As someone who writes and blogs about culture, how it affects our lives and the way we do business, I found this recent BBC news piece both funny and illuminating. It seems the Germans and Brits are at odds – again. Many Brits working with Germans find themselves offended by the abruptness of the German language, and many Germans working with Brits find themselves annoyed by the British penchant for small talk and indirectness. Germans, it turns out, don’t even have a word in their language for “small talk”! This is the point that really blew me away.

Culture runs deep – deeper than most of us know. Not only does culture influence how you will deal and be dealt with by someone from another culture, it influences your ability to understand other cultures – even when making your most open-minded efforts.

Germans don’t share concepts central to British culture and vice versa. For example, the tendency to make pleasant “small talk” by discussing the weather or “simulating concern” (this is how the BBC puts it) for the well-being of others doesn’t happen very often in Germany. Of course, “Wie geht es dir?” or “How are you?” is a common phrase in both languages, but the purpose ascribed to the statement differs within the context of German and British culture. Germans use the expression as a genuine question and only when they are truly interested in how someone is doing. Brits use is as a greeting, a substitution for “Hello” and it does not mean the person asking is necessarily concerned about the other person’s well-being.

I once read a story about a group of African Pygmies who where brought to the edge of a forest to look at the savannah for the first time. They immediately panicked at the sight of animals roaming about, albeit well off in the distance. The Pygmies perceived the animals to be right in front of them, like an odd insect just before their noses. They were startled because this particular ethnic group had no language or means for gauging perspective and spatial dynamics over such great distances. As complete forest dwellers, they were not aware that such distances existed.

The majority of what we can associate with culture exists in the invisible. It runs so deep that we often lack the vocabulary or realm of understanding to comprehend what’s going on under the surface, and how we might be perceived outside our own cultural sphere. Once we’re out of the familiar jungle of our own culture, all bets are off.

Adam
RW3 CultureWizard

While the source of this is unknown (we found it posted somewhere on Facebook), we believe it’s quite true to form! Is there anything you can add to this list?

If you’d like some more culture tips for the UK, click here to read our previous post on the matter.

Mark
RW3 CultureWizard

A Nielsen report shows how the Royal Wedding buzz is far louder in the US than in both the UK and Australia combined. All the jokes we’ve thrown around the office in New York about the intense bombardment of press surrounding the majestic nuptials is not just a joke, but a reality. Why?

Our UK-based team also jokes about how British newscasters show footage of “crazy” American journalists camping out all over to bring live reports of the scene in London, whether from Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace or Westminster Abbey. UK journalists are apparently not camping out anywhere.

Sick of the Royal Wedding? Lydia Leith has created special sick bags for purchase.

Because every TV network will be streaming the same video feed of the wedding, US networks like ABC and CBS have been warring to hire the best personalities and commentators for their specials. According to a New York Times article, The most sought-after pundits have been signed to contracts worth over $100,000 and others have committed to several networks.

Why is this such a newsworthy event for the US? Is it the fact that the US has no royalty? The fairy tales of Western Europe, many of which come from Germany and the UK, have captured us as children and taught us that the elusive, endangered Royal species is unlike any other. The decline of royalty worldwide makes a royal wedding an even rarer occasion indeed.

The romanticism with which the US media and film industries impact our perception of celebrity may explain the hype. While we know plenty about William, we know very little of Catherine’s personality. Nonetheless, the media is drawn to the little they know of her, her sense for fashion and other details they’ve excavated from a paltry record of her background.

How would you articulate your interest, or disinterest, in the Royal Wedding of April 29, 2011? How do you see the fascination connected to the cultural background of the US?

A throwback to a previous Royal Wedding—Princess Margaret's wedding: The excitement overwhelms a woman in the crowd, 1960. George Rodger / Magnum Photos

RW3 CultureWizard

What would you go to jail for? To protect a loved one? To make a stand for justice? Or to defend the British sense of humour?

On the 4th of January last year, a UK accountant, Paul Chambers, had his travel plans scuppered by the snow. He was so frustrated that he decided to let off a little steam (click here for the BBC report). It seemed funny at the time, he knew his friends would appreciate it, so he tweeted:

Crap! Robin Hood airport is closed. You’ve got a week and a bit to get your s**t together otherwise I’m blowin the airport sky high!!

Oh dear. What Paul had meant as a silly joke became the cause of his lifetime airport ban, a £1000 fine and a conviction under the Terrorism Act.

Whether your own reaction to his tweet was LOL or WTH, one person – the UK’s national treasure, Stephen Fry, was outraged, not by the content of the tweet but by the damming legal blow to another national treasure – the Great British sense of humour.

Stephen Fry

Fry argued that Chambers’ tweet was a classic example of Britain’s tradition for self-deprecating humour and banter. In supporting Mr Chambers’ court appeal, he said “This [verdict] must not be allowed to stand in law” and vowed to repeat Chambers’ message and to face prison himself “if that’s what it takes.”

Is Mr Chambers’ conviction a victory for the Terrorism Act or a blow to the UK’s cultural heritage? Is this a classic example of a culture clash where the time-honoured British sense of humour walks head first into the post 9/11, Americanised culture of fear? Is Stephen Fry caught where the sparks fly as the cultures collide?

The US psychiatrist Scott Peck had some thoughts on the origins of such run- ins:

Most of us fail to transcend the influence of our particular culture…It is no wonder then, that humanity is so full of conflict. Human beings who must deal with each other have vastly different views of reality. Yet each one believes that his or her view is the correct one since it is based on the microcosm of personal experience. And to make matters worse, most of us are not fully aware of our own world views, much less the uniqueness of the experience from which they are derived.

Look out for our upcoming WorkingWith the UK e-learning module – how to make sure you keep on the right side of the British sense of humour.

Mark

RW3 CultureWizard

The following tips will help develop your cultural knowledge of the United Kingdom.

Language & Communication

Even though the United Kingdom is the birthplace of the English language, it has evolved under separate, unique circumstances, making it distinct from international versions of the language. Depending on the kind of English you’ve been exposed to, you may or may not know what the following words actually mean. Ask yourself if you know the British meaning:

+ The “queue”
+ “Cheers!”
+ “Skinny milk”
+ “Dodgy”

(Answers: the line you wait in e.g. at the store, used in conjunction with goodbye or at the end of a phone conversation or when making a toast, nonfat or fat-free milk, an adjective for something negative or troublesome.)

+ The subtle way Brits give negative feedback may make it hard to understand the core of their message. They are likely to cushion bad news by sandwiching it between more positive messages. This can obscure underlying, yet important information, so be alert.

+ As a group, the British are not animated speakers. In fact, if you insult someone, their facial expression may not change. This only shows they do not believe in putting their innermost thoughts on display. Likewise, emotional appeals will not be effective in many business environments.

+ Humor is a vital element in British communication. As a general rule, it tends to be subtle and clever. Irony and self-deprecation are very common.

Behavior in General

+ The British sense of politeness is world renowned, so keep this in mind. Personal space (at least an arm’s length) and privacy are important aspects of British culture.

+ Do not confuse the geography of the country. Referring to someone from Wales as ‘English’ is inaccurate and offensive. The United Kingdom, much like the United Arab Emirates and the US, is a union of smaller political entities (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and numerous outlying islands). Regionalism is a strong cultural aspect of the country.

+ The British aversion to risk is a key cultural concept. Think of the American proverb, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” as opposed to the British proverb, “Let sleeping dogs lie,” which means that disturbances cause complications. Brits will often initiate business discussions by outlining the history and risks involved before discussing the actual opportunities.

+ Business meetings are generally structured although not excessively formal. They begin and end with a modicum of social conversation. This may center on the weather, a favorite subject among the British. Meetings tend to end without a recap or “next steps.”

Finally, it is important to differentiate between living in London and living in other parts of UK. They are two drastically different experiences. Many expatriates find London much more fitting than, for example, Liverpool, given London’s high volume of international residents. You could live in the UK for years and still not grasp the full breadth of British culture, so always keep your mind open and aware of differences, subtle or not, that are culturally rooted.

- from RW3 CultureWizard™ Country Profiles

RW3 CultureWizard

Having relocated back to Los Angeles after a year in the Pacific Northwest – where the coffee REALLY is better – I can finally understand why my expat British friends always complain about how difficult it is to find a good and “proper” cuppa in LA. Yes, you can find plenty of floral and fruity herbal brews and even quite a few good green teas throughout the US, but to a Brit, such drinks are merely scented hot water and not at all what a good cup of the Queen’s finest is all about.

Alas, whether vacationing at the Grand Canyon, partying in Las Vegas or taking up residence in Hollywood or New York, a good and proper cup of tea need no longer be the stuff of nostalgia for Brits living and traveling in the United States. The good folks at Yorkshire Tea have heeded the anguish of their countrymen and women abroad.

Yorkshire Tea's Little Urn at the Grand Canyon

Complete with Facebook fan page, daily blog updates and regular Tweets, “The Little Urn,” a tea-brewing, mini SUV, is in the process of circumnavigating the United States and serving up a “Proper” brew to thousands of expats desiring a sip of their home country, and anyone else who might want a cup of English tea while overlooking the Grand Canyon or gazing up at the Empire State Building.

To our expatriate audience: what food or drink do you most miss from home? If you could order up a food or beverage cart from your home city, what would it serve?

Adam

RW3 CultureWizard

Tony Hayward, CEO of BP

We couldn’t help but recognize the impact culture had on the approach British BP took to an American disaster.

Tony Hayward, CEO of BP, said during an interview with the Guardian “The Gulf of Mexico is a very big ocean. The amount of volume of oil and dispersant we are putting into it is tiny in relation to the total water volume.”

What Hayward didn’t consider when he said this is the environment, a bit of geography (gulf, not ocean) and the number of people affected by the spill in the Gulf region and the influence of the environmental movement in the US, which is smaller in the UK. Brits also don’t tend to have the more trusting, close relationship Americans have with the the press. Carrie Shearer, an intercultural consultant and former oil industry executive, opines Hayward should have apologized to the public, stated what BP was doing to correct the disaster and then recruit a crisis communication team to speak to the press, thus removing BP’s leadership from the spotlight.

Al Center, a Cornell University professor of chemical engineering, explains what he would have emphasized:

I would have had a technical spokesman go to all of the news networks to explain what BP was doing to contain the well and the spill. There are 19,000 people working on this problem and BP is spending about USD$20 million per day towards its resolution. I think if people saw the magnitude of the response the public perception of BP would be better.

Shearer explains that it’s not common in the UK to hire a PR firm or a crisis communicator to work with the press on disasters like these, as it is in the US. Regardless, Shearer emphasized that somebody should have trained Hayward on how to speak to the media, which would have saved him the loss of face caused by his reference to the relatively small amount of oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico.

Public statements in the UK are less detailed than in the US, apologies are avoided and comments are understated, which conforms with British norms of communication. In response to some of the mistakes BP made when beginning to search for a resolution, Hayward said in the same Guardian interview that “it was a bit bumpy to get [the relief] going. We made a few little mistakes early on.” There was no initial apology to the public, which is what Americans look for when disasters like this happen. The British focus, as we’ve seen through Hayward’s statements, is the reparation and relief.

What do you make of this situation? How much could cultural awareness and knowledge of American media mitigate the US public’s frustration with BP’s management of this crisis? We’re eager to know your thoughts.

Sean

RW3 CultureWizard