I was one of the fortunate ones in my SDM cohort to be pre-selected for
an open-discussion session with a director from the National University
of Singapore who is working on establishing a program similar to SDM in
Singapore. As the meeting proceeded, the students and the director
started exchanging business cards. When communicating with business
people from Asia, it is respectful and polite to conduct the exchange
of business cards in the proper manner. Unfortunately, I didn't handle
the business card ceremony quite the right way.
To my credit, I did manage to hand my business card with two hands
and to receive his card with two hands. Nonetheless, I still got it
wrong at the end. Here's what I should have done:
- The younger or more junior person should always present his/her business card to the other party with 2 HANDS.
- The other person receive it with 2 hands. He/she then present
his/her business card to you, in which you must now receive it with,
again, 2 HANDS.
- Now take a look at the business card to, at least, catch the person's name.
- If it is a sit-down meeting, leave the all the cards that you have
received on the table so that you can look at their names and titles.
Do not put them away until the meeting is over.
Well, that's the Asian way of handing/receiving business card.
Thanks to Kevin for reminding. Of course, there are times when you
shouldn't present your business cards with 2 hands, especially in a
more causal corporate environment like America. I am interested in
hearing other people's thoughts on exchanging business cards in a
different cultural environment.