By: Katrina Jacobs
This is the third article in the series on Israeli culture. It touches upon differences in the understanding of concepts such as time, authority and rules.
John Cleese once observed that the English go to extraordinary lengths to avoid embarrassing situations. For Israelis, rather than embarrassment, the thing to be avoided at all costs is being a ‘frier’.
The term ‘frier’, although it may sound like an oil-smothered sunbather on a Tel Aviv beach or someone skilled in the art of falafel making, actually refers to a person who allows himself to be taken advantage of – a ‘sucker’. The ‘frier’ concept, so central to the Israeli mindset, does not exist in isolation but can clearly be related to the perception of rules within Israeli culture. This article, the final in the ‘Understanding Culture’ series, explores how Anglo-Saxons and Israelis differ in relation to their orientations towards rules, time and authority. Although differences on these three parameters are subtler than those concerning communication and boundaries (reviewed in article two), they are still capable of creating considerable cultural collisions. The following article describes real-life anecdotes to illustrate the impact of the differing cultural preferences and presents some practical tips to help new immigrants and visitors to Israel better understand and interact with Israeli culture.
RULES
Cultures vary greatly in their attitude towards rules. Certain cultures consider rules to be fixed and to be followed no matter what, whereas others view rules as mere guidelines to be tested where possible and necessary. Israeli culture, unlike most Anglo-Saxon cultures, falls firmly into the latter category and the consequences of this orientation touch many aspects of Israeli daily life. Anyone who has spent time in Israel is likely to have experienced at least one of the following scenarios: Getting to the front of the queue at the deli counter only to have someone behind you shout out their order loudly completely ignoring the fact that you were there first; indicating to overtake on the road only to be met by a car in the fast lane suddenly accelerating towards you with lights flashing ensuring that you drop any thought of overtaking them; being told by a taxi driver that he doesn’t use the meter (contrary to legal requirements) and being offered a ‘fixed’ price that is notably higher than it should be.
These examples represent only a small fraction of the endless list of events that can lead someone new to Israel to conclude that Israelis are inconsiderate and will try to rip you off at every opportunity. Although I confess to having briefly accepted this view whilst in the depths of culture shock, I now understand that the majority of Israelis are not dishonest but do have a distinctly different view of rules from my own. I was brought up with the general assumption that the system exists to serve the people and view those who take advantage of the system as basically reprehensible. Israelis, in general, consider the system e.g. banks, government offices etc., to work against them and therefore have a greater respect for those who cleverly play the system, and often view people who follow every rule to their detriment as naïve.
This orientation leads to a situation where most things in Israel are considered flexible and up for negotiation. Jumping queues, parking outside of the specified lines, driving a ‘little’ faster than the legal limits, asking a service assistant to let you in even though the shop sign clearly states ‘closed’, are all common practice in Israel - if you can get away with it then it’s certainly worth a try, even if you are slightly ‘bending’ the rules.
Although all these behaviours may sound rather negative to the Anglo-Saxon cultural perspective, the characteristic of being open to testing the rules also has a positive side. Not all rules/systems are necessarily smart or relevant – many are established in one context yet applied illogically to another. Being able to comfortably question things and find better alternatives to the current system can often have great value. The huge success of Israel’s hi-tech industry may be, at least in part, attributed to this cultural orientation. Israeli technicians and scientists are respected the world-over for their ability to challenge existing systems and protocols and find innovative and effective solutions. In fact, Israelis often view cultures that rigidly follow every rule as ‘square’, inflexible, and lacking in initiative.
TIME
Another cultural parameter where Israelis generally differ from their Anglo-Saxon counterparts is in their orientation towards time. The following experience offers some insight into how different assumptions about time can lead to misunderstandings.
Following the classic interview workshop tips, I arrived five minutes early, well groomed and fully prepared (or so I thought) for my first job interview in Israel. Yossi, the Human Resources Manager, arrived 10 minutes late without apology, introduced himself briefly then plunged into questioning me about my previous work. As I opened my mouth to answer, Yossi’s phone rang and he signalled for me to wait while he answered. When the call ended, I continued with my answer and the interview flowed for ten minutes. At this point, a secretary entered the room, placed a pile of letters on Yossi’s desk and asked for his signature ‘dahoof’ (‘urgently’). He took the papers and began to read and sign them whilst simultaneously asking me questions and nodding at my responses. Five minutes later, Yossi interrupted the interview again by calling the secretary to collect the papers. We then continued for another ten minutes and just as I wanted to ask some questions, Yossi’s wife rang on his mobile phone. He told me that he had to leave now to collect his children but indicated that he would be in touch soon to arrange a second interview.
A second interview - but why? Why would he want to give me a second interview when he clearly showed little interest or respect towards my candidacy in the first? Furthermore, why would I want another interview – if Yossi’s unprofessional approach was a reflection of how the company operated, I wouldn’t want to work there anyway. Looking back on my UK experience, I was offended by Yossi’s unwillingness to give me 20 minutes of uninterrupted time and had been quick to assume that he did not take me seriously. These assumptions may have been fair had the interview been in London, New York, Sydney or Cape Town. I was, however, missing one simple fact – I was in Israel and the rules of the game are just … different.
The Israeli orientation to time, as with communication, has a far greater tolerance for interruptions compared to many Anglo-Saxon cultures. They tend to be multi-focused in there approach to time. Unlike linear cultures that prefer to focus on one task, complete it, then move onto the next, Israelis are generally happy dealing with numerous tasks or projects simultaneously. In addition, Israeli culture has a fluid orientation to time - promptness is appreciated, however a 10-minute delay without apology or explanation is not considered quite the sin that it may be in some other cultures. Changing schedules or plans at short notice is not uncommon. Flexibility is valued and the ability to quickly alter plans in response to new priorities is appreciated. For people who value the ‘plan the work, work the plan’ approach, Israeli planning and time management can be trying – seeming more lacking in focus than multi-focused.
The tendency to have a short/medium rather than long-term orientation to time is another aspect of Israeli culture. For the majority of companies in Israel you are more likely to find a 5-month business plan than a 5-year plan (if there is a plan at all!). Social as well as business planning also tend to take a short-term perspective. Whereas in London, you may make social arrangements a week, if not a month, in advance - if you call an Israeli friend to arrange to meet in a café in a week’s time they probably find it odd and suggest that, if available, you pop round for coffee on the spot. This ‘live for the here and now’ approach is quite understandable considering the context of Israeli society as things change so rapidly and no one knows what the future holds, long-terms plans are often redundant.
AUTHORITY
When you walk into a meeting in the UK, the US or South Africa it's usually fairly easy to ascertain who’s in charge. That person may be chairing the meeting, be sitting in an honorary position, and/or be referred to with respect (genuine or otherwise) by others. In Israel, deciphering who’s the boss is often more difficult. Israelis tend to use similar forms of address and tone whether speaking to the lowest or highest member of an organisation. Furthermore, challenging of authority is largely accepted and even respected rather than seen as disrespectful as it is in many Anglo-Saxon cultures.
These behaviours can be largely related to the equalitarian nature of Israeli culture. Social status is less influential than in hierarchical, class-conscious cultures - ability and drive (not to mention a few good connections) are more likely to determine success than educational or social background. Another impact of this orientation is that as a teacher or manager, you will be expected to earn your authority from the outset rather than have it automatically bestowed upon you due to your assigned position.
Although one can argue that this approach may be fairer, the resulting ease with which Israelis challenge hierarchy and authority is often misinterpreted as inappropriate and arrogant. When interacting with Israelis, particularly in a work environment, people from Anglo-Saxon cultures often find the mixture of the Israeli norms regarding rules, time and authority (not to mention direct communication and close boundaries!) rather disconcerting and often question its efficiency.
STRATEGIES FOR INTERACTING WITH ISRAELIS
The issue is not whether Israeli cultural orientations increase efficiency or otherwise - as with all cross-cultural comparisons there is no right or wrong way. What does exist, however, are more or less effective ways of interacting across cultures. As mentioned in the previous article, a key starting point for effective interactions is to be aware of your own culture orientations relative to Israeli norms and to resist applying your cultural assumptions in the Israeli context. The following general tips, related to rules, time and authority, can be very effective for interactions in Israel.
1. Be aware rules are not always fixed – if you are not comfortable with something that is presented to you, try to negotiate an alternative.
2. Stand your ground – ‘don’t be a frier’- don’t let others take advantage, if you feel that your rights are being undermined then stand firm. If someone pushes in or is clearly charging an unreasonable rate then feel free to question it assertively (it’s more likely to be expected than rejected).
3. Prepare for changes to plans and schedules – try to be flexible, take mobile phones/books to meetings so if delayed you can use the time productively. Don’t automatically interpret changes as a personal insult.
4. Feel free to challenge authority – if something is suggested that you are uncomfortable with or disagree with then make your objections to the issue clear – ideally offering a reasonable alternative at the same time.
5. Don’t be put off by being challenged – it often reflects interest more than disrespect. Respond assertively to having your authority or ideas questioned and avoid taking offence – it’s unlikely to be intended.
It is important, at this point, to re-iterate the fact that when dealing with cultures one can only talk in generalizations. Clearly not every Israeli fits the cultural pattern outlined above but in general, these trends have been repeatedly observed. Likewise not all of the tips are suited to everyone or every context. They are, however, of value for people who struggle with Israeli interactions and want to explore different responses that may be more effective than their current ones. Some new immigrants show concern or even disgust at the prospect of picking up some of the challenging, corner-cutting, and rule-bending Israeli cultural tendencies. Though some of side effects of these ways can be disastrous e.g. Israeli traffic accidents, these very same traits can and have enabled remarkable achievements and developments such as seen in the Israeli hi-tech, medical science, irrigation world.
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