When I worked a Radboud University in the Netherlands for a summer, they were definitely more direct than I was used to, and kept work more work-focused. But they also combined that with a culture of quitting on time, and going out to socialize a bit before dinner, which I think was vital to sustain interpersonal connections.
I liked that style a lot, but Americans are very bad about quitting on time, which necessitates more socialization at work itself.
Probably. I'm from the US, and I know a few Dutch people, and I find their approach to direct negative feedback off-putting to the point of feeling rude, even when knowing what to expect from them. (I'm sure they find my communication style long-winded, frustrating, and a waste of their time.)
It's a cultural thing, to be sure, and what you grew up with and are used to tends to dominate how you feel about things.
IMHO the Dutch are more direct for the same reason they are less sensitive to authority and approach their superiors as equals.
Netherlands effectively being a River Delta, there always was the threat of water, a force greater than anyone. IOW if a flood comes, both the king and the peasant start digging.
This is completely different from neighboring countries UK and Germany, which both traditionally had strong sense of hierarchy and not contradicting the master.
> IOW if a flood comes, both the king and the peasant start digging.
By the same reasoning, India, Bangladesh and China — all ancient civilizations threatened by great rivers — should have developed similar egalitarian cultures but the reality is the polar opposite.
Maybe something as complex as human civilizations can't be the result of just one geographical feature.
India and China are huge countries with very small percentage river deltas. Not comparable by any means. Bangladesh in a very young country that inherited it’s culture from India. I’m not an anthropologist, but sorry, I don’t agree there is any likeness with these countries.
If you have an other theory about the Dutch culture and why it is so different from it’s neighbors, I happy to hear.
You are violating the rule of the principle in saying this. :-)
(Yes, I am aware it does not apply here.)
It is EXTREMELY US-centric and frankly as a Brit who lived and worked in Central Europe and was previously engaged to a Norwegian, I find Crocker's rules laughable.
How it looks to me is:
"Use European manners with me. Don't waste your words or my time. Shut up and get on with it."
When I worked a Radboud University in the Netherlands for a summer, they were definitely more direct than I was used to, and kept work more work-focused. But they also combined that with a culture of quitting on time, and going out to socialize a bit before dinner, which I think was vital to sustain interpersonal connections.
I liked that style a lot, but Americans are very bad about quitting on time, which necessitates more socialization at work itself.