 to bring any unspoken issues out into the open where they can be dealt with quickly.
- Expect greetings to be casual and relaxed with immediate use of first names. Don’t use Australian phrases like “G’day” or G’day mate. You may come across as patronizing.
- Do not confuse the informality of Australians with disrespect; informality is a way of developing ‘mateship – an Australian term (especially among men) to signal friendliness, equality, and mutual support (I’ll look after you.”).
- Don’t take it personally if Australians want to argue with you. They like debating, and will sometimes use provocative statements to trigger a lively conversation.
- Don’t be surprised if you hear many swear words in meetings. Cussing in a group is a way of rapport-building and expressing solidarity. The boss is expected to join in as it shows a healthy disrespect for rules and formalism; it demonstrates that “You are one of us.”
- Treat everyone fairly. Expect to hear the term “a fair go” which means “fairness to all.”
- Work hierarchies are relatively flat. Differences are minimized, and hierarchy not displayed openly.
- Do not brag or come across as self-important. Australians are well known for “Cutting down the tall poppy,” i.e. cutting down people who want to standout above the rest.
Demonstrate the following values when leading Australians:
Competence: Leaders should be highly competent in their field, while also being driven toward achieving outcomes and objectives. They must also act with honesty and integrity. Becoming a leader in Australia is earned rather than being associated with a position.
Ambition: Australian leaders should be ambitious and inspire others while demonstrating modesty. Leaders should not be showy and overly charismatic.
Broadmindedness: Australians desire to be led by leaders who are open to new ideas, innovation, and change.
Caring: The leader should treat people as individuals, demonstrate empathy, and encourage mutual support. IQ must be matched with EQ.
Cooperation: Australians prefer a high level of team participation. In the GLOBE project, 96% of Australians deemed it necessary to gather and collaborate to achieve maximum output and develop cultural cohesion.