+ Australians, or Aussies, may downplay their own success, which has lead to a common misconception that they are not achievement-oriented. Their humble attitude may mislead you, but the reality is that Aussies are very competitive.

+ Aussies generally work to live, rather than live to work. This shouldn’t be interpreted as a lack of ambition. Leisurely time with family and friends is very important, so you can expect that holidays and time away from work are normal and expected.

+ For the most part, Australians enjoy humor and use it frequently when speaking. It’s often self-deprecating, but it can also be used to bring someone down if they are taking themselves or a situation too seriously. People are expected to be able to take a joke. In fact, Aussies’ sense of humor is one of the first thing foreigners notice about them.

+ Australia has a collaborative culture where meetings may be held to share information, review situations, make plans, or communicate decisions. Since everyone is thought to have an opinion, emphasis isn’t placed on position or status.

+ Most Australians are direct and comfortable addressing others in a frank, concise manner. They say what they mean and mean what they say. They often expect the same from others.

+ If you come from a culture where communication is more indirect, you may have difficulty with the brevity and lack of context provided in Australian communication. This is a culture where what you say will be taken literally, so it is important to speak plainly.

+ The most important cultural attributes that you will see operating in business in Australia are:

- Egalitarianism
- Achievement orientation
- Direct communication
- Controlled sense of time

- from RW3′s CultureWizard™ Country Profiles

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