How Do I Compare?

Ok. So, I took a profile comparison assessment. The company I work for, has offices and employees all over the world, so I have access to a lot of country profiles, relocation information regarding various countries, how to conduct business, business etiquette, etc. etc.. One thing I discovered in the pile of “what’s available” is the website GlobeSmart. On this site, you can take an assessment and it will compare your profile based on questions you answer, to the profile of the average person in the locale you’re interested in. Of course, with these assessments, you’re dealing in generalities; however, I think the country profiles can give you the “overall vibe and underlying energy” of the country as a whole. I’m suspecting that I’m not going to have much personal interaction with the Saudi’s, but I don’t know. You want to have some background just in case. And, it’s just one more fun thing to do while riding the relocation wave.

Here are my results…

People in Saudi Arabia tend to be somewhat more status-oriented than you. This means they may be more likely to differentiate people based on their titles and positions within an organization.
People in Saudi Arabia are somewhat more restraint-oriented than you. This means they may be less willing to take risks than you. Because of this, some of your counterparts from Saudi Arabia may spend more time building relationships and conducting background research than you, or show more interest in implementing proper processes and making sufficient preparations before embarking on a project;
People in Saudi Arabia have a somewhat more indirect style than you. This means they may be less direct and more ambiguous in the way they communicate. Because of this, some of your counterparts from Saudi Arabia may prefer that certain things be left unsaid

People in Saudi Arabia are more relationship-focused than you. This means they are likely to spend more time building and maintaining strong relationships and place less emphasis on efficiency and timelines than you. (Thank Goodness, I’m not working, I’d have no patience for this. LOL)