An Interview with our intercultural expert, Gurdatar Singh Bal
India is booming! The country is currently the fifth-largest and one of the strongest economies in the world. Gurdatar Singh Bal, intercultural expert at ICUnet.Group, brings years of experience working with both German and Indian cultures. Throughout his career, he has successfully advised numerous CEOs of prominent companies.
Gurdatar Singh Bal was born in 1967 in Butala, India. After completing his Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Economics at Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar, he worked as an agricultural machinery mechanic. In 1992, he began a dual study program in Industrial Management at the Bavarian Continuing Education Center in Kempten. He has extensive experience working in various industries across Germany, India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Hungary, where he held roles as a sales clerk, managing director, and project manager. During this time, he developed his expertise in procurement, production, controlling, HR management, and project management. Since 2007, Gurdatar has been a senior intercultural consultant at ICUnet.Group, specializing in key account management, project management, recruitment in Asia, and team building. His expertise includes communication and leadership in Southeast Asia, particularly in India, China, Malaysia, and Singapore. Fluent in Punjabi, English, Hindi, German, and Urdu, Gurdatar Singh Bal currently resides in Passau. His passion for agriculture in India remains strong.
Gurdatar follows the Sikh faith, a relatively young religion in India that originated from Hinduism. Sikhs believe in the equality of all people and in one God, who is referred to by different names in various religions. Although Sikhs make up only about 2% of India's population, they play a significant role in the country. Known for their strong determination, Sikhs represent roughly 30% of the Indian military. They are also highly regarded as skilled farmers, contributing around 25% to the country's grain and rice production. The largest Sikh community outside of India is located in Canada.
We asked our intercultural expert the following question: What valuable insights can each culture adopt from the other? In this interview, discover how these two countries can share their strengths and benefit from one another to grow personally, socially, and in business:
Gurdatar, what cultural differences between India and Germany have the greatest impact on their international collaboration? Please explain this, particularly in the context of B2B relationships.
Gurdatar: There is a significant difference in the approach to risk between the two cultures. Germans tend to have a risk-averse mindset, focusing on long-term and sustainable thinking. They are reluctant to step outside their area of expertise. However, when short-term solutions are needed, there is much to learn from the Indians! Indians are very focused on short-term, pragmatic thinking. This approach is called "Jugaad" in India. Speed and functionality are prioritized over creating a product that needs to last for many years. They are willing to step outside their expertise and try something completely new. While German companies prefer the safer route and stick to their areas of expertise, Indian corporations tend to explore a broader range of topics and approaches.
What misunderstandings do you commonly encounter between the two cultures, based on your experience?
Gurdatar: In addition to the differing approaches to risk, there are two other areas that often lead to misunderstandings between the two cultures: role distribution and time management. Indian culture is highly role-oriented, whereas German culture is more rule-based. This difference manifests in various behaviors within professional settings. Indian colleagues tend to avoid taking responsibility, as they often lack decisiveness. One aspect that Indian culture could learn from Germany is providing more decision-making freedom from an early age. This is a crucial point because, due to their adherence to roles, Indian talents are often not given the opportunity to shine. A significant step forward would be for Indian leaders to delegate more responsibility to their employees. Time management can also create misunderstandings. Indians tend to be more flexible with their time, often assuming they have the full 24 hours of the day at their disposal. In contrast, German workers view time from a more realistic perspective and are stricter with their schedules. What could German culture learn from the Indian approach? More spontaneity! After all, life doesn’t always go according to plan.
We’re interested in your perspective: How do you see the future development of German-Indian relations in an intercultural context?
Gurdatar: It’s a world of possibilities, because the contrasts I’ve described can be effectively balanced by the strengths of each culture. The relationship-focused nature of Indians and the task-oriented mindset of Germans can prove to be incredibly valuable in business collaboration. This makes German colleagues very strong in technical areas, while Indians excel in sales. Both cultures have a lot to learn from each other in this regard.
We’re curious: What has been the biggest surprise or realization for you in your work as an intercultural trainer with both cultures?
Gurdatar: The optimism of Indian culture! For example, when Germans estimate that a project will take six months, Indian colleagues might say they can complete it in three months – and more often than not, they’re far off from reality. The planning and execution process in India differs significantly from how things are done in Germany. Additionally, the highly questioning German culture, often coupled with a more pessimistic outlook, can feel like an obstacle for Indian colleagues.
Is there anything you’d like to share with our readers as a final thought?
Gurdatar: If you’re working with Indian culture in your professional life, keep in mind that business there is heavily influenced by interpersonal relationships, roles and communication styles. Specifically, here are a few key points to remember when interacting (professionally) with people from India:
There should always be a strong interpersonal relationship between individuals.
Roles within projects should be clearly defined. This helps you understand where you and others stand within the hierarchy and gives you insight into how you are perceived externally.
When it comes to communication, Germans need to be able to read between the lines. In Indian culture, criticism is often expressed indirectly. This means that we may not always recognize when Indian colleagues disagree with something.