The number one difference between Brazilian and American culture is personal space. Brazilians tend to stand very close to each other during conversation – one to two feet apart is the norm. Brazil is also a high touch culture. It would not be unusual for a Brazilian man to put his hand on the shoulder, arm, or hand of a Brazilian woman during conversation. It would certainly take some time and adjustment as a business leader in Brazil. Americans value personal space and we certainly are not a high touch culture. You must do your best to make yourself appear comfortable during conversation, though, as Brazilians view people who keep a far distance as rude and unfriendly.
There are a few hand signals in America that don’t exactly correspond with Brazilian hand signals. In Brazil, making the “O.K.” sign with your fingers is equivalent to flipping someone the bird (middle finger) in America. There is also a gesture in Brazil that warns someone that his wife is cheating. This gesture could obviously end poorly in some circumstances. Your best bet with hand gestures and emblems as a business leader in Brazil is to try to avoid them altogether. If you feel like you must do hand gestures, make sure to do your research!
Eye contact in Brazil is fairly similar compared to eye contact in America. Brazilians favor direct eye contact during conversation. Steady, consistent eye contact shows sincerity and a lack of eye contact will result in a lack of trust. One thing that I found interesting about eye contact in Brazil is that service people, such as maids, delivery people, and repairmen, usually avoid direct eye contact with the people that they serve. Because eye contact is viewed so similarly in Brazil, it shouldn’t be too difficult to adjust as a business leader.
I had trouble finding research online about office space in Brazil. I assume that, because of their close personal space, offices and rooms are probably small in size. The smaller the room, the closer packed people in the room will be. This creates close-proximity and high touch conversation. This is just my opinion, though, not actual fact. As a business leader in Brazil, a normal American would have a tough time adjusting to smaller office sizes. Personally, I would have no problem with the small office size. I have lived in a dorm for three years and my room at home is relatively small, so a small office would be no biggy for me.
Culture Shock 