Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
As you begin to understand ofi ce politics better, you will
come across a system of connections called the
piston
, which
is the way French describe being pushed forward in one's
career by a helpful superior. This is quite popular in France, a
way of seeking out the
crème de la crème
among co-workers.
It may seem unjust to you, but connections count enormously
in France. You will need to learn to use them too.
First Contact—The Telephone As Enemy
While the French love their telephones, they consider them
a rather personal device. So personal, in fact, you will not
see many French people talking on their cell phones within
earshot of others. (You won't see them talking very much on
cell phones, anyway, because the companies charge much
more for talking than messaging, as we know already.)
In the business environment, telephones are considered
something of a nuisance. They interrupt the work at hand,
they usually involve some problem or issue that the worker
must now add to their long list of duties, and they often
involve a stranger. When you are that stranger, they now have
the added burden of speaking with someone who does not
understand French very well.
You will soon get the impression, in your attempt to get
services by telephoning, that you should hurry up with your
question as you are taking valuable time away from the
person on the other end of the line. They will be quick to
ask you for your name, and slow to give you theirs. And they
will try to dispense with you as quickly as possible, often by
passing you on to someone else.
The telephone pressures the person answering to make
a commitment he or she may not be prepared to make. We
already know the French like to think about all the options
before making their i rst step. In business, such decisions
usually come from the top.
The choices now include the old formal option, writing
a letter, and the new option, sending an email. An email in
France is a blessing to the lowly ofi ce worker. She has time
to consider your options, get the opinions of others, and
cope with the poor French you have written. And she will
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