Business-Dances with Danes

Right to the point, I wished I read this book before moving to Denmark. I would have avoided some frustrating moments when I took things personal without thinking that Danes might just not be aware of the challenges I was experiencing. Not only that it helps me understand many work-related concerns but it even helps me understand my Danish partner better.

After living in Denmark for almost 3 years, I was aware of some particularities of the Danish culture but it really helps to have an overview of the differences and similarities with my own culture and mindset.
Thank you for your initiative!

Translation of cln's post:

Great book which I have enjoyed reading. You hit the Bull's Eye for many aspects. The book might be written for expats, but the Danes who work with non-Danes, can have enormous benefit of seeing themselves in the mirror.

You are right with your descriptions of hygge, Jante, humor / irony, being reserved, etc. There is of course clear difference between people from Copenhagen and Northern Jutland. Even in this small country with fewer inhabitants than Berlin, a person from Northern Jutland can experience the same culture shock by coming to Copenhagen (or vice versa) similar to a non-Dane.

When I look at how we Danes do business in our company with Germans, I recognize clearly your description of our culture - informal, come quickly to the point, "quit the crap" attitude, being open. Our German colleagues have become accustomed to us and we to them, and thus we have a fine and balance, but when we meet external Germans or Swedes (North Germans and Swedes are closer genetically related than, say, Danes and Swedes), it is very important to be observant and tread with some caution - we have learned that some Danes had to pay "mistake penalties" in the sense that they have not achieved their goals in meetings because their behavior has alienated the people they met. Nothing new under the sun, for it happens to all nationalities, but the good thing is that by reading a book like yours, Danes can be aware of their own "shortcomings" and take them into account. Such Danes can have great benefit from reading your book. Moreover, the problem is of course the same for other nationalities who meet with Danes.
Thanks for the book!

Fantastisk bog, som jeg har nydt at læse. På rigtigt mange punkter rammer du Bull’s Eye. Bogen er måske skrevet for expats, men danskere, der arbejder sammen med ikke-danskere, kan have kæmpemæssig gavn af at se sig selv i spejlet.

Du rammer alle de rigtige steder i dine beskrivelser af hygge, Jantelov, humor/ironi, reserverthed etc. Der er naturligvis klar forskel på fx Københavnere og Nord-Jyder. Selv i dette lille land, der har færre indbyggere end Berlin, kan en Nord-Jyde næsten opleve samme kulturchok ved at komme til København (eller omvendt) som en udlænding.

Når jeg ser på hvordan vi danskere driver virksomhed sammen med tyskere internt i vores virksomhed, genkender jeg klart din beskrivelse af vores kultur – uformelle, kom hurtigt til sagen, ”quit the crap”, vær åbne. Vores tyske kolleger har vænnet sig til os og vi til dem, og derved har vi en fin og udmærket balance, men når vi mødes med eksterne tyskere eller svenskere (Nord-tyskere og svenskere er tættere genetisk forbundne end fx danskere og svenskere :-)), er det meget vigtigt at være opmærksomme og træde med en vis forsigtighed – det har vi lært i den forstand, at nogle danskere simpelthen har ”betalt dummebøder” på den måde, at de ikke har nået deres mål for mødet fordi de ved deres adfærd har frastødt de mennesker, de mødtes med. Intet nyt under solen, for det sker for alle nationaliteter, men det gode er, at man ved at læse en bog som din, kan blive opmærksom på sine egne ”shortcomings” og tage højde for dem. Sådanne danskere kan have mega stor gavn af at læse din bog. I øvrigt er problemet naturligvis det samme for andre nationaliteter, der mødes med danskere.
Tak for bogen!