Characteristics of a Russian Meeting

For most Westerners, we Russians are a mystery wrapped up in an enigma, to quote the late Winston Churchill. Westerners seem to fall into one of two camps, on the one hand they see us as the same as they are, because we are mostly white, often blond or redheaded and light eyed (with the exception of native Siberians and the very rare black Russian whose African father studied at the Patrice Lumumba People's Friendship University). To this they are greatly disappointed, as we are still a separate Eurasian civilization and thus think differently. This difference often comes out in various subtleties.

The other camp tends to look at us as some unfathomable and barbarous Mongoloid race to be distrusted and feared--or at best, we must be taught how to live properly like “civilized” peoples. To this end, again, they are often shocked and to some degree disappointed or rarely relieved to be proven wrong.

Photo credit: OpenArt AI image of Russian men in business suits convening around a conference room table and an AI-generated Putin knockoff figure near Moscow City

So now you find yourself going into a meeting, a meeting where on the other side of the table sit Russians. What to expect? Will this be civilized? A fist fight? A drinking fest?

So, for the novice, here are some basic rules for anyone meeting with anyone in Russia. Follow these few ground rules you should be fine:

1. Timeliness

While Russians are not as prompt as Germans, Russians are rather prompt. Not rather prompt like say Italians or Spaniards or Greeks, where the parties may show up 15 or 20 or even 50 minutes late, apologize and go on. Russians may be 5 minutes late, or they may be early and already awaiting your arrival. If the meeting is between two very disparate parties, such as a journalist and a governor or CEO of a large company, the party of import may show up 10-15 minutes late. This is done as a power play, to show one’s importance. However, even this is far from the rule. I have met many a corporate CEO, who was on time and ready, especially since I was on the client side.

So being five minutes late is ok, but I would definitely not make a habit of it. If you are going to be significantly late because of events outside of your control: traffic jam, car breakdown, alien abduction, it is appropriate to call the other party and inform them of such. Anything later than 5 minutes, without a good excuse, will be seen on a spectrum from “unprofessional” to “insult”.

A side note on this, if during the meeting you agree to set due dates or deadlines for some document or action, be sure to accomplish it by the agreed upon date. This in turn leads us to the second point: Meeting Minutes.

2. Meeting Minutes

Be prepared for the fact that everything during the meeting will be set down in writing in the Minutes of Meeting and not meeting due dates is a major blow to one's credibility and reliability in Russia.

Depending on who is taking the notes, this could be in minute detail or in general terms. However, all agreed upon actions, responsible parties and due dates will be set down in detail. Additionally, the other party will not let you leave without reading and signing the Meeting Minutes.

While this document does not carry any judicial character, it is you commitment and as such, ignoring what is agreed upon will be seen as very negative and untrustworthy and trust is the number one commodity in Russia.

3. Inclusiveness

This does not mean the same thing as the Western Woke term of inclusivity. This literally means making sure everyone is participating. If someone is a helper/assistant of a prime personality, that person will be in an acknowledged subordinate role but that does not mean that that person is left out of the meeting.

A few rules of thumb: It is considered very rude to turn your back on someone while continuing your conversation with another person in the group...one to remember for non-Russians who have no such issues. For this reason, Russians tend to naturally stand in circles when in groups, and the bigger the group, the bigger the circle, to make sure everyone is included.

Another no-no is turning to your co-workers, and beginning a conversation in a different language not shared by everyone. Sure, if that person does not understand the common language of the meeting, it is ok to do, however, when the case is that that person does understand, the conversation will be seen as something shady, done behind the backs of others, even as it is being done under the nose of everyone. It is considered very rude. If the need arises to have such a discussion, request some time alone, a break from the meeting and maybe a separate room to do so in.

4. Emotions

Russians are emotional, much much more than the stiff upper lip of the English or the blank faces of the Germans. However, and this is a very big “however”, while getting into an emotionally "hot" discussion happens, one should never over do it and better yet, never allow it to happen. When the signs of a pending conflict are evident, someone should step in and cool everyone off or declare a break. Never get personal and never ever ever throw a temper tantrum and walk out. Yes, these types of theatrics are common for southern Europeans and are seen not only as unimpressive, unprofessional but also as extremely childish and unstable. In other words, the personality of a person that should be avoided. Khrushchev beating his shoe at the United Nations back in the 1960s did not impress most Russians. Most Soviet people looked upon Nikita as a hick.

I had an Italian EPC project manager who would do this. He and because of him, our company, had zero respect from the other side who had to beg him to return. This is viewed especially unmanly and childish.

If you actually degrade to insults, never, never insult someone’s mother, wife or children, or God, especially the first one. That will probably lead to a physical confrontation and will more than likely end your business dealings for good, no matter the monies involved.

Photo credit: Moscow City modern office complex on the Moscow River Embankment at night

Uploaded to iStock by user Dmitry Potashkin February 2023

5. Shaking Hands

Do, definitely do and not just with your direct other, but with everyone and anyone who enters the room before the start and after the meeting has started. It does not matter the rank of the person, whether he is the boss or an underling, this honour is shown to everyone. After the very Obligatory handshake, you may hand out or receive business cards individually.

Equally, when leaving, shake everyone's hand. Walking by some person who stops to talk to someone in your party? Shake his hand. And make it a firm hand shake. Additionally, women shake hands also, so not to shake the hand of a woman is a grave insult, unless you of course kiss it. No most women will not take that as an insult, quite the opposite.

6. Stand up when important parties enter

If you are already seated, and your opposites come in, stand up and shake their hands. If a very senior person enters, especially one who is aged, stand up. What if a woman enters the room to join the meeting? Get up and show respect, as if it was a senior person, and since 42% of Russian executives are women (twice the rate of the progressive West) it just may be. Additionally, if there are no more seats, give yours to the woman or the aged person. This rule also goes for public transport, especially if the woman is pregnant or has small children.

7. Bargain Hard

Russians expect a bargain and will adjust initial proposals in expectations that there will be bargaining and serious bargaining. Russian price negotiations used to be described as something between a mugging and a bar fight. It has gotten a bit more civilized but....I remember fighting a supplier over each 0.01$ of a price on forgings...ok we finally agreed to limit it to just full round dollars or we would never get our negotiations done and dinner and drinks were awaiting us. I pulled out a 15% savings from the already low prices which saved us several million dollars.

Most Westerners expect to bargain for 2% to 3% or 5%. They would be shocked to get to 8% to 10% on a discount discussion. In Russia, think big. It is not uncommon for the counter offer to be 30% lower, a good starting position. Then the haggling begins.

Photo credit: Modern office buildings on the Moscow River Embankment

Uploaded to iStock by user Anouchka September 2023

8. Everything is possible

Russian engineers, metallurgists, and technical people tend to be rather conservative. Never take the initial “NO IT CANNOT BE DONE” as the final answer. If the junior or secondary management says no, go straight to the senior leadership, where every decision is possible. If they say “yes” it will be yes. Thus, getting the buy in of the senior figures is of utmost importance.

Equally, since the culture is conservative, remain cool and use your persuasion skills to sell the idea, either by its merits or by its profitability. Be prepared to explain in detail to the technical people, why what you want.

9. The Number Two

The number two is often as important as the number one, this is the trusted figure and the one that usually resolves issues. Figure out who the trusted lieutenant of the general director is. Russian chain of commands are linier except for that special lieutenant who has the ear of the boss and his authority to do what needs to be done.

10. Meetings must come to some decisions

In a Russian mind, why else are you in a meeting, if not to find a solution to some quandary? The obvious exception is an introductory meeting. There is no concept in Russian culture to meet just to meet and blab. That is the jurisdiction of social meeting, not business meetings. A business meeting will normally have a set goal and an agenda to follow, but definitely a set goal. This is where the Meeting Minutes come in.

Many southern peoples like to have meetings for the sake of meetings and no decisions are reached, this is very infuriating to Russians. This will be seen as unprofessional and a waste of people’s time.

11. The After Meeting

If you are invited to a dinner event after the meeting, several rules will change. You can come 15-20 minutes late, fashionably late. You should dress the same as your hosts. Discussions will normally be about families, life experiences. The host, your partner from across the table, wants to get to know you better. They want to know whom they are really dealing with, the person behind the business card and title.

To that end, be relaxed, but not so relaxed you become a drunken slobber. Now, drinking will be part of the issue, this, however does not mean binge drinking, unless your host is doing it himself. The worst thing possible is when a westerner can not hold his liquor and winds up getting trashed when Russians are not. No, being trashed is not the end goal of most Russian evenings. Russian drinking rates have been in steep decline over the past decades.

As you can see, Russians are not some barbaric race of half civilized steppe peoples. Russian civilization is very conservative and has certain red lines that should be followed and not crossed to keep a meeting civil and productive.

Good luck.