Czechs are a very polite people who are often reserved and formal when dealing with people they do not know well. They rarely use first names with others outside their close friends and family. Make sure you remain formally dressed during meetings; do not remove your jacket and tie for example. Introductions are usually done with a firm handshake with eye contact.
You will need to make an appointment in advance; do not make this during August or on Friday afternoons as many people leave their offices then. Punctuality is seen as extremely important.
Initial meetings are often purely to get to know you. Decisions will be taken slowly and at subsequent meetings. When describing your ideas, give statistics as evidence and maintain eye contact as this is thought to be a sign of honesty and trustworthiness. If your hosts lower their eyes and are silent for a long time this usually means they are not happy with something you have said. Due to politeness, they may not refuse a request but instead say something neutral like ‘we will see’ so be aware of these subtle cues.
