PRAISE IN THE PUBLIC !!

 

This is 'one' very important thing one has to understand, if anyone wants to deal with the Indians. Indians want to be in the lime light. Indians are starving for praises in the public either by radio, TV, newspaper or in the public meetings. This one important aspect is never under stand by the Americans, Europeans and Japanese.

 

Indians like to be called to the meetings. Their name should be on the invitations. The name should be on bold letters and font. After name printing of title is very important. Print his/her title !. Don’t forget. Do advertise about the function or public meeting. Put posters and big digital banners carrying his name and photograph through out the city, sometimes through out the state. Indian states are bigger than most of the European countries. On the day of the function assemble hundred thousands of people. Hire buses and Lorries and bring people. This is applicable to religious, political and public functions or meetings.

 

The dais culture is very important. The most important person should sit at the centre. He/she will have a different chair mostly a ‘king chair’. There will be a tough competition for the seating arrangement who has to sit ‘close’ to the central chair. It is a tough proposition and every body wants to share the dais. Some times it is funny to see there are more chairs on the dais than on the audience. If you are not giving a chair to him on the dais that means it is an insult to him.

 

Ever one on the dais should be given a chance to speak. It is protocol. Speech time may be reduced but chance to speak must be given. When it is your turn to speak, you must address first the person sitting on the ‘central’ chair and keep on addressing all the person sitting on the dais. Of course name followed by the title.  This roll calling will take a lot of time and energy, but be patient and do it sincerely. Then come for the speech. In corporate functions you have very few people on the dais.

 

This attitude ‘praise in the public’, even you call this as an Indian psych. Call each one to the dais and honour him with shawl and mementos. Do it on every possible different public occasion. Praise the individual on the meeting in public by listing what are the good things he has done and will do. Never mind go over board and praise him. Indians feel very happy and honoured. Often Indians use the word ‘he has created the history’ by doing this. History will be often created and broken in the public meetings in India. Even some people will hire professionals to praise. Praise the individual lavishly. It is a very important ritual in India, which most of the foreigners do not simply understand. Grease the individual ego in the public is an art the foreigner should understand to deal with the Indians.

 

In India, if you do not praise the leader or your boss, that means your relationship with your leader is not good, your are not sharing his ideas and going along with him. If you praise, you are with the boss, if not you are out. If your boss compliments you, your job is safe, if not watch your back. Even in the more professional setup keep all the good adjectives at the tip of your tongue to compliment your boss. Phrases like, ‘He is a visionary’, ‘He is my role model’, ‘He is my guru’, ‘I have learnt a lot of things from him’, ‘He turn around the company’, ‘Sir, you made a excellent, thought provoking and inspirational speech’ .……..is common.

 

On the public front it is still worse. The reception our political leaders get will make most of the foreigner insane. The reception our cricketers got after winning the T20 world cup, the reception our medallist got after Beijing Olympic 2008, almost all the foreigners will think we are crazy. Most of the time the followers even indulge in violence to defend their leaders image, ideas and ideology. Some of the followers even pore petrol or kerosene and burn to death, to show their loyal to their leaders and sign of support to their leaders. Damaging the public property, buses, Lorries and shops, are the most common.

 

You need some brut arrogance to survive in India. If you are modest and self-deprecation you will surely sent to the recycle bin as early as possible.

 

Japanese are on the opposite side. Japanese are not accustomed of praises and compliments as in India. From the childhood the Japanese are taught to be modest. Japanese self-deprecate themselves. Japanese consider modest and self-deprecation are highly admirable qualities. Japanese often used to say, ‘I am only the president of the company. I don’t have much power. I may not think, I am able to do this or take this decision. I have to consult with others’. But equal position in India, Managing Director, will say on the spot, it will be done. That is the sign of power. Power is most important for an Indian manager.

 

If you praise Japanese, embracement is the common reaction. Japanese declaim the compliments and it is considered proper etiquette. Japanese consider the individual praising on the meetings and in public brings in comparison among the individuals in the group. In Japan, support and encouragement are important but it should be given to the group as a whole. In particular professionals may not welcome compliments because professionals are expected to achieve in their fields. If you praise then for their accomplishment, it means, as if they don’t have talent, and in spit of lacking the talent they achieved. This is especially applicable for the person holding senior position.  Japanese are expected to be up-to-date and responsible for keeping himself informed.

 

Indian style of compliments will not go well with the Japanese and Japanese consider it as ‘fake’. If you want to compliment, a simple and a sincere “Thank You”, will be well accepted by the Japanese. In the organization, include the employee in the discussion and ask for his opinion.