What doesn't work

After working here for a year or so, I have come to find such glaring differences in the work cultures between the US and India. I never noticed it when I first worked here some 10-15 years ago. But after having worked in the US, I notice it more.

I don't write about the IT/Software/Call Center culture (which is still new to India) or the Advertising firms (that are and always will be "cool" places to work). I refer only to the traditional industries. And to my experience. In this non-confrontational Indian environment, its a little difficult for women (especially since there are 3 women and 102 men in my company) to say something to their bosses or colleagues without them taking offense. So I'm using this blog to tell anyone who works:

1. Hey Mr. General Manager - Everyone prefers to be addressed by their title rather than their names. They are, without blinking, called MD and CMD and President and etc. After always using first names at work in the US, its really strange. There, the CEO down to the coffee guy is on a first name basis. Here, I was first called Madam. Then when I asked them to call me Arundathi, I am now Arundathi Madam!

2. I'll give you time to think of a decent excuse - I sit down for a meeting and decide on a game plan for an upcoming project. We chart out responsibilities, deliverables. We review it in detail, what kind of information we need, how to get the information, how to present it. When the time comes to present, Mr. X's information is not there. I just don't understand. Has he forgotten? Has his dog eaten his homework? Who knows? Those are things that are just not asked or answered here! Its almost impolite to ask people why they didn't meet their deadlines! And they just don't bother with excuses.

3. For God's sake, Turn OFF the Cell Phones!! Its unbelievable that even if you tell people politely at the beginning of the meeting, they won't do it. And they will answer calls in the middle of the meeting. Just to whisper that "I'm in a meeting, I'll call you back"!? What the heck? Maybe when you say no cellphones, you have to specify no talking, no whispering and no texting either. And no, we don't care that you have the entire movie's soundtrack as your ring tone.

4. Leave the Toiletries at home. In the middle of a meeting today, this woman opened her handbag, pulled out her nail clippers, kept her hands under the table, and went click, click, click. Did she really think no one could hear her or see her cutting her nails? And in the middle of a presentation with 8 other people in the room?! What are you thinking? Be a little professional, people.

5. Don't wipe the drool off your face in public! How about one guy who was in a meeting with me and we were going through a proposal in detail. I look up after about 20 minutes of studying the figures, and this guy is fast asleep! In his chair. Snoring. He wakes up when I scrape my chair and wipes the drool off his face and continues with the meeting.

6. Use Deodorant. Its available everywhere in India now. Use it. Don't lean over people to explain graphs/ figures or even to hand them cups of coffee if you haven't used deodorant.

If anyone has any funny stories from work, do share. It might make mine seem a little less weird!