Sweden

Cara Summerfield
Denver, CO
720.345.7379
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Cultural Differences

Q. After a meeting, you overhear some of the Swedes talking about you. They are commenting on the fact that you are very serious with no sense of humor. You walk away confused as you didn't hear any jokes being told, much less any laughter in the room. Why did the Swedes have this assumption?

Answer [-]

Swedes tell jokes with a straight face. This can be confusing for most foreigners, and in fact, foreigners believe that they have no sense of humor.

Q. The meeting that is planned is expected to start at 8:00 a.m. and end at 12:00 pm. However, your presentation takes them past 12:00 by a few minutes. You didn't believe that running over a few minutes was a big issue. You think all is fine until one of them comes up and confronts you on your time management skills. You do not understand.

Answer [-]

Not only do they expect meetings to start on time, but to end on time as well. If your meeting runs overtime without good reason, they are likely to question your time management skills.

Q. Wanting to make a great impression on the Swedes, you express your enthusiasm for being there. You bellow out, "I'm so happy to be here", but you are confronted with silence in the room.

Answer [-]

You've made the mistake of expressing strong emotions in public, and much worse, in a business environment. They will react negatively to a foreigner who displays strong “feelings”. Even “I’m so happy to be here” might put off the Swedes if it is stated too enthusiastically. By appearing reserved or slightly shy, a positive impression will be left with your hosts.

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