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by jacques_chester 3122 days ago
I think the real strength of Australians is our cheerful cynicism and laconic humour; these allow for honest appraisal. We are optimistic ("she'll be right"), but it is a different species from American optimism ("I'm going to build the impossible").

I work in NYC and my office has, at any time, between 5 and 10 Australians working there, out of ~100. It is a tremendous comfort to have that common sense of humour at hand. If I had my way we'd have a few more.
1 comments
danieltillett 3122 days ago
Australians tend to lack confidence on their own in the greater world, but when put together as a team they think they can beat everyone (and often do).

One thing we don't make is good managers of Americans - cynicism and laconic humour does not come across well with American employees.

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peatmoss 3122 days ago
I’d work for an Aussie, but my auxiliary national affiliation in New Zealand would mandate I give them some good natured grief :-)

I’d say it takes all kinds. I work with one Aussie who is a great manager, and she enjoys good rapport with everyone above and below as far as I can tell.

Kiwis and Aussies that I’ve known have had a tendency to project a feeling place inferiority which I think is rubbish. Everyone has imposter syndrome, but being from Aussie or NZ is no reason to feel inferior. Stand tall!

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danieltillett 3121 days ago
Yes there are good Aussie (and Kiwi) managers of Americans, just as a rule they tend to run into problems - the approaches that work with Australian employees can fail spectacularly with US employees.

Yes the Australian cultural cringe (the Kiwi version is even worse) is pretty terrible. The way to overcome it is work as a team. In a team Aussies/Kiwis really beleive they can beat the world. It is a very intersting cultural trait.

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eli_gottlieb 3122 days ago
>One thing we don't make is good managers of Americans - cynicism and laconic humour does not come across well with American employees.

So how does cynicism come across to Americans? As a New Yorker by birth/upbringing/family, I often wonder if this is part of the gap between my family and "Americans".

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