The little nuances that make it (more) fun
After over a decade in international business, after travelling to over 45 countries with plenty frequent flyer miles in my pocket plus after having lived abroad, it still never fails to amaze me which little nuances different cultures have to offer. Of course there are huge and not so subtle differences but the differences that don’t immediately come to surface are the ones that interest me most.
Think about differences between neighboring countries. To an American the Dutch and German language may sound very similar if not the same. Insiders know however that there are absolutely significant differences between these languages although they are related. On the other end a European might perceive Americans and Canadians as being the same as well. When you look more closely though you will be able to spot some differences. Subtle but present. Just pay attention to the way “about” is pronounced and you will hear the difference between an American and a Canadian. Another hint; pay attention to the “hey” versus the “ha”. And of course there are differences (big and small) within countries too. An American on the East-Coast has definitely a different accent than somebody from the South, wouldn’t “y’all” agree? Or the differences between a Dutch person from the South (referred to the Dutch by “below the rivers”) and a person from Amsterdam, Rotterdam or basically any other city. The differences are there.
From a distance a person from Southern Europe, let’s say France, Spain or Italy, seem to have many things in common as well and you might think the differences are not that big. But boy oh boy, they are…And again, it’s the small subtle differences that make it fun. Where the Italians and French will go for dinner around 20.00 o’clock, the Spanish will wait for another couple of hours before enjoying their evening meals. Granted, the Spanish do have their tapas prior to their dinner to overlap some time though.
Alright, how about the Scandinavians you might wonder. They are quite the same, aren’t they? True and not so true. Yes, they all take their cottage or cabin and outdoor way of living very serious but you will find some nuances there too. Having and enjoying a cabin (hytte in Norwegian, stuga in Swedish) is for sure part of both cultures but Norwegians take it to the next level and even more serious than the Swedes. Cabin live in Norway feels almost like following a religion. And of course there are differences in their food and drinks too. Or how they behave amongst friends, with family members, business relations and so on.
Okay, I get that there are differences big and small you might wonder. So how does this relate to business? In business (or in life actually) you will find that the same is true when encountering lots of different people. This might come as a shock to you but every individual is different. Sometimes you will see the obvious dissimilarities; sometimes the differences are more delicate. The question is how you deal with all these cultural or personal variances. Is your approach always the same? I think (and hope) not. You alter your messaging, your style and tailor this based on a specific group or individual, right? When talking to an outgoing person your approach is not the same when you have a conversation with a shyer person, is it? And when having a discussion with a German individual your style might be different then when talking to a Spanish person. I know your business lunch will be different for starters... What you probably do is you mirror yourself with your counterpart. Without having the need to talk suddenly in a Spanish or German accent nonetheless…Basically these are the same ground rules and adjustments you make on the fly when talking to a CEO versus a buyer or to a supplier versus an end-user. Again, you most likely change your behavior according to the individual you are dealing with. So no matter if you are talking to a manager, a peer, a subordinate, a customer, a supplier, a friend, a relative or your neighbor, no matter if they are Dutch, Spanish, Norwegian, American or Canadian, keep in mind the subtle differences. My suggestion for today; adjust your approach where you can and be sensitive for the differences; big and small. And be wary for the small but important nuances. And find the, as they say in French “couleur locale”.
