Top 5 Etiquettes to Know When Doing Business In Ghana
So you’ve booked a business trip to Ghana and are ready to conquer your dreams? Trying to tap into potential that could be in this new territory?
There’s a few things that you should know to ensure you get off on the right foot and don’t offend anyone during your Ghana travel.
Cultural nuances can be a challenge to navigate …..especially when you’re not aware of them. Respecting the culture that you are now in will facilitate not only a smooth experience but also give you some bonus points for knowing and displaying the norms of that country.
1. Shake hands and pick up everything with your right hand. Left hand is a no, no and a sign of disrespect. This tradition could have stemmed from a few things. We know the right-hand is more dominant in the world so that could have been it. It is also said that the left hand is used when relieving oneself so that hand is intimately and solely yours. For some reason if your right hand is messy or can’t be used, you can cross at the wrist, left over right, to show that you’re using your left hand because the right hand is out of commission.
2. Address everyone as ‘Mr., Ms., or their official salutation ie. Dr. Minister, etc.’ First name basis is not traditional in Ghana unless in the first encounter the person says “Oh no need for formalities, you can just call me John”. It is better to air on the side of caution and start with formal and then be given permission to be more informal. It is also very common to hear ‘Sister’ and ‘Brother’ when people of the community are speaking to people of the community. Unless you are invited to or the person introduces themselves with this salutation you can stick with the standard greetings
3. The first 20 mins of a meeting will be nothing about business! That’s right! They want to know and discuss how your weekend was, what you did with your family, how your parents are. When doing business in Ghana, first and foremost the person is doing business with you as an individual and you happen to work for a company so they do business with the company. Getting to know you as a human being is critical and they will carve out time to ensure this is respected.
4. Gifting for someone with status or an elder is customary. Ghanaian culture is communal and respect is priceless and required. If you’re going to a high official or an elder ie. someone old enough to be your parent or grandparent, it's nice to have a small gift. With the understanding of Western culture and limitations around gifting while doing business, most understand that this ‘nice to have’ is not always possible. When it is, you can leave a small token of gratitude, a nice company pen, T-shirt swag, bottle of spirits etc. It doesn’t have to be lavish because here the thought is what TRULY counts.
5. Good morning, Good afternoon, Good Evening > Hi or Hello. This is a small change with a big impact. Switching to this in Ghana will ensure that you don’t come across as rushed or casual / not respecting the other person. Nobody will fault you for just saying ‘Hi’ or ‘Hello’ but you will get some bonus respect points from the proper and formal greeting
As you embark on your cross-cultural business ventures in Ghana, remember that every interaction is a chance to bridge divides and celebrate the rich tapestry of our global community. In the ever-expanding global marketplace, mastering cross-cultural business etiquette is not just a skill; it's a key to building lasting international relationships and fostering success. So, let's continue to learn, adapt, and extend our hands in friendship across borders for the better of us all.
Safe travels and best of luck on your next Ghanaian business venture. Akwabaa!
