At one time I was working with a group of people in the large country in the West. I had the task to advice them in a delicate matter. I went there, I listened to their plans, and I told them to change direction and the reasons for it.
After some tough argumentation, they listened to me and my colleague, who was helping me with arguments. The responsible manager was open for our arguments and finally changed the direction. He was very grateful to us for revealing information, for giving advice and "telling the truth", even if the change was somewhat awkward for them. I was treated like a hero, who stood up and argumented for what I believed was the right thing to do.
Another time I was working with the large country in the East. In this case I had certain responsibility to review things and participate in decisions. Here I found some serious issues and reasons to highlight that a change was needed. Here I was also participating in some tough argumentation, but this time I was alone, since my colleague here did not dare to back me up. However I felt the people on the floor were supporting me for highlighting important things and they were impressed that I dared to bring up unpleasant facts; to tell "the truth".
When the argumentation in the West had been open and focusing on the issue, the argumentation in East was initially also dealing the real issues, but the difference in culture was revealed when it became a management issue. When the management in West was interested in taking the right decision, the management in East was only interested to look good in front of the headquarters. When they didn't succeed to persuade me to agree and be as loyal to them as my colleague already was, they used all possible provocations to make me feel uncomfortable and try to get me out of balance. They were even posing threats at me.
Since I didn't give away, they later managed to destroy my career with in the company. I guess the management made sure at least nobody in their organization would ever dare to "tell the truth", and make them look bad again.
My learning from all this is "you can't change anything in the East if people loose their face". What looks like exactly the right thing to do in the West, isn't necessary the right thing to do in the East!
I guess they don't have the same experience in Norway.
