When you meet a Russian for the first time, you usually don’t shake hands with a lady, but bow instead. In formal occasions, a man will kiss the back of a lady’s left hand to show respect. Russian names consist of three parts: first name, patronymic and surname. The way of addressing different people in different occasions is also different. In formal occasions or documents, you need to use the full name; in informal situations, the abbreviation of the first name and patronymic is sufficient.
If you go to visit a Russian, you need to take off your coat, hat, gloves and sunglasses when you enter the room. This is a polite gesture. Traditionally, Russians have strict requirements on punctuality. People from other countries and regions need to arrive on time when attending meetings or banquets hosted by Russians. In contrast, some Russian business executives will deliberately arrive later than the agreed time, as they believe this will reflect their importance and status. Before meeting and negotiating with Russians, you need to make an appointment in advance and remind the other party of the meeting place and time a few days before the meeting. When conducting business negotiations with Russians, “patience” is the key factor for success, because they work at a slow pace and hope to win success through a slow negotiation pace.
When exchanging business cards, you need to pay attention to details. Business cards must be displayed in both Russian and English. Russia has a strong sense of hierarchy, but at the same time emphasizes the value of equality for all.