Intercultural blog articles

How do your training skills compare to Fred Flintstone and his car?

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Wouldn’t it be easier just to walk, than to walk and carry a car made of boulders?

As a training organization we train our clients as you would expect, but we also develop our trainers. Our trainers are observed regularly in the training room for two reasons. Reason one is quality management: Does the training meet client expectations? Reason two is professional (trainer) development: How can the trainer improve their training skills? From time to time, I get puzzled by how hard some trainers make their own lives. I was discussing this recently with a colleague, and she compared the situation to Fred Flintstone and his car. Do you remember that car? The one which he gets into, lifts up, and walks with? The car is a tool that is supposed to make his life easier. But the way he uses it can surely only make life harder.

What, you might be asking, has this analogy got to do with training? It’s a bit of a stretch but just like Fred, some trainers stop thinking logically about which way of doing something would be the most effective. They end up making some basic training errors as a result. Let’s look at five common training mistakes and some ideas for what you can do about them so you can a) make your training more effective for your participants, and b) easier for you.

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1. Confusing training with presenting

As a trainer I’ve often worked with participants who had to train people in something specific. In preparation they wanted to check their powerpoint slides with me. We reviewed the English on the slides, and that was it. This was a shame. Training is not running through a bunch of slides. Don’t you tend to switch off after 5-10 minutes of slides filled with text while the presenter talks you through them? I certainly do.

Effective training is interactive and experiential. Get the participants to talk about their experiences and come to conclusions themselves or with the help of colleagues. This means standing back, setting up tasks which make them talk, facilitating these activities, and giving feedback. Allow participants to learn from each other.

2. Talking too much

This is closely related to the first point. Successful training does not involve a trainer standing at the front of the room lecturing the participants. In a one hour training session, what percentage of time do you think the trainer should be talking for? As a general rule: the less the trainer talks and the more the participants are doing something, the better. That makes life easier for the trainer too.

Some trainers feel that if they are not talking, they are not in control, and that the participants will feel they can’t manage the training room. This is absolutely not the case. Aim to talk less – a lot less. If you’re not sure how much you talk, then film yourself, and watch it later. This can be a really valuable, eye-opening exercise.

3. Giving unclear instructions (and failing to check they’ve been understood)

I’ve been teaching and training for around 20 years, mostly with adults. A while ago in Spain I had to teach 6 year olds. Before this I hadn’t thought too much about how I gave instructions. I did some training before taking these kids on. One of the things that was stressed to me there was the importance of carefully planned out instructions. I started planning what I was going to say, and more importantly how I was going to check that everyone had understood what I needed them to do. This was a bit of work at first, but it was worth it in the end. Have you ever tried to get thirty kids into four groups by giving them the letters A, B, C, D?

Think your instructions out very carefully and make sure you are concise. Find a way of checking that people have understood what they have to do – this can be as simple as asking one person to repeat it back. This may sound silly, but it will save a lot of time and help clear up any problems in your instructions. After all, what is clear to you, may really not be clear to others, especially in an international audience.

4. Keeping things predictable

Variety is the name of the game. If everything is predictable and routine, it is boring. If it’s boring, no learning is going to be taking place.

How can you shake things up? Make sure you vary what you do. Look for variety in pace, activity types, groups, materials, and feedback methods. People learn in different ways, so try to cater to different learning styles.

5. Failing to explain aims and transferability

Sometimes when I am observing a class – fortunately not too often -, I have little idea what the trainer is trying to do and why he or she is trying to do it. If I don’t know why, then I doubt very much that the participants do. If you were taking time out of your day for training, wouldn’t you want to know why you were there and what you were going to get out of it? Luckily this problem is easily remedied.

  1. Share your aims – write them up at the start of the session and cross them off as they are achieved.
  2. Explain why you want people to do things. Generally most of us are prepared to do things if we understand the rationale behind them. All you need to do is say for example “We’re now going to ….. so that…..”

So, think about it. Can you make yourself a little less like Fred Flintstone and his car? What mistakes have you made when training? What have you learnt from these mistakes? Why not share your experience with us?

Not everyone’s a natural at small talk

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„By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail.“ – Benjamin Franklin

Do you prepare for small talk?

Not only natural small talkers are good at small talk. How much time do you spend preparing for a presentation? Let’s assume you don’t make those up as you go, why should it be different with small talk? Being a confident small talker means you need to be prepared and give some thought to what you can ask and say.

Knowing what to ask

When you are back in France visiting your colleagues at the local plant, recall prior conversations you had. What did you talk about in the past? Holidays, children, work, hobbies? Remembering specifics is great but not necessary. Perhaps you remember that your colleague told you they were going on holiday, but you forgot when and where. Ask something like, “The last time I saw you, you mentioned you were going on holiday. How was it?”




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Knowing what to say

When you know you will be put in situation where you must make small talk, for example lunch with a client or visiting a project site, think about what contributions you can make. Ask yourself the following questions:

  • What interesting books or movies have I read or seen recently?
  • What are my upcoming holiday or weekend plans?
  • What interesting places have I traveled to or visited recently?
  • What new projects am I excited about at work?
  • What new challenges am I facing at work?
  • What are my current hobbies?

Answering these questions to yourself will help prepare you with topics of conversation to share in small talk that you feel are safe. Try to have three or four experiences or contributions in mind before entering a small talk situation.

Remember what small talk is

“Every great romance and each big business deal begins with small talk. The key to successful small talk is learning how to connect with others, not just communicate with them.” Bernardo J. Carducci

It’s great to ask your small talk partner questions about themselves- it shows sincere interest. However, if you only ask questions and never share anything about yourself, it will sound like a job interview at best or an interrogation at worst. Try to strike a balance between listening and speaking.

For more small talk, here’s one I wrote earlier: Open up your small talk

Doing business with Italians

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I’m half Italian, half German and I grew up in Germany. I thought I understood both sides of my heritage, but I didn’t really discover how different these two cultures could be until my work as a sales manager took me to Italy. In fact, it took me a year of working in Italy, building a sales department for a German energy supplier, before I began to fully appreciate how to do business in Italy. As a guest author for Target Training, I want to share some of the lessons I learnt.

What the Italians love and admire

Italians love their language, their country, good life, good food, beauty and fashion. They admire order and punctuality but rarely act in this way. The more south you go the more this is true. (In fact Italians refer to two Italys: the one north and the one south of Rome. Rome itself being part of the southern half). Do not be surprised if your Italian business partner arrives half an hour late to a meeting. He may excuse himself but probably will not. It is also fairly normal to answer the (mobile) phone in the middle of a meeting.

How they work

Business is largely based on personal relationships. A task may take a month or more when carried out for an unknown client. The same task might be completed in two days if a favoured client asks for the same thing. This results in an environment of reciprocal obligations.

The worst thing that can happen to an Italian is: fare una brutta figura (making a bad figure, that is giving a bad impression). It is important not to lay blame on any person in public, e. g. in a meeting unless you really want to „punish“ that person. If you want to lay blame, you may be better off doing so in a one to one talk.

Time for meetings = time for foodmedium

Business meetings will probably take place shortly before, after, or even during meal times. Italians prefer to make contracts between people, not between companies. Eating together is one of the best ways of connecting to other people. Building trustworthy relationships is crucial to Italians. You probably will not get down to business until you’ve been out to eat with the decision makers a couple of times. Dinner tends to be the most important meal of the day.

Do you want to be a guest author on our blog?

For our Intercultural series, Andy Fluck has written a post about doing business with Italians. We hope you find it as interesting as we do. If you want to contribute as a guest author, we’re always looking for more cultural insights. If you have spent a lot of time doing business with another culture, or if you have other cultural business experiences you want to share: send us an email

Are you looking for cultural insights?

Read the other articles in our Intercultural series:

The language

If you are interested in doing long-term business with Italians, you should learn Italian. The efforts you put in to learning the language will pay off in your business relationships. Many Italians speak good English, but they do not like it. If they have the choice between an Italian and an English speaking business partner, they are prone to choose the Italian speaking one.

About the author af

Andy Fluck, Handwerk des Verkaufens

Kompetenz – Methode – Persönlichkeit

Ich fülle die Auftragsbücher meiner Kunden, in dem ich Sie in Ihrer Kommunikation in Verkauf, Führung und in Ihrer Persönlichkeitsentwicklung unterstütze. Sprechen Sie mich gerne an.

 

 

Why small talk is never a waste of time in America

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I used to work for a large German logistics company as an in-house Business English trainer. Every morning I walked into the building and I would greet the security guard. Many of my German colleagues did this too. Not everyone learned his name though. I began to exchange daily pleasantries, talk about the weather, the weekends and would ask about his holiday when he returned back to work. Some of my German colleagues thought this behaviour was bizarre. They were surprised when I invited him to my office to share a piece of my birthday cake.

Small talk is never ’small‘

From my side I never understood why this was seen as unusual. To me, I was fostering a relationship that would make my working life easier. I know that might sound a little “mercenary” but my intentions were good. When I would occasionally forget my company identification card at home, the security guard never gave me a hard time or made me fill out the paperwork to obtain a temporary day pass (and this, of course, was not the case for other colleagues). As an American, small talk is never ‘small.’ In fact it plays quite a big role in building business relationships. It’s important, meaningful and significant.

Why is small talk so difficult?

I know that many of my clients find making small talk in English one of the most difficult things to do. My participants have told me that they are worried about saying the wrong thing, or that they don’t have the right words. I’m learning German myself, and I fully understand these problems.

However, I’ve also had German colleagues tell me that they feel small talk is unnecessary. Some have even told me it’s a waste of time – there’s time for fun when the work is done. Culturally, I find it harder to share these views.

Americans use small talk as a business tool

Many Americans approach small talk as an invaluable use of time because it can build and create new contacts and develop stronger relationships. We often don’t realize how many decisions we make based on gut feeling. And this is why small talk is so critical in America. The small talk before the job interview, at the corporate event or in the elevator with the boss can be very powerful at making a memorable impression. The person might not remember what you said but they will remember the impression you made – how you made them feel.

Of course small talk is not the sole determiner of success in American business. You must also perform the duties of your job with high quality. However, interpersonal relationships are significant in a work culture that does not have the legal safeguards often found in Germany.

3 things to keep in mind when developing your small talk skills

 „There is no such thing as a worthless conversation, provided you know what to listen for. And questions are the breath of life for a conversation.“— James Nathan Miller

The goal of small talk is not to make an overnight connection

Think of small talk as planting a seed in the garden. Making small talk once is not enough. You need to cultivate the relationship over time.

Listen and listen more

A brilliant way to strengthen a new relationship is to truly listen to the person and learn what is important to them. Once you understand what makes them tick, small talk will be much easier. Open questions are key.

It’s not all about what you can do for me

Don’t treat small talk as a one-way street. If you’re only thinking about what you can gain from the relationship, the small talk will come across as insincere and unauthentic. Small talk is not ‘how is this person going to help me?’ Small talk is about nurturing a genuine business relationship. So consider, ‘what can I offer’ or ‘how can I help?’ Additionally, the relationship will feel more personally fulfilling when you are able to give more than you take.

If you want to know more…

Then these links might be of interest to you:

And if you have another minute, let us know what problems you face when trying to make small talk in English.

Sequential and Synchronic Views of Time

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Originally published on 20.03.2013

„Are we on time?“

The question seems simple enough but that seemingly simple question can unlock different ways of viewing time and the commitments associated with our view of time. My experience with intercultural training has made me think about that question a bit differently.

“On time” in Ghana

It reminds me of the story about a German businessman traveling in Ghana.  He set a meeting with his Ghanaian counterpart for 1 p.m. Since “on time” for the German businessman meant arriving early enough for the meeting to begin at 1 p.m., he made sure he arrived at the Ghanaian’s office 10 minutes early to account for things that could go wrong.  After his arrival, he was greeted by the secretary of his Ghanaian counterpart and told to take a seat. 1 p.m. came and went and his Ghanaian counterpart wasn’t there. 1:10 p.m. came and went, and his counterpart wasn’t there. 1:20 p.m. came and went and his counterpart still wasn’t there. At this point the German businessman asked the secretary if everything was OK. Had there been an accident preventing the arrival of his counterpart? The secretary simply smiled and said she was sure everything was OK and that the Ghanaian businessman should be along any minute now. The German businessman returned to his seat and continued to wait, becoming angrier as each moment passed. As the clock struck 1:45 p.m. the Ghanaian businessman entered his office in no particular hurry, chatted with his secretary and invited the then angry German businessman into his office.  After closing the door, the German businessman could not contain himself any long and he said, “I don’t know what kind of outfit you’re running here but we clearly said we would meet at 1:00 p.m.  According to my watch, it is now 1:55 p.m.!” The Ghanaian took a seat behind his desk and said “My good man, you have the watch but I have the time.”

Sequential v. Synchronic views of time

The story above is an illustration of two different ways of seeing time, sequentially and synchronically. According to Fons Trompenaars Seven Dimensions of Culture, cultures with a preference for a sequential approach to time tend to treat time as a commodity. Time is something to be saved, spent or wasted. Time is used to bring order and set limits, like the counsellor who says your time is up even if you are in the middle of revealing a deep insight.

On the other hand, those cultures which tend to see time synchronically see time more holistically and interconnected. Time doesn’t drive the task.  If I am meeting with my manager and the meeting goes longer than expected, I probably won’t stand up at the appointed hour and leave! If he decides it is a better use of my time to meet with him than to do the other things I planned to do, then I would shift and cancel other commitments. Synchronic cultures tend to value priorities more than a predetermined time limit. They will do what is right to do at the moment, not follow a strict schedule.

When different cultural perspectives of being “on time” clash

Typically one view can accommodate the other. I can bring a book or work with me to appointments in case someone is late or add time to the appointment in anticipation of the other being late. On the other hand, I could clear time before an important meeting, account for what could go wrong and leave in plenty of time to be there at the appointed hour.  If I’m early, so be it. Reconciliation is something different than simply tolerating and accommodating the tendencies of others. In reconciliation we can negotiate with each other to find a way that works for both of us. Being aware of our different tendencies and caring about our relationships leads to solutions beyond compromise.

For example, if I am more synchronic and you are more sequential, instead of you needing to bring a book with you to our meeting, I’ll commit to a longer time together and provide you with a meaningful activity before we meet. If we need less time, you will have saved time and if I am delayed you still can do something worthwhile and productive before we begin. No time is “wasted” and you will have my undivided attention during our meeting until our goals are met.

More Intercultural

The focus on reconciliation is why Target Training integrates Trompenaars Hampden-Turner’s experience and research into our solutions.  Through reconciliation, clients will find better solutions to the intercultural  problems they face.  Target Training is a licensed supplier of  Trompenaars-Hampden-Turner’s  Intercultural Awareness Profile and Cultural Competence Online Products. Target Training provides intercultural training based on the Trompenaars’ Seven Dimension Model alone and as part of business communication skills training.

More intercultural insights…

Softening your phrases in business communication

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English is much less direct than German. If you say „Ich kann nicht am Treffen teilnehmen, da ich zur Zeit beschäftigt bin“, your German colleagues will have no problems with how you communicated that information. However, using that sentence (I’m too busy to come to the meeting) with your English partner/colleague may cause problems in your business relationship. Non-native speakers often use the shortest sentence possible to pass on information. Because you’re communicating in a different language, you want to be as clear as possible and avoid ambiguity. Here are a few things you can do to soften your phrases when you are communicating in English.

Ask, don’t tell

In English, expectations often come in the form of a question. Here are some examples:

  • Would you mind helping me with this? (I really hope that you will.)
  • Could you please send me the information by Monday at the latest? (I expect to have the information by Monday.)
  • Would it be possible for you to attend the meeting next week? (We would appreciate you being there.)

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Include please and/or thank you

This sounds very simple and easy to do. You’re right. But you would also be surprised how often this is forgotten about, neglected because of time or not considered important enough to include. However, these little words really make a big impact on the message that you give the recipient. Consider the differences in the following examples:

  • The teleconference starts at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow. vs. Please remember that the teleconference starts at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow.
  • Leave the documents on my desk before you leave tonight. vs. Please leave the documents on my desk before you leave tonight. Thank you very much.
  • I got the report last week. vs. Thank you for sending the report last week.

Send the right message

Sometimes writing a little bit more helps the recipient understand your intent. Apart from what you would like them to do, emotions can also be communicated in a message like this. Take a look at these two examples:

Ms. Lansing,

The report you sent me last week has a few inconsistencies in it. Please check columns two and three and send me an updated version as soon as possible.

Many thanks in advance,

Gerhard

Ms. Lansing,

Thank you very much for the report that you sent last week. The information you provided will help us greatly during the next stage of the project.

We have, however, come across a few inconsistencies in the figures. Would you mind double checking columns two and three to make sure that they are correct? Please contact me as soon as possible with the results.

Best regards,

Gerhard

More communication tips and phrases

Here are a few posts from our blog that you might find interesting:

Do you use softening phrases when communicating in English? Let us know in the comments box below. We’d love to hear from you.

Building business relationships with the Chinese

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One of the companies where I train recently opened a plant in China, so doing business with Chinese people has become a topic of great interest for a lot of the participants in my training program. Some of these participants recently had the chance to attend an intercultural training session that highlighted some of the key differences between German and Chinese business people. As this topic is also useful for me as a Business English trainer, I asked for the highlights of the training. While there were many more interesting points, these stood out the most:

Age

While this is a broad generalization, Chinese people can roughly be split into three categories: those born before 1950, those born before 1980 and those born after 1980. Most of us will likely have no business contact with older Chinese people, but the cultural distinction between those born before and after 1980 can be significant. A person born before 1980 is more likely to have traditional Chinese attitudes to certain business topics. These can include giving more respect to older people over those younger – regardless of experience, emphasizing consensus over making decisions quickly to avoid anyone “losing face”. The younger generation, however, has generally had much more exposure to other cultures – through the internet, movies and other media. This will frequently mean that they are more likely to react in the same way a young person from the US, Germany, France etc. might react.

Yes and no

Another generalization is that Chinese people “never say no” when doing business. While this obviously isn’t true, it might be helpful to keep in mind that the words ‘yes’ and ‘no’, which are very straightforward for those of us from many European backgrounds, can be used differently by our colleagues, customers or suppliers from China. Here are some quick equations:

Are you looking for cultural insights?

Read the other articles in our Intercultural series:

Do you have specific questions about how to deal with international colleagues or partners? Or, have you gained cultural insights through your work in different countries? Let us know!

More about our intercultural seminars or the IAP.

“Yes” + concrete days, times and details = yes.

Keep in mind, however, that unless you are speaking to the CEO of a company, it is likely that any important decisions will only be made after consultation with other stakeholders in the company. Pressuring someone for concrete details, promises or a definitive “yes” can put them in a difficult situation and any “promise” you force from them may well be negated by someone further up the hierarchy. Likewise an agreement that has been made without the consent of the bosses further up the line may not be considered binding as it was made without consulting them.

“Yes” + phrases like, “I’ll see what I can do,” “I’ll speak to my manager,” or “I’ll have more information for you later” = maybe.

For many cultures, including the Chinese, saying “no” can be considered impolite or an admission that you are unable to help the person asking. For this reason, a “yes” or “maybe” is often qualified with another phrase allowing the respondent to avoid making promises he can’t keep.

“Maybe”, “It’s possible” = “I don’t know” or “no”.

In some situations, it can be difficult for any of us to say “I don’t know”. This seems to show a lack of knowledge or authority on our part – and in certain types of social or business interaction, we don’t want to give that message. In Chinese culture, the situations where this happens can be different to many European cultures but the reaction is still the same. Forcing the respondent to admit they don’t know or that they don’t have the authority to make that decision will be embarrassing to them and may cause resentment which, in the long run, will be bad for you.

High context and low context communication

An example of a high context sentence might be, “Could we open the window?” An example of a low context sentence might be, “You smell bad.” Low context communication, or the “direct approach”, can make Westerners appear clumsy and unsophisticated, or even impolite to their Chinese counterparts. This can also come across in what might seem to a European or American to be a simple statement, e.g. “You have to do x”. “That’s wrong” or “You can’t do that”. When you are writing an email or speaking to a Chinese person (or any other culture for that matter), listen to the phrasing they use and word your requests, suggestions and advice in a similar way.

More intercultural

The information presented above barely scratches the surface of the cultural differences that we can be faced with when working with Chinese counterparts. However, it highlights some key things we can think about when it comes to building business relationships with the Chinese. It also, hopefully, minimizes misunderstandings.

If you are interested in learning more, take a look at these blog articles:

Keys to doing business with India

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Over a period of eight years, I’ve worked in India in various multinational companies. I’ve had the opportunity to experience Work-Life-Balance of normal working class people, both in India and in Germany.  I believe that success in business ultimately boils down to understanding different cultures beyond the surface.  Doing business with different cultures can be difficult especially if you look at it in the light of your own culture.

Building a good, business friendly relationship with your Indian colleagues is one of the keys to successful business.  Indians are more relationship oriented than task oriented and tasks are completed faster, if you have the right contacts.  In this post, we’ll look at some important cultural differences.

The time factor

Being punctual is extremely important in certain cultures where “time is money”. Business in India is often relaxed; you always have time to listen to people, make time for unforeseen situations and work long hours. It is key to understand the importance time is given as it directly affects how we meet deadlines, start and end work, schedule appointments, etc.

How can you handle this cultural difference?

  • Set expectations: Always set clear deadlines – not imposed, but agreed upon by both parties.
  • Buffer time: Always have some extra time planned in case something goes wrong. Schedule a realistic deadline.
  • Follow up: Set up a meeting to get a regular update about the project. If the deadline is five days away, you may want to follow up on day three. However, if the time period is long, you may want to set up multiple meetings spread out evenly and realistically.

Saying no is a big NO

While some cultures can say “no” without much hesitation, Indian cultures find it extremely difficult to do so.

Are you looking for cultural insights?

Read the other articles in our Intercultural series:

Do you have specific questions about how to deal with international colleagues or partners? Or, have you gained cultural insights through your work in different countries? Let us know!

More about our intercultural seminars or the IAP.

 

“No” is considered to be negative, blunt and rude. “No” means not even trying. “No” could also mean showing incapability. Very often these cultures try to sound optimistic by saying “yes” or “I’ll try” even if they are certain the answer is a “no”. Building a friendly business relationship and trust will encourage your Indian colleagues to say “no” when needed. Assure them that a “no” is really appreciated instead of a “yes” or “I’ll try” when actually the answer is ”no”. Encourage them with examples of your own when you had to say no and things turned out better as a result. This is a BIG cultural difference, bigger than you think. It will take time, but once it works, doing business will be a lot easier.

Be sensitive about the situation

Society as a collective plays a very big role in India. „We“ works a lot better than „you“ or „I“. People’s opinions are more important than what an individual thinks about himself. Mistakes, big or small, are seen as failure. This doesn´t mean that if you notice a mistake, you let it go or don’t breathe a word about it. It just means that you have to be sensitive while pointing out mistakes.

  • Don’t use: “You made this mistake last time.”
  • Use: “The mistake was made last time.”

Don’t focus on what’s wrong, focus on how you can correct it.

  For example

“Anup, if you remember we spoke about this software issue last time. We noticed the software wasn’t working as expected because of XYZ. We should eliminate this problem so it doesn’t happen again. Could you please make a note of it? You will be in charge of this issue, ok?“

 Vocalize appreciation

Indian culture needs to be told verbally “everything is ok/good.”  Show people you notice good work and appreciate it. Certain cultures need more motivation than others. Just a simple, “good job” or “well done” can make a big difference. Say it like you mean it. Remember your tone says more than your words.

 More tips on doing business with India

  • When you meet an Indian business partner or colleague in person, the men are usually comfortable shaking hands but some Indian women may just say hello with a nod and a smile.
  • Food is extremely important for Indians. If they are invited out to a business lunch, food similar to Indian food will be greatly appreciated; however Indians are very polite and will not complain or voice their preferences. It is also important to keep religion in mind when ordering meat. Some Indians are vegetarians and some avoid beef and pork for religious reasons.
  • If alcohol is offered in a business celebration/outing, the women usually won’t drink. The men might. Drinking alcohol isn’t very common in India, especially with people older than you or in higher positions in your company hierarchy.

Happy Birthday emails

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What do you say when you wish a colleague a happy birthday?

In the modern business world, we have contact with a lot of people on a day-to-day basis. We all have one thing in common: birthdays! Wishing a colleague a happy birthday is a great opportunity to strengthen your relationship with them. Regardless of the company or the culture, it is nice to be wished a happy birthday.

I am sure you have had that sinking feeling when you realize that you have missed someone’s birthday. As a manager, I feel that it is important to wish my colleagues (this includes people that report to me and people I report to) a happy birthday. If I didn’t do it, I would be concerned that people would be offended and my relationships would suffer.

It is easy to wish your friends a happy birthday but how do you do it professionally to colleagues?

We don’t tend to say “congratulations” to people on their birthdays. The only time we might say it is when someone turns 18 or 100!

 writing emails that people read

Some example emails you could use:

Formal

Dear Mr. Smith,

I am writing to wish you a happy birthday. I hope that you enjoy the day.

Many happy returns!

Kind regards,

Jonny

Informal

Hi Phil,

I just wanted to drop you a quick line to wish you a very happy birthday!

I hope you have a great day.

Take care,

Jonny

Belated (nachträglich)

Hi Phil,

I just wanted to wish you a happy belated birthday. I am sorry I didn’t contact you yesterday, I was on a business trip in Poland and didn’t have internet access or network on my phone.

Did you have a good day?

Let’s catch up soon,

Best wishes,

Jonny

 

Happy birthday to you

It makes people feel valued if you remember an important day in their lives. A simple wish as happy birthday strengthens relationships and can avoid potential offence. I have found it useful to keep a record of people’s birthdays on my Outlook calendar. That way, I don’t have to worry about forgetting.

Want to improve your emailing skills?

Our blog has a large number of posts that could be of interest to you. Click to view more posts on emailing.

Doing business the Dutch way

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I spent a lot of my professional life working in different countries before settling down in Germany. Being Dutch myself, I’ve been regularly surprised at being called blunt and likewise, frustrated by people not simply saying what they mean when they had something to say. Since joining Target Training, I’ve gained a better insight into different cultures, through international colleagues and tools such as the IAP. 

The Dutch are known to be direct, sometimes blunt and always forthcoming with their opinions (even when not asked) in business, just like they are in their personal lives. They don’t ‚beat around the bush‘ or ‚mince their words‘. This behaviour can be perceived as rude by foreigners, but in the Netherlands it’s highly appreciated when people say what they mean in as few words as possible.

Point out mistakes

When doing business with the Dutch, don’t be afraid to point out a mistake. More likely than not, you’ll actually gain the respect of your Dutch colleagues / business partners if you do so. At the very least they’ll appreciate that you’re giving them the opportunity to correct the mistake that you’ve spotted.

Give your opinion

Giving your honest opinion is a virtue in the eyes of the Dutch. Even if you completely disagree with what they say, it’s better to share your thoughts than to keep them to yourself – and be direct. Business meetings and discussions focus on reaching consensus, not top-down decision making. Everybody gets to have their say. Once a decision is made, the Dutch tend to stick to it.

Are you looking for cultural insights?

Read the first part of this series of articles: How the British handle difficult questions.

Do you have specific questions about how to deal with international colleagues or partners? Or, have you gained cultural insights through your work in different countries? Let us know!

More about our intercultural seminars or the IAP.

 

Actions speak louder than words

The Dutch don’t put a huge value on titles or the amount of money you might make. Though they value education, having a number of letters in front or behind the name on your business card (prof. dr. , etc.) won’t get you the respect this automatically gets you in other cultures. Regardless of your status, they will tell you what they think if you ask for their opinion or input. They expect you to do the same. If you can prove that you ‚know what you’re talking about‘, you’ll earn their professional respect. You may the boss of a company, you are still expected to know how the coffee machine works!

More tips on dealing with the Dutch

  • Avoid superiority or being overpowering. Try to reach consensus by negotiation rather than by instruction and respect the opinions of others.
  • When you meet a Dutch business partner or colleague in person, shake hands with everyone else in the room too (even the team assistant who is only there to take notes) and when you leave, shake hands again with everyone in the room. This is regardless of meeting for the first or the tenth time.
  • Don’t be overly polite or too nice. To the Dutch, these are suspicious behaviours and may cause irritation and may be seen as insincere.
  • Don’t be surprised (or insulted) when your working lunch consists of a cheese or a ham sandwich. A „broodje kaas“ or „broodje ham“ are staples of the Dutch lunch (often accompanied by a glass of milk or buttermilk). Anything more than that is seen as overly excessive.
  • Don’t expect compliments (or give them) at every opportunity. You may have come up with a solution to world hunger, or a complex business problem, or even saved the company a ton of money by making a small change in an operational process – „good job“ is about as much as you’ll hear from them, if anything. Saying more than that when giving a compliment is perceived as embarrassing. However, you can see silence as a compliment – remember, your Dutch colleague or partner will point it out if there’s something „wrong“ with your work.
  • Don’t talk business after business hours. To the Dutch, there’s time for work and time for ‚play.‘ If you need or want to discuss business after hours, make sure your Dutch partners/colleagues agree to discuss business during ‚play‘ time.
  • Avoid exaggerating about your products, services or experience. To the Dutch, these should speak for themselves.

How the British handle difficult questions

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In every culture, there are questions and topics that are taboo. They are considered too personal or indiscreet, and people feel embarrassed or even offended when asked about them. Handling difficult questions about taboo subjects can be really tricky and each culture deals with them differently. Not all cultures have the same taboos. When making small talk, an international colleague might innocently ask you about your salary, family, health or age without realising that these questions could make you feel uncomfortable. How do you deal with these difficult questions without further embarrassment? What do you say to make sure your colleague doesn’t lose face?

How the Brits do it

There are 3 main strategies that the British use when it comes to handling difficult questions. They use these strategies so they can prevent negative consequences like socially awkward situations and damaged business relationships. By using these phrases and strategies the British can avoid difficult questions rather than feeling embarrassed by talking about a topic that makes them feel uncomfortable. What’s more, they can do it in a way that doesn’t offend the person who showed interest in them by asking the question.

Strategy 1: Try to gain time to think about how to respond

Phrases:

  • Let me think…
  • That’s an interesting / difficult question.
  • Can we talk about that another time / later?

 Strategy 2: Try to change the subject

 Phrases:

  • Look at the time – I don’t want to be late for my meeting / lunch / train.
  • Actually I’d like to ask you a question about (something completely different) if you don’t mind…

 Strategy 3: Try to gently show that I’m uncomfortable with the question

 Phrases:

  • I don’t really know how to answer that.
  • I’m afraid it’s a long story.

Are you looking for cultural insights?

During the next few months, we’ll be publishing more articles on doing business in different countries. Do you have specific questions about how to deal with international colleagues or partners? Or, have you gained cultural insights through your work in different countries? Use the comments box below to let us know your thoughts.

Click for more information about our intercultural seminars or the IAP.

Challenges of Working in Virtual Teams

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What are the challenges in your virtual team?

Each virtual team has their own unique challenges, but there are always a few that seem to be consistently present.  In this short video, Scott Levey, Director of Operations, focuses on two of the most commons challenges we see when training virtual teams.  Having awareness of these, and other issues that may arise, will help your virtual team increase its effectiveness.

 

 

Want to improve your virtual team’s performance?  Make sure to download our eBook of Virtual Team Checklists and check out our Working Effectively in Virtual Teams seminar.

Giving Advice Across Cultures

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Is giving advice the same in every culture?

Giving advice to someone is not as simple as just telling them what to do, especially in an intercultural situation where more sensitivity needs to be applied.  The problem is that if the advice you give is too direct it can come across as a command. What if you haven’t understood the situation correctly or completely, and your advice is no good? The person seeking your advice needs ‘an out’ – a way that they can reject your advice, or reformulate their request for advice without losing face – or causing you to lose face!

Below you can see some typical phrases for giving advice across cultures in the form of tips which can help you ensure nobody loses face. They offer your conversation partner plenty of flexibility to take your advice or not, as they see fit. If you are able to offer advice in an objective, neutral, sensitive and respectful way when people come to you, then the risk of accidentally damaging a good working relationship will be reduced.

Language for giving advice across cultures

 

Tip: Clarify the limits of the question
Phrase: If I were you, I’d make sure you understand the limits of the question.

Tip: Ask how your advice sounds
Phrase: Asking how your advice sounds might help.

Tip: Be confident not arrogant
Phrase: If you ask me, be confident but not arrogant when giving advice across cultures.

Tip: Beware of giving unsolicited advice
Phrase: Bear in mind the difference between solicited and unsolicited advice.

Tip: Give the recipient an “out”.
Phrase: You could try giving the recipient an “out.”

Tip: Ask for follow-up
Phrase: In your situation I would make sure to ask for follow-up.

3 Benefits of using suitable language when giving advice

By ensuring the language you use to frame your advice is culturally sensitive you can:

  1. address your conversation partner respectfully
  2. avoid damaging relationships
  3. help establish trust and open channels of communication

If you are interested in learning more about doing business across cultures check out our seminar details. And for more details on intercultural communication take a look at our selection of blog posts.

 

Intercultural Training: Internal vs External Control

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As a second generation Northerner in the US, a lot of my family comes directly from the South.  My family, like many others, was part of the second Great Migration of African Americans from the South to the North in the 1930’s – 1950’s.  One of my favorite memories growing up was talking to a great, great aunt from Alabama.  She spoke what many would call Creole English and it took a while for me to be able to understand her. When I did, I was immersed in stories and idioms I had never heard before in my cultured, Northern upbringing.  When talking about plans for the future, my aunt would say, “If God is willing and the creek don’t rise.” I used to think it was just something she said without thinking about it until I came across Fons Trompenaars’ Seven Dimensions of Culture with the dimension of Internal vs External Control. 
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Internal vs External Control

I know now that my aunt may have been acknowledging the potential impact of the unknown and uncontrollable on her plans. That acknowledgement was something new to me as a boy as I was used to hearing people simply say what they intended to do.  While some may say the acknowledgement of the unknown is implicit in all of our plans, I’m not so sure.  Cultures that value Internal Control tend to believe they can bend nature and the future to their will. An obstacle to what is desired doesn’t change the goal, only the way to achieve it.  Cultures that value External Control seek to live in harmony with the situation as it is rather than trying to fundamentally change reality. 

These two perspectives impact how we see many things including conflict.  For cultures valuing Internal Control, conflict is a natural part of fashioning situations as one wants them to be.  Understanding that there are different views of the future can lead to preparing for dealing with conflict, either directly or indirectly. For cultures valuing External Control, conflict is a sign of doing something wrong since conflict is the opposite of harmony. Doing something right can mean doing it without conflict.  This can have many implications in our general approach to saving face with others, how we approach and employ technology, and our willingness to change our ways of life in response to external forces.

In the business world

In business, the process of leading the market to a new product or technology versus responding to market needs is a key expression of the Internal vs External Control dilemma. Trompenaars suggests reconciliation may be found in anticipating market needs by being sensitive to the current needs of the market and what may influence the market in the future.  This may include marketing efforts, “If God is willing and the creek don’t rise.”

The focus on reconciliation is why Target Training integrates Trompenaars Hampden-Turner’s experience and research into our solutions.  Through reconciliation, clients will find better solutions to the intercultural  problems they face.  Target Training is a licensed supplier of  Trompenaars-Hampden-Turner’s  Intercultural Awareness Profile and Cultural Competence Online Products. Target Training provides intercultural training based on the Trompenaars’ Seven Dimension Model alone and as part of business communication skills training.

Achievement vs Ascription in Business

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What is meant by achievement vs ascription?

I recently had a conversation when a German friend of mine described a family member as “My father’s sister”.  Thinking she was momentarily missing the word “Aunt”, I offered the correction only to be corrected myself.  She told me she knew the word “Aunt” but the women she was referring to had no relationship with her and had not earned the title.  In my family the titles of “aunt” and “uncle” aren’t a matter of merit but birth and I had difficulty imagining it being any other way, but through my intercultural training experience I was able to make better sense of it.

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Achievement vs Ascription

In Fons Trompenaars’ cultural dilemma of achievement vs ascription, achievement and ascription are on opposite ends of a continuum.  Ascription is the cultural tendency of assigning social status on the basis of birth.  We can see this in monarchies, caste systems, and traditions where societal roles and jobs are passed down by birth.
A society with the cultural tendency of achievement values a more merit based assignment of social status where members earn their positions based on their decisions, relationships, hard work, or lack thereof.
For my German friend, the family status of “Aunt” or “Uncle” needed to be achieved where in my family, those titles were ascribed by birth.  Now in my family, non-family members earned the title of “aunt” without being related by blood due to their relationships with my parents or grandparents.  This “play aunt” achieved her family status through the strength of and length of the relationship.

Impact on business

The “So what?” to this cultural dilemma can be important when we consider the importance of respect and how it is given or earned.  Ascribed status isn’t always obvious.  The brother of the company president may be a line manager yet he may have far more importance in the organization than his position title may imply.  Treating him in a manner with less respect than expected could lead to problems. Additionally, decisions may be made on the basis of maintaining social stability (ascription) rather than enhancing social mobility (achievement).  High achievers may feel stuck in a system that honors ascription, like workers in a family business who know, no matter what, the son of the owner will be the next president.
Many organizations honor both ascription and achievement by offering benefits tied to length of service and benefits, such as performance bonuses and commissions, tied to productivity.  This is a reconciliation that honors elders while honoring the achievements of anyone in the organization, including the elders.
Learning to recognize and reconcile cultural differences gives business people more options for gaining better results.


The focus on reconciliation is why Target Training integrates Trompenaars Hampden-Turner’s experience and research into our solutions.  Through reconciliation, clients will find better solutions to the intercultural  problems they face.  Target Training is a licensed supplier of  Trompenaars-Hampden-Turner’s  Intercultural Awareness Profile and Cultural Competence Online Products. Target Training provides intercultural training based on the Trompenaars’ Seven Dimension Model alone and as part of business communication skills training. Click to learn more about Ascription vs Achievement and other topics in our intercultural seminars.

Intercultural Training: Rethinking the Do’s and Dont’s

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Intercultural training seems to be more popular than ever. But there is more than one way to define intercultural training.

From my perspective, there are two main areas of intercultural training. The one I see the most, and the one most people seem to ask for, is training about how to act and how not to act in a given country. Simply put, people want a list of “Do”s and “Don’t”s.

For example:
“Should I give my host a present in Iran?” or
“Do they kiss or shake hands when they meet in Mozambique?”

This sort of advice can be useful if you are in a hurry and you want to be aware of the tricky situations. But, does it really help you to do business in the country? And, do you need a list for every country?
Think for a moment of your own culture. Can you really tell someone how they should act when they come to your country? Do all of the people in your country act the same, react the same, talk, walk or dress the same? Of course they don’t.

Looking at Intercultural Training a Different Way

So, yes, lists of how to behave can help you if you are in a hurry and that is all you have. But, there must be more to intercultural training.

The second type of intercultural training, and the one that I prefer, is about intercultural awareness. Using models such as Trompenaars Hampden-Turner’s seven dimensions of culture or Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory, you can learn how to interpret behavior and adapt your own behavior accordingly.

Once you know what to look for, you can become better at observing a culture and working out why they behave the way they do. You can then do a much better job of working out what you should do and why you should do it.

One advantage of looking at the dimensions of culture is that you can apply these to any culture. You are no longer dependent on having a list for a specific country, so you can then apply the dimensions to any culture.

Getting Results in Business

Additionally, once you understand more about why people act a certain way, you can start to think about how you should act when performing different tasks, e.g. presenting your product, selling your service, negotiating or arguing.

For example, a list of intercultural tips might tell you that in a certain culture people come to meetings in twos or threes but never alone. But, when you look at why they do this, it might be because they value communitarianism over individualism. This information can really help you to do business with these people.

So, when you are looking for intercultural training, remember to look for intercultural awareness. This will help you understand why people act in certain ways which will let you make your own decisions about how you should act. Let us know in the comments section below about your experiences.

Intercultural Training: Sequential and Synchronic Views of Time

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The question seems simple enough—“Are we on time?” but that seemingly simple question can unlock different ways of viewing time and the commitments associated with our view of time.   My experience with intercultural training has made me think about, and look at, that question a bit differently.

„On time“ in Ghana

It reminds me of the story about a German businessman traveling in Ghana.  He set a meeting with his Ghanaian counterpart for 1 p.m. Since “on time” for the German businessman meant arriving early enough for the meeting to begin at 1 p.m., he made sure he arrived at the Ghanaian’s office 10 minutes early to account for things that could go wrong.  After his arrival, he was greeted by the secretary of his Ghanaian counterpart and told to take a seat. 1 p.m. came and went and his Ghanaian counterpart wasn’t there. 1:10 p.m. came and went, and his counterpart wasn’t there. 1:20 p.m. came and went and his counterpart still wasn’t there. At this point the German businessman asked the secretary if everything was OK.  Had there been an accident preventing the arrival of his counterpart? The secretary simply smiled and said she was sure everything was OK and that the Ghanaian businessman should be along any minute now. The German businessman returned to his seat and continued to wait, becoming angrier as each moment passed. As the clock struck 1:45 p.m. the Ghanaian businessman entered his office in no particular hurry, chatted with his secretary and invited the then angry German businessman into his office.  After closing the door, the German businessman could not contain himself any long and he said, “I don’t know what kind of outfit you’re running here but we clearly said we would meet at 1:00 p.m.  According to my watch, it is now 1:55 p.m.!” The Ghanaian took a seat behind his desk and said “My good man, you have the watch but I have the time.”
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Sequential v. Synchronic views of time

The story above is an illustration of two different ways of seeing time, sequentially and synchronically.  According to Fons Trompenaars Seven Dimensions of Culture, cultures with a preference for a sequential approach to time tend to treat time as a commodity.  Time is something to be saved, spent or wasted.  Time is used to bring order and set limits, like the counselor who says your time is up even if you are in the middle of revealing a deep insight.

On the other hand, those cultures which tend to see time synchronically see time more holistically and interconnected. Time doesn’t drive the task.  If I am meeting with my manager and the meeting goes longer than expected, I probably won’t stand up at the appointed hour and leave! If he decides it is a better use of my time to meet with him than to do the other things I planned to do, then I would shift and cancel other commitments. Synchronic cultures tend to value priorities more than a predetermined time limit. They will do what is right to do at the moment, not follow a strict schedule.

What can we do when different cultural perspectives of being “on time” clash? Typically one view can accommodate the other. I can bring a book or work with me to appointments in case someone is late or add time to the appointment in anticipation of the other being late. On the other hand, I could clear time before an important meeting, account for what could go wrong and leave in plenty of time to be there at the appointed hour.  If I’m early, so be it.

Reconciliation is something different than simply tolerating and accommodating the tendencies of others. In reconciliation we can negotiate with each other to find a way that works for both of us.  Being aware of our different tendencies and caring about our relationships leads to solutions beyond compromise.  For example if I am more synchronic and you are more sequential, instead of you needing to bring a book with you to our meeting, I’ll commit to a longer time together and provide you with a meaningful activity before we meet. If we need less time, you will have saved time and if I am delayed you still can do something worthwhile and productive before we begin. No time is “wasted” and you will have my undivided attention during our meeting until our goals are met.

The focus on reconciliation is why Target Training integrates Trompenaars Hampden-Turner’s experience and research into our solutions.  Through reconciliation, clients will find better solutions to the intercultural  problems they face.  Target Training is a licensed supplier of  Trompenaars-Hampden-Turner’s  Intercultural Awareness Profile and Cultural Competence Online Products. Target Training provides intercultural training based on the Trompenaars’ Seven Dimension Model alone and as part of business communication skills training.

 

Intercultural Training: Universalism, Particularism and the Road to Kumasi

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Even with all my experience traveling and leading intercultural training, I still come across some situations that surprise me a bit.  On my first trip to Ghana I hired a driver to take me from Accra to Kumasi.  I met the driver in the morning and before we got underway he said we needed to go to the market.  I wasn’t in much of a hurry so I agreed.  When we arrived he asked for 10,000 Cedis (about a $1.50 US at the time) to pick up supplies.  He quickly purchased a bunch of bananas, some paper products and a few small items and off we went.  I wondered why but didn’t really think much about it.

The mystery was solved when we arrived at our first police check point.  When we arrived, the driver stopped the car, got the large bunch of bananas out of the back and disappeared in the police officer’s hut.  He came out a few minutes later with a grin and off we went.  It was the same procedure when we arrived at the next check point and the next.  The driver got a “gift” out of the back of the car, presented to the police officer in private and off we went.

Universalism v. Particularism

Fons Trompenaars, wrote about this in his universalism/particularism dilemma. Fons is an internationally recognized intercultural communications expert, leader of Trompenaars Hampden-Turner and developer of the seven cultural dilemmas model.  In universalism, the rules of a group outweigh the interests of individuals in the group. That includes rules against police officers accepting “gifts” in exchange for permission to pass a check point.  In particularism, the individual circumstances can be more important than the rules of the group.  So for a poorly paid police officer to request assistance from a relatively rich foreigner to supplement his income is a logical and acceptable thing to do.

Role in International Business

The universalism v. particularism dilemma plays a powerful role in international business.  The concept of corruption can sometimes be seen as a universalist judgment of particularistic behavior. On the other hand, Universalist rule followers can be labeled as inhumane, inflexible bureaucrats who value following rules more than the consequences people endure.  This can be seen in the Universalist West in the primacy of the contract over long-term personal relationships. The handshake contract can still be valuable in other more Particularist parts of the world where an extensive and deep personal relationship provides security for the deal rather than a set of laws and a court system.

The culturally competent Ghanaian driver knew two things quite clearly: Americans tended to tolerate but dislike what we saw as “bribes” to the police. Some of the Ghanaian police at the check points felt within their right to request what for the average American tourist was a trivial amount of money to facilitate our onward journey, similar to paying a toll.  The driver built relationships with the police along the way of his often traveled road.  He found out what the police officers needed in their remote outposts and delivered it to them in exchange for not having to pass on to his passengers the request for money from the police. He integrated the needs of the police with the rules by not putting them in a position to break them. It felt better for me to buy a bunch of bananas in advance of the trip than to be forced to hand over cash at a check point. Besides, he gave me a great example of reconciliation in action.

 

The focus on reconciliation is why Target Training integrates Trompenaars Hampden-Turner’s experience and research into our solutions.  Through reconciliation, clients will find better solutions to the intercultural  problems they face.  Target Training is a licensed supplier of  Trompenaars-Hampden-Turner’s  Intercultural Awareness Profile and Cultural Competence Online Products. Target Training provides intercultural training based on the Trompenaars’ Seven Dimension Model alone and as part of business communication skills training.

 

Intercultural Training: Individualism, Communitarianism and the Toilet Brush

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Living and working in an intercultural world and leading intercultural training means I have the chance to notice differences. One of the things I’ve noticed in traveling between Germany and the US may strike you as odd but I think it helps make a point.  When I visit the public WC in a German airport I notice that each stall has a toilet brush but in the US airports I’ve visited, there isn’t one.  Why is that?  Fons Trompenaars’ cultural dilemma concepts of Individualism and Communitarianism from his Seven Dimensions of Culture may shed some light on the subject.

In the business world

In business, a cultural tendency toward individualism means that the community exists to serve the needs of the individuals in it.  If a community or group no longer serves the needs of an individual, it is more than understandable for an individual to leave and find a new group that will.

A cultural tendency toward communitarianism is the opposite.  Communitarianism holds that the needs of the individual are not as important as the needs of the group.  Individuals are expected to sacrifice on behalf of the well being of the group.  The amount of sacrifice expected varies from culture to culture.

As with each of Trompenaars’ seven dimensions, we are talking about the relative value tendencies of groups, not behavior differences of individuals. Naturally, there are people in more communitarian cultures who value individualism and vice-versa. But what does this have to do with toilet brushes in airport WC stalls?

The toilet brush

My sense is the toilet brushes in German public WC stalls come from two things, low water toilets and the feeling of responsibility to the “next guy”.  A small expectation to clean could be based on the need to conserve water for the society and that the next guy has a right to expect a clean toilet bowl before use.  I know it’s not much of an inconvenience to take a few seconds to clean a toilet bowl in a public WC, yet in the airports I’ve visited in the US, I’m not expect to do it at all, hence no toilet brush.

Comparatively, the US culture tends to value individualism far more than the German culture though both cultures value individualism compared to the world average.   But what’s the “So what?” to it all.  If I need to influence someone from a more individualistic culture I may begin by noting the personal benefits and advantages of the new behavior or idea I bring up.  If, on the other hand, I need to influence someone from a more communitarian culture, it would make sense to begin with the benefits of the new behavior or idea to the group.  In a business with both cultural tendencies present, it may make sense to design policies and communication that appeal to both tendencies.

Reconciling the differences offers businesses a chance to turn working across cultures into a corporate advantage rather than a cost of doing business.  Please share your experiences on the topic in the comments area below.

The focus on reconciliation is why Target Training integrates Trompenaars Hampden-Turner’s experience and research into our solutions.  Through reconciliation, clients will find better solutions to the intercultural  problems they face.  Target Training is a licensed supplier of  Trompenaars-Hampden-Turner’s  Intercultural Awareness Profile and Cultural Competence Online Products. Target Training provides intercultural training based on the Trompenaars’ Seven Dimension Model alone and as part of business communication skills training.

 

Intercultural Challenges Q and A

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Sometimes we are faced with difficult intercultural challenges at the workplace or in our personal lives.  Here is a good example of a common question asked within the intercultural arena:

Q:

Why do Americans have such short attention spans? When Americans ask questions and I begin to answer with the necessary context they need to understand my point, the Americans “turn-off” or change the subject.  I find it quite rude, but I guess that’s just how Americans are.

– A French Executive working for a German Multinational Company

A:

In the example above, one potential cultural explanation is based on Trompenaars’ Dilemma of Specific v. Diffuse.  Specific cultures tend to be to-the-point, singular in focus, and “efficient.” Diffuse cultures tend to value context, inter-relationships, and aesthetics.   Americans tend to be more “specific” culturally than the French. So when an American asks a question, he tends to want a direct answer first. Some call it Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF). If an American wants more context, he’ll ask for it after hearing the answer.

An example of a typical intercultural challenge

American: Should I visit the Eiffel Tower while I’m in Paris?

French: Well the Eiffel Tower is largely regarded as an architectural wonder.  It was meant to be a temporary structure for the 1889 International Exhibition in Paris that was held to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the French Revolution. It has two restaurants and you can use stairs or an elevator to get to the lower two levels.  You’ll need to take an elevator to get to the top. It’s one of the most visited sites in the world with a great view of Paris.  The lines can be long so the best time to arrive is before the Tower opens.  Many Americans I’ve met say it’s something you just have to do, though the view from the Arc de Triomphe is quite nice and one doesn’t need to wait in line so long.

American: Thanks… (though he probably stopped paying attention after the first sentence)

An alternative to deal with the American’s specific tendencies

American: Should I visit the Eiffel Tower while I’m in Paris?

French: Yes, it’s quite nice, if you have the time.

American: Does it take a lot of time?

French: Yes, the lines can be long, but if you go before it opens the lines are shorter. Do you know there is another great view of Paris?

American: No, where?

French: The Arc de Triomphe has a great view and the lines are usually short.

American: The Arc de Triomphe… (with a questioning look)

French: Yes, it’s very famous. I’m sure you’ve seen pictures of it from WWII in the liberation of Paris.

American: Oh yes!  Thank you for tip!

 

If you want to learn more about Trompenaar’s Seven Dimensions, you can catch his explanation of them on YouTube by clicking here.  Also, for more intercultural challenges examples, check out Trompenaars blog here.