Israel
“Let me tell you something that we Israelis have against Moses. He took us 40 years through the desert in order to bring us to the one spot in the Middle East that has no oil!”
Golda Meir
CULTURE QUIZ - (click for answers)
1.Which option works best with Israelis?
-
Ability to get straight to the point
-
Following protocol and ceremony
-
Building relationships first
2.Israelis are tactile communicators and are comfortable with people standing in close proximity
3.Managers in Israel:
-
Tend to need to prove themselves to employees
-
Are given respect at the outset purely due to their position
-
Never really get the full cooperation of their subordinates
4.Israel is the size of Lake Michigan
5.The Israeli communication style is the result of:
10 TIPS FOR WORKING EFFECTIVELY WITH THE ISRAELIS
-
DO take into account that Israelis are famous for their “straight talk” – it’s not meant to insult
-
DO remember that saying exactly what you think is appreciated and seen as honest and effective rather than tactless or inappropriate
-
DO understand that there is a strong preference for informality, both in communication and dress
-
DO take into account that Israelis value and enjoy challenging ideas/issues – questioning of authority is common and not considered particularly disrespectful
-
DON’T expect Israelis to stick to strong structures and processes – they are comfortable with changes and have great flexibility regarding schedules
-
DO remember that Israelis are present-focused - dealing with the here and now and valuing quick results over long-term investments
-
DO recognize that there are few boundaries between personal and professional lives in Israel
-
DO be assertive and proactive when communicating opinions/needs – don’t wait to be asked
-
DO be succinct – when persuading, get straight to the point - avoid offering lengthy introductions or detailed background information
-
DO expect to be asked quite personal questions, it is considered a normal way of showing interest and developing relations and not seen as particularly intrusive or rude
|
DID YOU KNOW?
- Israel has he largest number of start-ups (3,000) outside the USA
- Israel is the only country in the world that entered the 21st century with a net gain in its number of trees
- Israel has the third highest rate of entrepreneurship - and the highest rate of entrepreneurship among women and among people over 55 - in the world
|
Quiz answers:
1.a
2.a
3.a
4.a
5.c