When seeking to grow your business across borders, it’s the mindset that matters

Hong Kong is such an international centre we often forget that elsewhere, they do things a little differently. And by failing to acknowledge that, many managers sent overseas accidental blunder and don’t land the deal, get a promotion or secure a contract to launch their company into a new market.

Before you hop on a flight out of Chek Lap Kok to set up a new business overseas, it may be worthwhile taking a few hours to stop and linger in the airport lounge. Gift yourself some precious time to think about how to make sense of the new business environment that will confront you. How will you know which actions and information are going to be crucial and what will be just noise, distracting you from really understanding how to create a successful new business?

For example, think about how you exchange business cards – there is a great ceremony in Japan, but in London they are handed over with little attention and then on the next day used to check you have the right mobile number. In the US, you will be expected to talk at great length about your plans for an initial public offering – but in Italy such talk would get at best odd looks. In South Korea, great store is set in learning golf as part of executive training. In Australia, such skills would be pointless and more weight is put on just how many hours you are prepared to spend on the shop floor.

Every country is different, and if you expect it to work in a similar way in an increasingly global world, you will be sorely disappointed.

Research at UNSW Business School into the various cognitive processes and skills that come into play when an organisation is making a “growth play” across borders shows that only those who are prepared to make a mental mindset shift succeed.