Expect direct “no”s, direct critique of ideas (not of you personally), and straightforward answers to direct questions, hedging or excessive small talk before getting to the point can read as evasive rather than polite.
If you’re used to more indirect cultures, resist reading directness as anger or dislike; it’s usually just how information gets exchanged efficiently.
- “Klartext” is the word for it — literally “clear text,” used when someone flags they’re about to speak plainly rather than soften the message.
- Meetings skip the warm-up — expect to move to the agenda quickly rather than several minutes of small talk first; that’s normal pacing, not coldness.