiding Communication Breakdown

Canadians try to understand how Vietnamese communicate

Cultural Information - Communication Styles

Question: What do I need to know about verbal and non-verbal communications when doing
business in Vietnam?
A Vietnamese speaks:
Generally Vietnamese people keep a distance when speaking to someone. Although Vietnamese do
not use gestures you should keep a reasonable distance so that speakers know that you respect
them and so they also feel comfortable.
The Vietnamese will also not necessarily maintain constant eye contact but will have good
feelings towards a person who makes eye contact. It is considered a sign that a person is honest.
Shaking hands is fine with both men and women when greeting; but it is often seen in a formal
context or with a person you meet for the first time. In a casual context, Vietnamese just say
"hello" or "how are you?" instead of shaking hands. Vietnamese can hug each other but only hug
relatives or close friends and only when they have not seen each other for a long time. People do
not kiss each other on the cheeks in public. Pointing your finger at someones face is very rude.
Vietnamese do not use hands gestures in communication and expect the person who is talking to
keep a smiling face; however, it is also expected that they express their feelings of anger or
happiness rather than keeping them inside.
You should keep a medium tone of voice when speaking. A loud tone of voice means that you are
showing anger. Vietnamese prefer to speak in a very indirect manner. Important questions or
issues are raised indirectly. This is different from Canada where, in work situations, it is better to
get straight to the point. In Vietnam, a more circular route is often more appropriate. The shortest
distance between two points is not always a straight line.
A Canadian expert on life in Vietnam:
Acceptable distance: This depends on the type of meeting. In a formal gathering, people shake
hands. Vietnamese maintain a certain distance with strangers. However, in a public setting you
should expect to be cramped, bumped into, or share a bench with a lot of other people, etc. It is
very rare that Vietnamese greet by kissing one another on the cheek (like the French) even if they
know one another very well; regardless of gender they will offer to shake hands.

Eye contact: It is not polite to make direct eye contact with someone; the first time you meet
someone, he/she will likely tend to look down at the ground unless he/she is your superior.
It is very difficult to know if the person with whom you are speaking is happy, disappointed, or
otherwise; without sounding trite, it can be said that Vietnamese, like many Asian people, have
facial expressions that are somewhat difficult to read. Nevertheless, it is not uncommon to see
people become enraged or raise their voices, particularly when a superior is talking to a junior
employee. Since nobody wants to lose face, meetings appear to remain rather superficial and many
discussions take place behind the scenes, but usually in the end everyone comes to a mutually
acceptable settlement.

Conversations
Question: I am meeting someone for the first time and I want to make a good impression. What
would be good discussion topics?
A Vietnamese speaks:
If you want to make a good impression when you meet someone for the first time, a good topic to
discuss is family. Vietnamese appreciate it if you ask them about their marital status (i.e. single or
married) about their parents, their spouses, and their children. It means that you care about their
lives. You can ask questions such as: Are you married? How many children you have? How many
brothers or sisters do you have? What do your parents do? What grade is your son in?
Vietnamese society has a hierarchy based on age, so you can also ask people about their age. After
knowing their age, you will be able to address them in the proper way. For example, if they are
older than you, you can call them anh (for males) or chi (for ladies). Addressing them this way
means that you are according them the level of respect that corresponds to their age.
If you can speak some Vietnamese or show your interest to learn some Vietnamese, people will
form a good impression of you as well. Avery common word used in the first meeting is Chao
(this word can be used for greeting and saying good bye). If you were addressing an older male
you would say Chao anh and if you were addressing an older female you would say Chao chi.
When meeting someone for the first time, Vietnamese people generally dont like to discuss
politics, as they do not know who you are or what is your political perspective. If you show a
strong interest in politics in the first meeting, it could impact negatively on subsequent meetings or
on your future work.
In addition, death or accidents are considered bad luck so you should not talk about these
incidents. Vietnamese people like humour, so its good if you can make jokes. They will feel
comfortable if you can make jokes, however, making a good joke is not easy if you dont
understand the culture.
The Canadian expert:
In Vietnamese society, the family is one of the core values and the extended family is the basic
unit. Therefore, it is important to ask how the family is doing. It is not considered impolite to ask
questions about the family of the person to whom you are speaking. For example, asking: whether
he/she is married, how many children he/she has (the answer is usually two since the government
has limited couples to a two-child maximum), or the age of their children.

It is possible to ask questions about work, but it is often difficult to understand exactly what they
do unless you meet them at their workplace.
Religion is perhaps the most sensitive subject and it is best to avoid the topic. The same holds true
for politics. Vietnamese will raise these subjects themselves if they want to know your opinion.
Vietnamese have a sense of humour, but it is not obvious at first glance.
In general, the linguistic barrier is the biggest obstacle when first meeting someone. More and
more frequently people speak English, albeit not very well, and it takes a while to get used to their
accent and the way they form their sentences. Interpreters are not very well trained and it is said
that only roughly 50% of oral discussions are properly translated. It is strongly suggested that you
repeat or reformulate a decision in order to ensure that all parties have correctly understood one
another. French is still spoken by older people and a minority of young university students. Many
civil servants and managers studied in the former Soviet Union and/or in Eastern block countries;
therefore, if you speak Russian, German, or Czech, do not hesitate to use these languages.

Hierarchy and Decision-making

Question: In the workplace, how are decisions taken and by whom? Is it acceptable to go to my
immediate supervisor for answers or feedback?
A Vietnamese speaks:
Vietnam is a hierarchical society and therefore decisions are taken by the boss. However, we have
now started to apply a more democratic way of leadership. It means that when some questions
arise in the office, a boss can discuss this question openly and get opinions from staff. The boss is
always expected, however, to make the decision at the final stage.
In local governmental organizations, ideas come from top down.
Vietnamese people do not go to their immediate supervisor for answers or feedback. First, they
keep quiet. Then they talk to their colleagues or family/relatives to seek their feedback.
Vietnamese do not show direct feelings to the supervisor. They keep distant from supervisors.
Even when they would discuss some problem with the boss they spend some time to think
carefully before doing so. There is a Vietnamese proverb "Uon luoi bay lan truoc khi noi" (Bend
your tongue seven times before you speak).
The Canadian:
Interpersonal relations are very important. It is best to be introduced by a third person before
starting to talk business. Relatively new methods of communication such as telephone calls, email, and even regular mail are not always efficient. Therefore, you should visit your business
partner or client on a regular basis.
It is also quite crucial to make a good first impression. Vietnamese have their own way of doing
things and it is important to follow the rules at least for the first few times you meet. Once the
relationship is well established, you can start to follow your own customs, refuse invitations to
social outings, or give suggestions at work.
Cooperation between Canada and Vietnam is recent. Vietnamese are not used to our way of doing
things since so few Canadians have worked in Vietnam. Both sides must learn to work together
and respect one another.
3

Adapted from Cultural Information Vietnam

Retrieved 13 January, 2012, from
http://www.intercultures.ca/cil-cai/ci-ic-eng.asp?iso=vn#cn-9

Use your Response Journal to write your answers to

the questions below:
Is it true that learning a business partners language a bridge to a better
relationship with them? Can problems arise when using an interpreter?
What does the website experts say is the biggest difference in communication
style between Vietnamese and Canadians?
If you had a friend who was going to study in America or Australia, and
intended to live with a homestay family, where would you advise them to look
to learn about the lifestyles and communication styles of people in those
countries?
When you have started your working career you will be speaking English most
to people of which nationality?