We do not waste time in exchanging pleasantries. We get straight to the point. E.g. A mail from an Indian would read simply “When can I have this report?” as against a mail from a local asking the same question “Hi ABC, Hope this mail finds you well. How was your weekend / Hope you are having a good day today (whatever fits). It would be really great if you could let me know by when can I get to have a look at the report. Your co-operation is highly appreciated. Have a good day. Thanks in advance, Regards XYZ”. And yes, this applies to the phone conversations too. Maybe we Indians are a rude race (my opinion, not my fellow Non Indians) or maybe we are simply more task-oriented than people-oriented.
We are not big on food. We either don’t eat at all or eat very little. Now this perception is based solely on the fact that fellow Indians in my office are all either calorie conscious or are not a big fan of junk food (the only choice available if you wish to have lunch in office… no pantry/canteen facility, so we essentially have to order in)
We speak very fast. Now I don’t know about this one. “Fast” is a relative term afterall.
We use big words in our communication (English). I don’t know if I agree with them or not, nevertheless this is one of the perceptions about Indians (If my blogger friend Anand was actually hired here and this perception was based on him, I would have certainly agreed with them on this :D... BTW this is a compliment Anand, just in case you start thinking otherwise) Actually most of them say they take after us to enhance their vocabulary (yeayyy!!!) but there is always a risk that you would give out an impression of being a show-off, or making people uncomfortable with their own vocabulary.
We are technically very sound. So there, just like that, we gain their respect & acceptance because we are Indians. Of course there is a flip side to it. If you are an honest soul and want to correct their perception informing them of your average / lower than average technical skills, they would never believe you and the pressure of great expectations would continue looming over your head. Well , only if you have learnt the art of portraying yourself as knowledgeable, there’s not much to worry.
More as and when I observe/ learn…
25 comments:
Hey dudette, you are bang on, but I must say being into customer interfacing so much, its usually make it or break it. Either they trust you or dont. And this happens within the first few communications. Afterall we are indians, you see ;)
Hahaha... Nice to know how Indians are being perceived outside. I had been to USA and those guys just go ga ga about the technical skills we possess.
Nice to know that you like the songs I play on my blog :)
@ Dev - :) Actually i was talking of people IN my office.... but yeah logically this should extend to the clients' perceptions as well..however they dont get to observe us in informal settings.
Nice to see you here... keep visiting!
@ I walk alone - You know, there are so many Indians in US that mostly everyone has an idea (1st hand or vicarious!) how we Indians are perceived there.
But in this country, where i think i cant count the Indians on my fingers (ok, ok, toes included!) i thought it would be interesting to share these observations with fellow countrymen .
@ Dev - Arrey arrey...did i happen to give out the impression that i am not proud of being an indian and the great nation that is? I was just trying to portray the interesting perceptions of localites about Indians...thats all!!
I am an engineer myself however my current line of work is not based on thi degree of mine... and i am sure offsite or onsite, we Indians are an intelligent lot, no doubts there!!
Qassia
is a great place to share your knowledge. Get free backlinks to your site.
I actually had to consciously stop using big words, thank my catholic schooling, when i went to US as people couldnt understand half the things I said. Now I speak simple english even though I am back in India and I am glad to say that this habit has creeped in to my writing as well. Communication is best when its kept simple :)
WV : eelijphb
@Che - So the perception of the localites is right after all :)
@Dev - Whats with the removing of comments??
I scored 0.5/5 on the scale. Does it mean I am 'less' Indian than an Indian?
@m squared - Hehehe...I am curious to know which, out of these 5, did you score a 0.5 on?
Are you sure Indians are not big on food? I used to work with an Indian woman who kept waiting for lunch and would always ask me what I brought for lunch right when I walked into work!
@Solitaire - Again, this is just one of the perceptions localites in my office have about us Indians, based purely on a sample of 4-5 indians working in the office.
lol!! Really??
who would have thought!!?? I mean not me!!
I sure as hell didnt know Indians could be differentiated liek that!!
Will be watching out
Keep penning down those observations :)
@ Krazy krimson - Yes really :)
The fifth indicator paradox. As a professional hazard, i have become somewhat technical, and therefore awarded myself 0.5 for it. For rest of the indicators, I am just or nearly opposite. The biggest testimony to that is, my mails read exactly like those of 'non Indians' at your work :D :D
@m squared - So long mails, big plate of food, slow speech hence/and no big words but technically (half) sound.... you paint a pretty good picture, dont u? :D
(Never mind the credibility aspect!!)
Hey!! I am your visitor from Dayton! Is that message up for me?
@Solitaire - Yes its for you and for all my other visitors from their respective locations....
:)
You seem to have disappeared...
@I walk alone - Just bear with me for a bit. I will be back!
:P
hey v true...we indians are rather rude, something i realised once i got out of the country...the irony of the matter is that we consider ourselves really polite and friendly...
@ Suchi - Somehow i always knew that we are not a polite lot .. whether on an absolute level or in a comparative context.
Helpful? Yes... in actions! But considerate of etiquette in our expression/speech? Not so much!
We don't believe in exchanging pleasantries with other fellow Indians.But with clients we are sooo polite..I have seen that in IT at least.
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