Cross Cultural Management Guide for The Czech Republic

The tips offered below are for managers who want to learn more about the management style and business culture of the Czech Republic.

It provides some useful information for managers who are relocating to the country for employment as well as those who may have Czech employees in their global or multicultural teams.

Topics include:

• Hierarchy
• Leadership style
• Time
• Communication style
• Negotiation

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Being a Manager in The Czech Republic

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Intercultural competence and an understanding of Czech history will all help towards achieving successful management:

• Czechs work hard; however, after years of Communist rule, business can still operate slowly.
• This is changing in some of the newer industries with a younger generation of Czech.
• Czechs are practical people who strive to better their lives by working hard to achieve success.
• They do not overly socialize with their colleagues, except for birthday and name-day jaunts to socialize.
• The transition to a free-market economy has brought about remarkable, but not wholesale changes in the business culture.
• Generally, among the older generation, you will find deference to authority, coupled with a sense of loyalty and a detached attitude toward meeting objectives and goals of the company.
• Among younger workers, however, you’ll find an eagerness to explore new challenges.

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The Role of a Manager

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Although they pride themselves on being individualists and non-conformists, Czechs develop cordial working relationships with colleagues, business partners, and clients:

• They pride themselves on using proper etiquette in all situations and expect others to do the same.
• Czechs generally expect a manager to be a knowledgeable, competent and fair leader who sets clear goals and provides guidance and support to their team.

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Approach to Change

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The Czech Republic has a medium tolerance for change and risk. What might this mean for the workplace? 

• Changes are made, albeit slowly, and require a considerable amount of thought, planning and evaluation.
• It would be perceived as imprudent to introduce rapid change, and yet it would be recognized as poor management to resist change unnecessarily.
• Cultural sensitivity is important with the Czech Republic’s attitude toward risk dramatically impacted by the negative ramifications of failure on both the individual and the group.

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Approach to Time and Priorities

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The Czech Republic is a moderate time culture and typically there may be some flexibility to strict adherence to schedules and deadlines:

• When working with people from the Czech Republic, in order to achieve successful management, it is advisable to reinforce the importance of the agreed-upon deadlines and how that may affect the rest of the organization.

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Decision Making

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Since this is a hierarchical culture, decisions are often made at the top of the company.

• Even though managers may not be involved in making decisions, they may give the impression of having been consulted when relaying information to their subordinates.
• Managers typically make the decisions and then communicate them to the reporting staff for implementation. 
• Employees are generally happy to receive direction and do not question their exclusion in the decision-making process. 

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Boss or Team Player?

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In post-communist countries, there is a tradition of teamwork inherited from the communal aspects of the previous era where groups and work units commonly met together to discuss ideas and create plans. However, those plans seldom resulted in implementation or results, leading to apathy and cynicism among employees:

• Today the after-effects are still evident among much of the older generation resulting in a lack of drive and energy.
• However, there is vibrancy among the younger generation, who seem to be eager to tackle many of the challenges and take the opportunities presented.
• They will participate in teams and share ideas, but they will need to be coached in the process.

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Communication and Negotiation Styles

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The Czech communication style tends to be direct, concise, and formal, with a focus on factual information rather than emotions or personal opinions. Czechs typically value honesty, clarity, and precision in communication, and may be more reserved or introverted in their interpersonal interactions.

• Small talk is not as common in Czech culture, and interrupting others or raising one's voice is generally considered impolite.
• Nonverbal cues such as facial expressions and body language are also important in communication, and maintaining eye contact is seen as a sign of respect and engagement.
• When working in the Czech Republic, avoid confrontational behaviour or high-pressure tactics.
• Czechs generally offer what they expect to get and do not often give counter-offers and they often become defensive if negotiations become tense.
• If Czechs are unhappy with something you have said or a situation which has arisen, they will use an intermediary to communicate with you to avoid unnecessary conflict in the relationship.

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