Greece Culture Tips
+ Greeks are proud of their cultural heritage and their contribution to world civilization. A recent study found that Greeks’ pride in being Greek surpassed the ethnic satisfaction of all other European countries.
+ To a Greek, “philotimo” is similar to the Asian concept of face. It is an intangible quality that reflects a person’s reputation, dignity and prestige. Honor is everything to a Greek.
+ Greeks are spontaneously generous people, provided you do not offend them. They can be easily offended, for their pride matches their generosity. Therefore, they do not openly criticize, insult or put anyone on the spot.
+ Business is personal in Greece. As such, it is important to understand that exchanging favors is part of the business culture. If a Greek businessman feels sufficiently comfortable to ask you for a favor, it means he trusts you, which is necessary for successful business dealings.
+ As you might expect in a culture that appears spontaneous, Greeks often interrupt a speaker if they think that they understand what the person is saying. This conversational overlap is not rudeness, but merely the common communication style.
+ Greek businessmen will treat foreign businesswomen with the same courtesy and respect that they treat all women.
+ Women should expect attention and compliments from Greek men. While many businessmen are cosmopolitan, Greece remains a patriarchal culture. Men on the street may verbally show affection or make comments to women, believing such attention is flattering.
- from RW3′s CultureWizard® Country Profiles
