Kunsten å arbeide med nordmenn: Innføring i norsk arbeidslivskultur for innvandrere og de som er interessert i deres utfordringer –

by Karin Ellis

Would you play chess or poker without learning the rules of the game first? Dealing with Norwegians without understanding the Norwegian way may be quite like playing chess or poker without knowing the rules. Norwegian workplaces are driven by a set of rules which are very different from those in other western cultures, leading to confusion and misunderstandings.


Working with Norwegians explains in a clear and accessible way why they think and act as they do and what they expect. The book engages the readers in reflection upon social norms and values and what is considered acceptable behaviour in Norway. The chapters have tests to measure the cultural understanding and there is a section of real life exercises with solutions and explanations.


This is the guide to understanding Norwegians in the workplace and their social life which will make you a more informed and confident colleague, business partner and friend. With enhanced awareness and confidence you should be more relaxed, have fun, and focus on building lasting, rewarding relationships.


This guide should also be of interest to Norwegian readers who want to learn what members of other cultures sometimes find hard to deal with in their workplaces and social life.

Genres: Business

314 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 13, 2020

About the author

Karin Ellis has written her books to reach out to a broader audience than she is able to though her courses. Her books will help the readers crack the hidden codes of Norwegian workplaces and the job market, by explaining the expectations and unwritten rules. She is frequently receiving e-mails from readers who describe how her books have helped them.

Karin is is born and raised in Norway. She is an IT engineer with 30 years of professional experience, and 20 years of leadership experience from large Norwegian companies with a global presence. Some of the teams reporting to her were multicultural and distributed across several geographic locations.

Karin has lived and worked in several countries, and participated in many international change management projects, where she worked closely with people from around the world. As a result, she soon developed a strong desire to understand and learn more about other cultures. She has conducted systematic interviews with hundreds of people to gather information about the code of conduct and unwritten rules in different cultures.

In 2011, Karin decided to follow a new path and live out her passion in developing and conducting intercultural training. She started Ellis Culture, a company delivering practical, job-related courses with specific tips on how to achieve better communication with members of other cultures. The practical exercises in the courses are taken from Karin’s own experiences in multicultural environments.

In addition to being the Chief Executive Officer of Ellis Culture, Karin has been the Honorary Consul of Estonia in Bergen since 2014.

Reviews

[Monica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a bad book, but my guess is that it was written for people who are actually moving to Norway. So if you are dealing with Norwegians in a business context and maybe online, I don't think it is of much help. A bit didactic and humorless, quite the opposite of how my Norwegian friends and colleagues are.
Or maybe I should have read it 10+ years ago, when I started in the company.

[Andrii · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read this book after living and working for a few years in Norway. So it's good to compare the real-life experience with a book.

First of all, this book was written by Norwegians for foreigners, who already live for a short time in Norway and already work in mostly IT or some big companies in the country.
To get to this point, people already should know a lot and go through many steps in Norway.

If the book were written by some experienced foreigner, the information could be different and detailed.

The book I would divide into three sections. First - some good things about life and work in the country through the eyes of the author. This reflects the usual view of the native citizens on themselves and how foreigners should see them.

Second - the most interesting part in the middle of the book. It has many practical advices and some real-life things you'll usually get to know after a couple of years of living in Norway. Not all is covered, and something is not reflected at all.

The third section at the end of the book includes information about basic life in the country. This section is for the complete beginners in the country and could be placed in the very beginning of the book.

The book is nice to read, but you'll definitely need to get your own experience in the country and at work, speak with other foreigners who live longer in Norway.

[Gedi௨]

This book could be a good reading material for people learning Norwegian language to use in their professional lives. If you as foreigner can read this book in Norwegian without a trouble, then you'll know already all the key cultural aspects of living and working in Norway mentioned in this book.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read two books with this title, but this one is far better than the other one. It is packed with practical examples and tips. It addressed all the challenges that I have faced to far in Norway, and many more. I recommend this book to everyone who is new in Norwegian workplaces.