Sweden: Appointment Alert!

From ExecutivePlanet.com

Appointment alert!

For a Swede, time is a “non-renewable resource”. No one has a right to waste other people’s time – it almost equals to stealing someone’s asset.

One strong piece of advice - NEVER BE LATE! If you must be late for any reason, it is absolutely crucial to phone ahead and let the waiting person know - and you should have a convincing explanation as well. If you realize that you are running REALLY late (like over 30 minutes), always open up for an option of rescheduling the meeting.

Another advice – AVOID COMING TOO EARLY! For this means that you are stealing another visitor’s time or making the host feel uncomfortable about making you wait.

A wise man said: “A meeting that lasts longer than 1.5 hours is a bad meeting”. Make it 1 hour for Sweden. When making an appointment make sure to indicate how long you expect your meeting to last. Alternatively – ask the host how much time she has for you. Try to make sure your meeting has a marked beginning and a marked end. It gives you a double-credit – you appear polite and respectful, and you always know when your meeting is over.

The Swedish attitude to time (that culture researchers call ‘monochronic’) might appear almost fanatical! However, it comes with an obvious advantage for you: during the meeting she is all yours and gives you her undivided attention. Besides, it is highly unlikely to be interrupted by somebody else.

Other tips for making appointments in Sweden:

Try to avoid short-notice meetings and book yours in advance – at least a couple of weeks. Don’t be surprised if your busy Swede turns out to be fully booked for another 3-4 weeks. I know it will affect your planning - take that into consideration!

The good thing is – you do not have to send her reminders, even if you made the appointment two months ago.

Try to send her a draft agenda prior to the meeting or at least specify the questions you would like to discuss. It will help your Swede to prepare for your visit and focus on your issue – in order to optimize the meeting time for both of you.

At the end of the meeting, summarize what’s been discussed and agreed about. When you reach home, send her a little thank-you-for-the-good-meeting- message and present your brief summary again - in a sentence or two. A written word stays in mind better than a one said.

Avoid proposing meetings before 9.00 and after 16.00 – it is very likely that your meeting partner has to rush out of the office to pick up his/her child at the daycare. This is true for both men and women – Sweden is a country of equality.

If you are invited for a social event, especially work-related, try to be on time, too. Pay attention to the invitation card if there is any – it always says what kind of event it is and what the time frames are. Keep to it! It is not appropriate to be 'fashionably late' to dinners. And- Swedes are usually good at leaving at the right time, i.e. before the hosts start yawning.

Avoid making appointments, or at least be prepared for a no-thank-you:

- between June 15th and August 10th (the most typical vacation time in Sweden) - between December 22nd and January 6th (Christmas holidays)

Besides, it would be good to check out what days the Easter holiday happens to be this year, and, consequently, the Easter-related holidays like the Ascension Day or Whitsunday. Not being religious, Swedes enjoy these days-off anyway.

Another thing to remember is the winter sports holiday. Most of the “familied” Swedes tend to take one vacation week in February – March and go skiing for a week (slalom or cross-country). Did you know that Swedes number the weeks – there are 52 or 53 of them in a year? The sport weeks are NN 8, 9 and 10 (check out the current calendar) – be prepared that your Swedish contact might be away skiing one of those weeks.

Or… moose hunting in September if your partner happens to live in Norrland, the Northern part of Sweden. Some things are holy!

Generally, it would be wrong to expect people to work over weekends, holidays, or vacations, since these times are usually highly prized. Swedish businesspeople, however, will take work home with them in the evening. It is acceptable to call a Swedish colleague at home, assuming you have been given his or her phone number and permission to do so. Phone only if the call relates to business matters in the evening of a workday and the matter simply cannot wait until the next day.

Small things:

The workweek is 8:15 or 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. There is 45 minutes to 1 hour lunch, and many people go to lunch between 11:15 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Many workplaces work shorter hours during summertime (May 1-September 1); however, those are mostly in back-office functions and almost never production or sales units.

Remember that many Europeans and South Americans write the day first, then the month, and then the year [e.g., December 3, 2005, is written 3.12.05]. In Sweden you will find both variants [ 03-12-05 and 05-12-03 ]. Be attentive!