Doing Business in India For Dummies®

Respect Lifestyle Differences

Life in India is different than life in the West, and Indians may not understand the things you take for granted back home. They may see you as a spoiled Westerner who lives in air-conditioned comfort and travels in chauffeur driven cars with the windows rolled up. Don’t be surprised if you receive little sympathy if you complain about things like the weather or your staff.

Your team members’ lives may be quite different than your own, and to them a vacation may be hanging out with a large number of family members or going on a pilgrimage. When you come back from a vacation, do chat with your staff about it generally, but don’t expect them to understand how relieved you were to be sunbathing and sipping piña coladas in the Bahamas the previous week. Respect these lifestyle differences and avoid bringing them to the fore in conversation.