Global Experience, Cultural Context, Local Norms

I have been interviewing for design positions in Sydney for the past couple of months, and it’s been an interesting ride. I have been contextualizing to the local market expectations, the vocabulary and the norms of interviewing; while working my way through the corporate speak to eventually answer this question for myself.

Is this role a good fit for my expectations, happiness and future growth?

I have had a bunch of opportunities interviewing in Sydney, and as I go through them my mind always tries to compare and contrast to the experience I have had while doing so, back in the United States. This has left me sometimes frustrated, mostly delighted and overall amused by the differences across the interviewing cultures of the Land Down Under.

The Great Communication Flip: When Email Etiquette Meets Aussie Direct Dialogue

After a decade of navigating Silicon Valley's email etiquette – where sharing my phone number was a rarity and phone calls with recruiters were always scheduled in advance – I've landed in Sydney to find myself in a vastly different landscape.

Suddenly, unknown numbers are fair game, and I'm answering calls without hesitation, hoping it's the recruiter on the other end calling back to chat about a job I have applied for. Emails are scarce, but voicemails are plentiful (thanks to my perpetually on DND phone mode). I've spent hours playing phone tag with recruiters and endured calls that went overtime, with enthusiastic chats about the company and role. But amidst the chaos, I've discovered a refreshing silver lining: zero ghosting! Recruiters are readily available via call or text, sparing me the agony of email limbo.

It's fascinating to experience this shift in recruitment norms, and I'm adapting quickly to Sydney's more direct, personal approach as it comes to everything recruiting, right from freely sharing compensation ranges for the role, to sharing feedback post interview rounds.

The "We" vs. "I" Conundrum: A Tale of Two Business Cultures

Don't be afraid to blow your own trumpet

..the recruiter told me. It was 2021, and I was interviewing for Design Leadership positions in San Francisco's Bay Area. As I transitioned from individual contributor roles to leadership positions, I discovered that the art of presenting oneself was far more nuanced than I had imagined – and even more so across different continents.

My initial approach was what many would consider traditionally humble. In presenting my team's work, I consistently used "we" instead of "I," believing this would demonstrate my leadership style and team-first mentality. It seemed natural to share credit and showcase collaborative success.

But in Silicon Valley, this approach backfired.

Interview after interview, the feedback was consistent: panels couldn't discern my personal impact. In the Bay Area's highly individualistic tech culture, even team achievements needed to be broken down into individual contributions. The message was clear – while maintaining modesty, one needed to clearly articulate personal impact and influence.

Armed with this Silicon Valley wisdom, I approached interviews in Sydney with newfound confidence. During a portfolio presentation for one of Australia's "Big Four" banks, I carefully highlighted my personal contributions and successes. The presentation felt strong, polished, and impactful.

Then came the call: "Sorry, but the team..."

The feedback was a mirror image of my Bay Area experience:

• "Your portfolio case study seemed too good to be true"
• "You didn't talk about any failures along the way"
• "It seemed like it was your project, not your team's project"

A local acquaintance introduced me to the concept of the "Tall Poppy Syndrome" – an Australian cultural phenomenon where people who promote their own success too prominently may face social criticism. What was considered appropriate self-promotion in Silicon Valley was probably reading as self-aggrandizement in Sydney.

This experience reveals a crucial truth about global leadership: cultural context matters enormously in how we present ourselves and our achievements. What works in one business culture might be precisely what undermines us in another.

The real skill isn't just in leading teams or delivering results – it's in understanding how to communicate those achievements in culturally appropriate ways. In Silicon Valley, individual impact needs to be clearly articulated. In Sydney, team cohesion and shared challenges might need more emphasis.

Cultural Context: The Hidden Interview Variable

This experience illuminated a crucial truth about global leadership: cultural context isn't just a nice-to-have, it's everything. Richard D. Lewis's insights from "When Cultures Collide" suddenly felt very relevant – American executives operate within strict corporate procedures despite their individualism, while Australian managers must lead from within the ring with their "mates."

The contrast becomes even more apparent when examining how different cultures express themselves and negotiate. Drawing from Erin Meyer's HBR article "Getting to Si, Ja, Oui, Hai, and Da," it's fascinating to see how cultural communication styles vary across confrontational and emotional expression axes. As someone originally from India who spent years in the United States, I've learned to navigate a middle ground – moderately confrontational and emotionally expressive.

Looking Forward: Adapting to the Aussie Way

While Australia might not appear on Meyer's communication style chart, my experiences here are helping me sketch out its unique position. The journey from Silicon Valley to Sydney has taught me that success in global leadership isn't just about skills or achievements – it's about understanding and adapting to the subtle cultural nuances that shape how we present those achievements.

For those navigating similar transitions, remember: what gets you to "yes" in one culture might lead to "no" in another. The key isn't to completely reinvent yourself, but to learn how to authentically present your experience in a way that resonates with your new cultural context.

As I continue to immerse myself in the Australian work culture, I'm discovering that the real art of leadership lies not just in what we achieve, but in how we communicate those achievements across different cultural landscapes. It's a continuous learning journey, and perhaps that's the most exciting part of all.