head coach Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Indian professionals tend to speak English well, though often with a heavy accent, imaginative grammar and liberal doses of local slang. Asking someone to repeat him or herself is perfectly acceptable; correcting their English is not. Indians often over-promise in an effort to please: admitting a job is difficult to get done is often considered rude or weak. Getting a document delivered by courier, sending a fax, or simply gathering colleagues for a business meeting can all take far longer than seems reasonable. The same goes for punctuality: if an Indian professional promises to meet you in ten minutes, expect arrival in 20. Do you agree? Edited: As the title suggests this is only a look at the quality that is lacking. There are n number of qualities which you can find no where else other than in an Indian professional! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoda Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Indian professionals @ Work - an introspection! what's up with all these garbage negative threads? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
head coach Posted March 26, 2007 Author Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Indian professionals @ Work - an introspection! what's up with all these garbage negative threads? Yoda, Your short and persuasive refutation is understandable. The bubbles burst when reality pricks its thin skin! You then call it garbage or being negative... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Indian professionals @ Work - an introspection! Indian professionals tend to speak English well, though often with a heavy accent, imaginative grammar and liberal doses of local slang. Asking someone to repeat him or herself is perfectly acceptable; correcting their English is not. I do not agree with this. My feeling(based on the experience in USA primarily) is that Americans only love one accent; English. It doesnt matter if you carry that Yorkshire blurr or cocknye, Scottish or Irish twang. It doesnt even matter if Americans understand you, but for some ridicluous reason bordering on inferiority complex an English accent is looked with great respect in USA. Accents like Indian, Chinese, Russian whatever are just not as sexy. Of course some Indians simply have a horrible accent but generally speaking Indian accent is just fine. Indians often over-promise in an effort to please: admitting a job is difficult to get done is often considered rude or weak. Very true. It is not uncommon to see Indians go out of the way to please their boss. This is specially true in IT. As an example, a Manager would be all too polite and requestful when he asks an American employee to come on a weekend but he can almost assume readily that an Indian would not have problem with that. I have had firsthand experience when Indian companies(and I mean top notch ones like TCS, Infosys etc) have officially told people to come to work on weekends to create a "positive" impression. That said I must say the situation has changed significantly over the years. Back in late 90's and early 2000's it was fairly common for an Indian personnel to bend over backwards, it is not so much anymore and Indians today are on a much more equal footing. xxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apocalypse Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Indian professionals @ Work - an introspection! What when Europeans speak in more distress full accent? Did you point your fingers over them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
head coach Posted March 26, 2007 Author Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Indian professionals @ Work - an introspection! Indian professionals tend to speak English well, though often with a heavy accent, imaginative grammar and liberal doses of local slang. Asking someone to repeat him or herself is perfectly acceptable; correcting their English is not. I do not agree with this. My feeling(based on the experience in USA primarily) is that Americans only love one accent; English. It doesnt matter if you carry that Yorkshire blurr or cocknye, Scottish or Irish twang. It doesnt even matter if Americans understand you, but for some ridicluous reason bordering on inferiority complex an English accent is looked with great respect in USA. Accents like Indian, Chinese, Russian whatever are just not as sexy. Of course some Indians simply have a horrible accent but generally speaking Indian accent is just fine. xxxx Lurker, I was not referring to accent rather about the style we communicate. An Indian finds it very uncomfortable to say anything you don?t want to hear, anything that would cause you to lose face or anything that would disappoint you. This is not to say that Indians do not communicate difficult information; it?s just that they do it differently. Listen to this conversation: American Boss: ?Will that new schedule work for you?? Indian professional: ?Will that work for you?? Translation: ?No, it won?t, but I don?t want to upset you.? American Boss: ?Can you have that ready by the end of the day?? Indian professional: ?I will do my best.? Translation: ?I foresee problems delivering the project by then, but I believe that information will make you unhappy.? He assumes you got the message, and you just heard the words. End of the day comes and the project isn?t ready. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
head coach Posted March 26, 2007 Author Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Indian professionals @ Work - an introspection! What when Europeans speak in more distress full accent? Did you point your fingers over them? Apocalypse, not at all trying to point finger at anyone. Just trying to see whether there is anything that could come up in this discussion that can help us improve our workplace attitudes. Hope you can contribute more towards it. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Indian professionals @ Work - an introspection! Lurker' date=' I was not referring to accent rather about the style we communicate. [b']An Indian finds it very uncomfortable to say anything you don?t want to hear, anything that would cause you to lose face or anything that would disappoint you. This is not to say that Indians do not communicate difficult information; it?s just that they do it differently. Fair point HC. It is not very different to the second point(of Indians trying to please their bosses). See you will have to see where these people come from. A lot of that has to do with insecurity. The insecurity of coming across as "not good enough". The insecurity that if the client is not happy the result shall be disastrous for him(the Indian) and his family. There are a lot of Indians who fall in this situation, specially those who visa and green card issues. There is also the second lot of people who are either a citizen(or GC holder) or those Indians who just couldnt care less about West and are more than happy to go to India. The second lot of people are no different than an American at the workplace. xxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
head coach Posted March 26, 2007 Author Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Indian professionals @ Work - an introspection! This is from an Indian IT manager: Historically, Indians have lived with thousands and thousands of years of subservience. Obedience is a deeply ingrained trait. Many Indian professionals will carry out orders to perfection but will rarely take the bull by the horns and make an independent decision. As a people, we are not used to the aggressive ?just do it? attitude that today?s IT industry requires. Initiative is something that has to be [learned]. Many managers seem to agree that the top three issues they face with Indian or other foreign workers are: * Communication * Cultural incompatibility * A perceived lack of initiative Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Indian professionals @ Work - an introspection! This is from an Indian IT manager: Historically, Indians have lived with thousands and thousands of years of subservience. Obedience is a deeply ingrained trait. Many Indian professionals will carry out orders to perfection but will rarely take the bull by the horns and make an independent decision. As a people, we are not used to the aggressive ?just do it? attitude that today?s IT industry requires. Initiative is something that has to be [learned]. Many managers seem to agree that the top three issues they face with Indian or other foreign workers are: * Communication * Cultural incompatibility * A perceived lack of initiative I have only one word for the Manager - Asshole. What does he mean by a subservient atitude? Speak for yourself Mister(not you HC). The fact of the matter is that Indians are respectful towards other. If someone, much less an Indian, tend to think of it as subservient that shows his lack of knowledge. Ian Chappell, the famed cricketer and commentator, once got so pissed at the Chairman of the board, a certain Don Bradman, that while playing a game, he dropped his pants in full public glare and adjusted his "box" looking directly towards Bradman. I can never imagine a Kapil Dev or a Sunil Gavaskar treated like that in India. And you know what I am damn proud of that. Subservient my ass. Send him to my boot camp for a day HC. xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
head coach Posted March 26, 2007 Author Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Indian professionals @ Work - an introspection! What does he mean by a subservient atitude? xxx Lurker, I think he was referring it as a figure of speech not as a coherent concept. As we know, Respect for elders and supervisors is one of the natural gifts embedded in Indians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Indian professionals @ Work - an introspection! Lurker' date=' I think he was referring it as a figure of speech not as a coherent concept. As we know, Respect for elders and supervisors is one of the natural gifts embedded in Indians.[/quote'] HC, Subservience and Respect are two completely different things. Lets not mix the two. If the Manager suggests that Indians were being respectful towards his Supervisor I wouldnt have any problems with that. But to suggest he is being subservient, and to emphasis that with 1000 and 1000 years of rule, clearly suggests his(workers) inferior self-respect. Sorry that statement of Manager is a load of you know what. xxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
head coach Posted March 26, 2007 Author Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Indian professionals @ Work - an introspection! Indians appreciate punctuality but may not reciprocate it. true or false? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apocalypse Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Indian professionals @ Work - an introspection! Indians appreciate punctuality but may not reciprocate it. true or false? false I have seen enough Americans not doing that as well. Sometimes people take advantage of their position in the organization Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
head coach Posted March 26, 2007 Author Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Indian professionals @ Work - an introspection! false Are you saying this as a person or in general? I have seen enough Americans not doing that as well. Sometimes people take advantage of their position in the organization Are you saying since Americans or others do it we dont have to be punctual? :shrug: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apocalypse Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Indian professionals @ Work - an introspection! I am saying in general I gave an example of Americans since all your threads directly or indirectly revolve around comparing them with Indians Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
head coach Posted March 26, 2007 Author Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Indian professionals @ Work - an introspection! I am saying in general I gave an example of Americans since all your threads directly or indirectly revolve around comparing them with Indians Its up to you to compare or not. The thread is related to Indians per say! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gator Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Indian professionals @ Work - an introspection! if an Indian professional promises to meet you in ten minutes, expect arrival in 20. is tht why 50% of all great innovations coming out US have been by indian professionals? get a grip, man..... u seem to whine about india all the time.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
head coach Posted March 26, 2007 Author Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Indian professionals @ Work - an introspection! if an Indian professional promises to meet you in ten minutes' date=' expect arrival in 20. [/quote'] is tht why 50% of all great innovations coming out US have been by indian professionals? get a grip, man..... u seem to whine about india all the time.... Gator, we are talking about developing a culture which values punctuality. To see whether there is a lack of self-discipline among the people. Being punctual and following rules and regulations in every walk of life is something that has always taken for granted by Indians. What has it to do with the innovations or inventions by Indians? And I?m glad you recognize that Indians tend to forget their country and go in search of a better living and that is the reason people like you are here in US. No wonder you are not concerned about life of people in India. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apocalypse Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 Re: Indian professionals @ Work - an introspection! I like to say it straight rather than using cobwebs of words you use. Your threads show you are the most unconcerned person about India Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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