Characteristic features of the appearance of a Russian person. Negative qualities of the Russian people

Scientists have been arguing for decades about what a Russian person looks like. They study genetic types, physical features, papillary patterns, and even hematological features of blood groups. Some conclude that the ancestors of Russians are Slavs, others argue that Finns are closest to Russians in genotype and phenotype. So where is the truth and what anthropological portrait does the Russian person have?

The first descriptions of the appearance of Russian people

Since ancient times, people have been interested in the origins of the human race, and attempts to explore this area have been made repeatedly. Ancient records of travelers and scientists who noted their observations in detail have been preserved. There are also records in the archives about Russian people, their external and behavioral characteristics. The statements of foreigners are especially interesting. In 992, Ibn Fadlan, a traveler from Arab countries, described the perfect body and attractive appearance of the Russians. In his opinion, Russians “... are blond, red in face and white in body.”

This is what Russian national costumes look like
Marco Polo admired the beauty of Russians, speaking about them in his memoirs as simple-minded and very beautiful people, with white hair.
The records of another traveler, Pavel Alepsky, have also been preserved. According to his impressions of the Russian family, there are more than 10 children with “white hair on their heads” who “resemble the Franks, but are more ruddy...”. Attention is paid to women - they are “beautiful in face and very pretty.”

Average appearance of Russian men and women/source https://cont.ws

Characteristics of Russians

IN XIX century The famous scientist Anatoly Bogdanov created a theory about the characteristic features of a Russian person. He said that everyone quite clearly imagines the appearance of a Russian. In support of his words, the scientist cited stable verbal expressions from people’s everyday life - “pure Russian beauty”, “the spitting image of a hare”, “a typical Russian face”.
The master of Russian anthropology, Vasily Deryabin, proved that in their characteristics Russians are typical Europeans. In terms of pigmentation, they are average Europeans - Russians are more likely to have light eyes and hair.

Russian peasants
An authoritative anthropologist of his time, Viktor Bunak, in 1956-59, as part of his expedition, studied 100 groups of Great Russians. Based on the results, a description of the appearance of a typical Russian was compiled - he is light brown-haired with blue or gray eyes. Interestingly, a snub nose was recognized as not a typical feature - only 7% of Russians have it, while among Germans this figure is 25%.

Generalized anthropological portrait of a Russian person

A man in national costume.
Research conducted by scientists using different scientific methods, allowed us to draw up a generalized portrait of the average Russian person. The Russian is characterized by the absence of epicanthus - the fold at the inner eye that covers the lacrimal tubercle. The list of characteristic features included average height, stocky build, broad chest and shoulders, massive skeleton and well-developed muscles.
A Russian person has a regular oval face, predominantly light shades of eyes and hair, not too thick eyebrows and stubble, moderate facial width. In typical appearances, a horizontal profile and a bridge of the nose of medium height predominate, while the forehead is slightly sloping and not too wide, and the eyebrow is poorly developed. Russians are characterized by a nose with a straight profile (it is identified in 75% of cases). The skin is predominantly light or even white, which is partly due to the small amount of sunlight.

Characteristic types of appearance of Russian people

Despite a number of morphological characteristics characteristic of Russian people, scientists have proposed a narrower classification and identified several groups among Russians, each of which has distinctive external features.
The first of them is the Nordids. This type belongs to the Caucasian type, common in Northern Europe, in northwestern Russia, it includes part of the Estonians and Latvians. The appearance of Nordids is characterized by blue or green eyes, an oblong skull shape, and pink skin.

Russian appearance types
The second race is the Uralids. It occupies a middle position between Caucasians and Mongoloids - this is the population of the Volga region and Western Siberia. Uralids have straight or curly dark hair. The skin has a darker shade than the Nordids, and the eye color is brown. Representatives of this type have a flat face shape.
Another type of Russian is called Baltida. They can be recognized by medium width faces, straight noses with thickened tips, light hair and skin.
Pontids and Gorids are also found among Russians. Pontids have straight eyebrows and narrow cheekbones and lower jaw, a high forehead, brown eyes, thin and straight with light or dark brown hair, a narrow and elongated face. Their fair skin takes tan well, so you can find both light-skinned and dark-skinned pontids. Gorids have more pronounced features than Baltids, and their skin pigmentation is slightly darker.

Russian wedding in national style.
There are many opinions about external features, characteristic of Russian people. They all differ in criteria and morphological characteristics, but, nevertheless, have a number of common indicators. After analyzing each type, many of us will find similarities with our appearance and perhaps learn something new about ourselves.

“Nations in many ways repeat the destinies of individual people. They also have their own home, work, live better or worse, but the main thing is that, like people, they are unique individuals with their own habits and character, with their own way of understanding things. History has made such peoples, all the circumstances of their long history, difficult life“- the Russian philosopher Ilyin spoke figuratively about the national character of the people.

In a broad sense national character- a natural phenomenon. Its bearers, ethnic groups, come and go; with them come and go various types of ethno-national character. In the narrow sense, national character is a historical phenomenon; national character changes over time as the people self-organize, the historical situation changes and the historical tasks facing society. Thus, the circumstances of the peaceful coexistence of various ethnic groups on the territory of European Russia gave rise, in the words of the writer F.M. Dostoevsky, national tolerance and “worldwide responsiveness” of Russians.

An important feature of the Russian character was patience, which ensured survival in natural and climatic conditions. of Eastern Europe. Added to this were constant wars, upheavals, and the hardships of life in a 250-year-old Tatar-Mongol yoke. In Rus' they said: “God endured and commanded us,” “For patience God gives salvation,” “Patience and labor will grind everything down.” The main condition for patience was its moral validity.

The life of a Russian man required unification into labor collectives, in the artel, in the community. A person’s personal interests and his well-being were often placed below the well-being of the community and the state. Harsh life required fulfillment of duty, endless overcoming of difficulties; Circumstances often acted not on the side of a person, but against him, so the fulfillment of what the Great Russians planned was perceived as rare luck, luck, a gift of fate. Due to low productivity and riskiness, unpredictability of results, work for the Russian peasant became a natural, God-given occupation, rather, a punishment (suffering - from the word “suffering”).

The openness of borders and the constant external threat instilled in Russian people feelings of self-sacrifice and heroism. The consciousness of the people connected foreign invasions with the sinfulness of people. Invasions are punishments for sins and a test of perseverance and pleasing to God. Therefore, in Rus' it has always been righteous “not sparing your belly” to defend your land from the “infidels”.

The soul of the people was largely nurtured by Orthodoxy. The philosopher S. Bulgakov wrote: “The people’s worldview and spiritual way of life are determined by the Faith of Christ. No matter how far the distance between ideal and reality may be here, the norm is Christian asceticism. Asceticism is the whole story, with the Tatars oppressing him, standing at the post of guarding civilization in this cruel climate, with eternal hunger strikes, cold, suffering.” The values ​​of Orthodoxy merged with moral values ​​and formed the moral core of the people.

Traits of the Russian national character include irrationality of thinking, when figurative, emotional forms prevail over conceptual ones, when practicality and prudence recede into the background. This is also one of the sides of Russian “dual faith,” that is, the preservation and mutual integration of paganism and Orthodoxy.

Patience and humility went hand in hand with love of freedom. Byzantine and Arab authors wrote about the love of freedom of the Slavs in ancient times. The cruelest serfdom could easily coexist with the love of freedom as long as it did not encroach on the inner world of man or until boundless violence ensued. Protest resulted in uprisings and, more often than not, retreat to undeveloped lands. The geopolitical realities of Eastern Europe and Siberia allowed this to be done for many centuries.

At the same time, the best features of the national character crystallized within subethnic groups. In the minds of the Cossack, military valor and fulfillment of duty were elevated to absolutes, in the minds of the Siberian - inflexibility, perseverance and perseverance.

Thus, the partially examined traits of the Russian character make it possible to highlight duality, the struggle of opposites. According to the philosopher N. Berdyaev, Russia itself is “dual”: it has united different cultures, “Russia is East-West.”

Academician D.S. Likhachev wrote: “We need to understand the traits of the Russian character... Correctly directed. These traits are an invaluable quality of a Russian person. The revival of self-esteem, the revival of conscience and the concept of honesty - this is in general outline what we need."

IN. Klyuchevsky:“The prudent Great Russian sometimes loves, headlong, to choose the most hopeless and imprudent solution, contrasting the whim of nature with the whim of his own courage. This inclination to tease happiness, to play with luck is the Great Russian maybe. Not a single people in Europe is capable of such intense labor for a short time as the Great Russians can develop... we will not find such an unaccustomed attitude to even, moderate and measured, constant work as in Great Russia.

He is generally reserved and cautious, even timid, always on his own mind... self-doubt excites his strength, and success weakens it. The inability to calculate in advance, figure out a plan of action and go straight to the intended goal was noticeably reflected in the mentality of the Great Russian... he became more cautious than prudent... Russian people are strong in hindsight...”

ON THE. Berdyaev:“In a Russian person there is no narrowness of a European person, concentrating his energy on a small space of the soul, there is no this prudence, economy of space and time... The power of breadth over the Russian soul gives rise to a whole series of Russian qualities and Russian shortcomings. Russian laziness, carelessness, lack of initiative, and a poorly developed sense of responsibility are associated with this. The land rules over the Russian man... The Russian man, the man of the earth, feels helpless to take possession of these spaces and organize them. He is too accustomed to entrust this organization to the central government...”

Alfred Goettner:“The severity and stinginess of nature, deprived, however, of the wild power of the sea and high mountains, taught him the passive virtues of contentment with little, patience, obedience - virtues further strengthened by the history of the country...”

Russian people are generally broad people...

wide as their land,

and extremely prone

to the fantastic, to the disorderly;

but the trouble is being wide

without much genius.

F.M. Dostoevsky

One can talk endlessly about the Russian character and its characteristics... There are so many things mixed up in a Russian person that you can’t even count them on your fingers.

What does it mean to be Russian? What is the peculiarity of the Russian character? How often do gray-haired academics ask this question in scientific debates, smart journalists in various shows, and ordinary citizens in table discussions? They ask and answer. They answer differently, but everyone notes our Russian “specialness” and is proud of it. You can’t lure a Russian person with a roll - Russians are so eager to preserve their own, dear, that they are proud of the most disgusting aspects of their identity: drunkenness, dirt, poverty. Russians make up jokes about how no one can outdrink them, happily showing their dirt to foreigners.

“The mysterious Russian soul”... We use all sorts of epithets to bestow upon our Russian mentality. Is she so mysterious, the Russian soul, is she really so unpredictable? Maybe everything is much simpler? We Russians are capable of self-sacrifice in the name of our homeland, but we are not able to defend our interests as citizens of this country. We meekly accept all the resolutions and decisions of our leadership: we are choking in queues to replace our driver’s licenses; we lose consciousness in passport and visa services while waiting to receive a new passport; we upholster the thresholds tax office, in order to find out what number you now live under in this world. And this list can be continued endlessly. Limitless patience is what distinguishes a Russian person. How can one disagree with foreigners who personify us with a bear - huge, menacing, but so clumsy? We are probably rougher, certainly tougher in many cases. Russians have cynicism, emotional limitations, and a lack of culture. There is fanaticism, unscrupulousness, and cruelty. But still, mostly Russians strive for good.

For a Russian person, this is the most terrible accusation - the accusation of greed. All Russian folklore is based on the fact that being greedy is bad and greed is punishable. The catch, apparently, is that this same breadth can only be polar: drunkenness, unhealthy gambling, living for free, on the one hand. But, on the other hand, the purity of faith, carried and preserved through the centuries. Again, a Russian person cannot believe quietly and modestly. He never hides, but goes to execution for his faith, walking with his head held high, striking his enemies.

Very accurately the character traits of the Russian person are noted in folk tales and epics. In them, the Russian man dreams of a better future, but he is too lazy to make his dreams come true. He still hopes that he will catch a talking pike or catch goldfish who will fulfill his wishes. This primordial Russian laziness and love of dreaming about the advent of better times has always prevented our people from living like human beings. And the tendency towards acquisitiveness, again mixed with great laziness! A Russian person is too lazy to grow or make something that his neighbor has - it is much easier for him to steal it, and even then not himself, but to ask someone else to do it. A typical example of this is the case of the king and the rejuvenating apples. Of course, in fairy tales and satirical stories, many features are greatly exaggerated and sometimes reach the point of absurdity, but nothing arises out of nowhere - there is no smoke without fire. Such a trait of the Russian character as long-suffering often goes beyond the bounds of reason. From time immemorial, Russian people have resignedly endured humiliation and oppression. The already mentioned laziness and blind faith in a better future are partly to blame here. Russian people would rather endure than fight for their rights. But no matter how great the patience of the people, it is still not limitless. The day comes and humility transforms into unbridled rage. Then woe to anyone who gets in the way. It’s not for nothing that Russian people are compared to a bear.

But not everything is so bad and gloomy in our Fatherland. We Russians have many positive traits character. Russians are deeply partisan and have high fortitude; they are capable of defending their land to the last drop of blood. Since ancient times, both young and old have risen to fight against invaders.

A special conversation about the character of Russian women. The Russian woman has unbending fortitude, she is ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of loved one and follow him to the ends of the earth. Moreover, this is not blindly following a spouse, like oriental women, but a completely conscious and independent decision. This is what the wives of the Decembrists did, going after them to distant Siberia and dooming themselves to a life full of hardships. Nothing has changed since then: even now, in the name of love, a Russian woman is ready to spend her entire life wandering around the most remote corners of the world.

Speaking about the peculiarities of the Russian character, one cannot fail to mention the cheerful disposition - a Russian sings and dances even in the most difficult periods of his life, and even more so in joy! He is generous and loves to go out on a grand scale - the breadth of the Russian soul has already become the talk of the town. Only a Russian person can give everything he has for the sake of one happy moment and not regret it later. Let's remember the poor artist who sold everything he had and showered his beloved with flowers. This is a fairy tale, but it is not so far from life - a Russian person is unpredictable and you can expect anything from him.

Russian people have an inherent aspiration for something infinite. Russians always have a thirst for a different life, a different world, they always have dissatisfaction with what they have. Due to greater emotionality, Russian people are characterized by openness and sincerity in communication. If in Europe people are quite alienated in their personal lives and protect their individualism, then a Russian person is open to being interested in him, showing interest in him, caring for him, just as he himself is inclined to be interested in the lives of those around him: both his soul wide open and curious - what is behind the soul of the other.

There are dozens of characters in our literature, each of which bears an indelible stamp of Russian character: Natasha Rostova and Matryona Timofeevna, Platon Karataev and Dmitry Karamazov, Raskolnikov and Melekhov, Onegin and Pechorin, Vasily Terkin and Andrei Sokolov. You can't list them all. Are there really no such people in life? The pilot saves the city at the cost of his life, not leaving the stalled plane until the last moment; a tractor driver dies in a burning tractor, taking it away from a grain field; a family of nine takes in three more orphaned children; the master spends years creating a unique, priceless masterpiece and then donates it to an orphanage... You can continue ad infinitum. Behind all this there is also a Russian character. But aren't other people capable of this? Where is the line that will help distinguish a Russian person from the rest? And there is another side to him: the ability for unbridled revelry and drunkenness, callousness and selfishness, indifference and cruelty. The world looks at him and sees a mystery in him. For us, the Russian character is an alloy of the most best qualities, which will always prevail over dirt and vulgarity, and, perhaps, the most important of them is selflessly devoted love for one’s land. Tenderly stroking a birch tree and talking to it, greedily inhaling the heady aroma of arable land, reverently holding a poured ear of corn in your palm, seeing off a crane wedge with tears in your eyes - only a Russian person can do this, and may he remain like this forever and ever.

The Russian character is complex and multifaceted, but that’s what makes it beautiful. He is beautiful in his breadth and openness, cheerful disposition and love for his homeland, childish innocence and fighting spirit, ingenuity and peacefulness, hospitality and mercy. And we owe this entire palette of the best qualities to our homeland - Russia, a fabulous and great country, warm and affectionate, like the hands of a mother.

From all that has been said, we have to conclude that the only undeniable feature of the Russian character is inconsistency, complexity, and the ability to combine opposites. And is it possible on a land like Russian not to be special? After all, this feature did not appear today, but was formed day by day, from year to year, from century to century, from millennium to millennium...

And Leskov tried to create just such a Russian person in his works...

Recent events such as the overthrow of the government in Ukraine, the annexation of Crimea and its decision to join the Russian Federation, the subsequent military campaign against civilians in Eastern Ukraine, Western sanctions against Russia, and most recently the attack on the ruble - all this caused Russian society certain phase shift, which in the West is very misunderstood, if understood at all. This misunderstanding puts Europe at a serious disadvantage in terms of its ability to negotiate an end to the crisis.

And if before these events they tended to perceive Russia as “another European country,” now they remembered that Russia is another civilization with other civilizational roots (more likely Byzantine than Roman), which once or twice a century became the object of an organized Western attempt to destroy it, because it was attacked by Sweden, Poland, France, Germany or alliances of these countries. This in a special way influenced the Russian character, which, if misunderstood, could lead the whole of Europe and even the whole world to disaster.

If you think that Byzantium had little cultural influence on Russia, then you are mistaken: its influence was actually decisive. It began with the advent of Christianity - first through Crimea (the birthplace of Christianity in Russia), and then through the Russian capital Kiev (the same Kiev, which is today the capital of Ukraine) - and allowed Russia to “skip” an entire millennium of cultural development. This influence also determined the opaque and clumsy bureaucracy of the Russian state apparatus, which, along with many other things, irritates the West, which so loves transparency, especially among others. Russians often like to call Moscow the Third Rome, after the real Rome and Constantinople, and this is not entirely unfounded. But this does not mean that Russian civilization is something derivative. Yes, she managed to absorb the entire classical heritage, which was looked at primarily through an “eastern prism,” but the vast northern expanses turned this heritage into something radically different.

This topic is generally very complex, so I will focus on four factors that I consider fundamental to understanding the transformations we are witnessing today.

1. Reaction to attack

Western states were born under conditions of limited resources and unrelenting population pressure, which largely determines how these states react when targeted. For quite a long time, when the central government was weak, conflicts were resolved by bloody means, and even the most insignificant prick from a former friend immediately turned him into a rival with whom they fought with swords. The reason was that in these conditions, protecting the territory was the key to survival.

On the contrary, Russia extends over an almost endless territory over which resources are dispersed. In addition, Russia skillfully took advantage of the bounty of the trade route that led from the Varangians to the Greeks, and was so active that Arab geographers were confident in the existence of a strait that connects the Black and Baltic Sea. In these conditions, it was important to avoid conflicts, and people who grabbed weapons at every side glance would have had a hard time living in such an environment.

Therefore, a very different conflict resolution strategy was formed, which has survived to this day. If you offend or harm a Russian in any way, it is unlikely that a fight will break out (although this is exactly what happens during demonstrative confrontations in public or during the expected settling of scores through violence). More often than not, the Russian will simply send you to hell and want nothing to do with you. If the situation is complicated by physical proximity, then the Russian will think about moving - in any direction, but most importantly, away from you. In ordinary conversation, all this is formulated with the one-syllable statement “Pshel,” a form of the verb “to send.” With an almost endless amount of free land on which to settle, this strategy works great. Russians live sedentary lives, but when they need to move, they behave like nomads, among whom the main way to resolve conflicts is voluntary movement.

This reaction to insult is something of a permanent aspect of Russian culture, and therefore the West, which does not understand this, can hardly achieve the results it desires. For people from the West, an offense can be redeemed with an apology, something like “I am sorry!” But for a Russian, to a certain extent, this is nothing, especially in the case when the apology was made by the one who was sent to hell. A verbal apology, which is not accompanied by anything tangible, is one of the rules of good manners, which for Russians is a kind of luxury. Just a few decades ago, the usual apology sounded like “I’m sorry.” Today Russia is much more polite, but the basic cultural patterns are preserved.

And while a purely verbal apology is priceless, tangible restitution is not. “Getting things right” could mean parting with a rare possession, proposing a new and significant commitment, or announcing a fundamental change in direction. The main thing is to do everything, and not only in words, because at a certain stage words can only aggravate the situation, and the call to “go to hell” can be supplemented by the less pleasant phrase “let me show you the way there.”

2. Tactics against invaders

Russia has a long history of invasions from all sides, but primarily from the West, due to which Russian culture has come to a certain type of thinking that is difficult to understand from the outside. First of all, we must realize that when the Russians repel invasions (and the fact that the CIA, along with the US State Department, is ruling Ukraine through Ukrainian Nazis is considered an invasion), they are not fighting for territory, at least not directly. They are rather fighting for Russia as a concept. And the concept is that Russia has been attacked many times, but no one has ever conquered it. In the Russian consciousness, conquering Russia means killing almost all Russians, and as they like to say, “You can’t kill us all.” The population can be restored over time (22 million were killed at the end of World War II), but once the concept is lost, Russia will be lost forever. To people in the West, the words of Russians about Russia as “a land of princes, poets and saints” may seem nonsense, but this is precisely the line of thought we are talking about. Russia has no history, it itself is history.

And since the Russians are fighting over a concept rather than a specific piece of Russian territory, they are always willing to retreat first. When Napoleon invaded Russia, he saw the land scorched by the retreating Russians. Finally he reached Moscow, but it also died in the flames. He stopped there for a while, but in the end he realized that he could not do more (did he really have to go to Siberia?), so he finally left his retreating, hungry and frozen army, leaving it to the mercy of fate. As he retreated, another aspect of the Russian cultural heritage: every peasant in every village burned during the Russian retreat participated in the Russian resistance, which created many problems for the French army.

The German invasion during World War II also moved very quickly at first: a large territory was occupied, and the Russians continued to retreat, evacuating the population, entire factories and other institutions to Siberia, families moved inland. But then the German march stopped, turned around and eventually turned into a complete defeat. The standard model was repeated when the Russian army broke the will of the invaders, and most of the local residents who found themselves under occupation refused to cooperate, self-organized into partisan detachments and inflicted the maximum possible damage on the retreating aggressors.

Another Russian method in the fight against an invader is to rely on the Russian climate, which will do its job. In the countryside, people usually get rid of all unnecessary living creatures in the house by simply stopping heating: in a few days at minus 40, all the cockroaches, fleas, lice, nits, as well as mice and rats will die out. This also works with occupiers. Russia is the northernmost country in the world. And although Canada is further north, most of its population lives along the southern border, and no major cities are located above the Arctic Circle. And in Russia there are two such cities at once. Life in Russia in some respects resembles life in space or on the high seas: you cannot live without mutual assistance. The Russian winter simply will not allow one to survive without cooperation with the local residents, so to destroy the aggressor it is enough to simply refuse cooperation. And if you are sure that the occupier can force cooperation by shooting several locals in order to scare the rest, see point 1.

3. Tactics in relations with foreign powers

Russia owns almost all Northern part of the Eurasian continent, which is almost a sixth of the landmass. On the scale of planet Earth, this is enough. This is not some kind of exception or historical accident: throughout their history, Russians have sought to ensure their collective security by developing as much territory as possible. If you're wondering what prompted them to do this, go back to Tactics Against Invaders.

And if you think that foreign powers have repeatedly tried to attack and conquer Russia in order to gain access to vast natural resources, then you are mistaken: access has always been there - all you have to do is ask. Typically, Russians do not refuse to sell their natural resources - even to potential enemies. But the enemies, as a rule, wanted to “suck in” to Russian sources for free. For them, the existence of Russia is a nuisance, which they tried to get rid of through violence.

But they only achieved that after their failure the price for themselves increased. This is a simple principle: foreigners want Russian resources, and to protect them, Russia needs a strong, centralized state with a large and powerful army, so foreigners must pay and thereby support Russian state and the army. As a result, most of the Russian state's finances come from export tariffs, primarily oil and gas exports, rather than from taxation of the Russian population. After all, the Russian population had paid dearly fighting constant invaders, so why burden them with even more taxes? This means that the Russian state is a customs state, which uses duties and tariffs to obtain funds from enemies who could destroy it, and also uses these funds for its own defense. Due to the fact that there is no replacement for Russian resources, the principle works: the more hostile the world behaves towards Russia, the more money he will pay for Russia's national defense.

But this policy is used in relations with foreign powers, not with foreign peoples. Over the centuries, Russia has “absorbed” a mass of immigrants, say from Germany, during the Thirty Years’ War, and France, after the revolution there. Later people migrated from Vietnam, Korea, China and Central Asia. Last year, Russia accepted more migrants than any other country except the United States. In addition, Russia accepted almost a million people from war-torn Ukraine without much difficulty. Russians are a displaced people more than many others, and Russia is a bigger melting pot than the United States.
4. Thank you, but we have our own

Another interesting cultural trait is that Russians always see the need to be the best in everything - from ballet and figure skating, hockey and football to space flights and microchip production. You may think that “Champagne” is a protected French brand, but recently on New Year’s I was convinced that “Soviet Champagne” is still selling out at the speed of light, and not only in Russia, but also in Russian stores in the USA, because, understand, French things may be good, but they don’t taste Russian enough. For almost everything you can think of, there is a Russian version, which the Russians consider the best, and sometimes they directly say that it is their invention (for example, Popov, not Marconi, invented the radio). Of course, there are exceptions (say, tropical fruits), which are acceptable provided that they are from a “brotherly people,” which, for example, is Cuba. This model already worked in Soviet times, and it seems to have survived to a certain extent to this day.
During the ensuing “stagnation” of the era of Brezhnev, Andropov and Gorbachev, when Russian ingenuity truly declined along with everything else, technologically (but not culturally) Russia lost ground in relation to the West. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russians craved Western imports, which was understandable, since Russia itself produced practically nothing at that time. In the 90s, the time came for Western managers to flood Russia with cheap imports, setting themselves long term goal- destroy local industry and Russian production, turn Russia into a simple exporter of raw materials, which will be defenseless against the embargo, and which can easily be forced to lose its sovereignty. It would all end in a military invasion, against which Russia would be defenseless.

This process got quite far before it hit a few snags. First, Russian production and non-hydrocarbon exports have recovered and increased several times over the course of one decade. The growth also affected the export of grain, weapons and high-tech products. Secondly, Russia has found quite a few friendlier and more profitable trading partners in the world, however, this in no way diminishes the importance of its trade with the West, or more precisely with the EU. Thirdly, the Russian defense industry was able to maintain its standards and independence from imports. (The same can hardly be said about defense companies in the West that depend on Russian titanium exports).

And today, a “perfect storm” has broken out for Western managers: the ruble has partially depreciated due to low oil prices, which displaces imports and helps local producers. Sanctions have undermined Russia's faith in the West's reliability as a supplier, and the conflict in Crimea strengthens Russians' self-confidence. The Russian government has taken the opportunity to support companies that can immediately replace imports from the West with other products. The Russian Central Bank was entrusted with financing them at a lending rate that makes import substitution even more attractive.

Some compare the current period with when in last time the price of oil fell to $10 per barrel, which to a certain extent brought the collapse of the USSR closer. But this analogy is wrong. At that time, the USSR stagnated economically and depended on Western grain supplies, without which it would not have been able to feed the people. The collapse was led by the helpless and controlled Gorbachev - a peacemaker, capitulator and phrase-monger on a global scale, whose wife loved to go shopping in London. Russian people despised him. Today, Russia is once again one of the world's largest grain exporters, led by an exemplary President Putin, who enjoys the support of more than 80% of the population. By comparing the USSR before the collapse with today's Russia, commentators and analysts are only demonstrating their ignorance.

This passage literally writes itself. This is a recipe for disaster, so I’ll write everything down, point by point, as in a recipe.

1. Take the people who respond to attacks by sending you to hell, turning away from you and not wanting anything to do with you - instead of fighting with you. Realize that this is a people whose natural resources are essential to keeping your homes light and warm, so you can produce transport planes, military fighter jets, and much more. Remember that a quarter of the light bulbs in the United States come on from Russian nuclear fuel, and cutting off Europe from Russian gas would mean a real disaster.

2. Introduce economic and financial sanctions against Russia. Watch in horror as your exporters lose profits and the Russian response blocks agricultural exports. Remember, this is a country that has suffered a long chain of attacks and traditionally relies on unfriendly countries to fund Russian defenses aimed precisely at those enemies. Or Russia turns to methods such as the already mentioned winter. “No gas for NATO countries” sounds like a great slogan. Hope and pray that Moscow doesn't like him.

3. Organize an attack on their national currency, which will lose part of its value, and do the same with oil prices. Imagine how Russian officials chuckle as they go to the Central Bank when the low ruble exchange rate means filling the state budget despite the low oil price. Watch in horror as your exporters go bankrupt because they can no longer take a place in the Russian market. Remember that Russia has no national debt worth discussing, that it is run with a miniscule budget deficit, and that it has large gold and foreign exchange reserves. Remember your banks, which “lent” hundreds of billions of dollars to Russian companies - those companies to which, by imposing sanctions, you cut off access to your banking system. Hope and pray that Russia doesn't freeze debt payments on the West Bank when they impose new sanctions, because that will blow your banks out of business.

4. Watch in horror as Russia rewrites gas export agreements that now involve everyone except you. And when they start working, will there be enough gas left for you? But it seems that this is no longer Russia’s concern, because you offended it, because the Russians, so and so, sent you to hell (and don’t forget to take Galich there). Now they will trade with countries that are more friendly to them.

5. Watch with horror as Russia actively seeks ways to exit its trade relationship with you, seeks suppliers in other parts of the world, and sets up production to replace imports.

And then a surprise appears, by the way, underestimated by everyone, euphemistically speaking. Russia recently proposed a deal to the EU. If the EU refuses to sign the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the US, it could join a customs union with Russia. Why freeze yourself when Washington can freeze? This would be restitution for the past aggressive behavior An EU that Russia would accept. And this is an extremely generous offer. And if the EU accepts it, it will prove a lot: that the EU does not pose any military or economic threat to Russia, that European countries are very nice and small, produce delicious cheeses and sausages, that the current crop of politicians are worthless, dependent on Washington, and that it is necessary to create a big pressure to understand where the interests of their peoples actually lie... So will the EU accept such a proposal or will it accept Galic as a new member and “freeze”?

The mysterious Russian soul (national character of Russians and peculiarities of communication)

You can be fascinated and disappointed by the Russian people, you can always expect surprises from them, they are extremely capable of inspiring strong love and intense hatred."

N. Berdyaev

National Character Traits

If they say about England “Good Old England”, meaning the preservation and observance of traditions, about France - “Beautiful France!”, meaning the beauty and splendor of the country for which it has always been famous in all its manifestations, then about Russia they say: “Holy Rus',” suggesting that Russia is a country historically oriented towards spiritual life, a country adhering to a traditional way of life, a country based on Orthodox values.

Historical and political transformations do not have a very positive impact on the character and mentality of the Russian people.

Vague, non-standard, non-traditional values ​​introduced into Russian society - the philosophy of consumption, individualism, acquisitiveness - are one of the main reasons for the formation of a modern national character.

First you need to decide what is considered Russian nationality. For a long time, a Russian was considered one who adopted the Russian system of values, traditions, aesthetics, etc. Historically, a Russian was considered one who accepted Orthodoxy. Thus, a third of the Russian nobility before the October Revolution was represented by Tatars. A.S. Pushkin, his ancestors were generally dark-skinned! And this despite the fact that the poet is considered the most important Russian (!) poet, who absorbed and described Russian life, customs, and traditions of that period in the life of Russia!

And those white-haired and blue-eyed Russians, who can still be seen in Vologda and Uglich, constitute the original Slavic branch of all Russians.

National traits of Russians

In order to understand the “mysterious Russian soul,” you need to get a little acquainted with the origins of the formation of the Russian national character.

The character of Russians was formed on the basis of historical conditions, the geographical location of the country, space, climate and religion.

Among the national traits is the famous breadth of the Russian soul. In this regard, despite all sorts of rules and regulations that dictate moderation in giving, partners, colleagues of the opposite sex, and “vertical” employees are given gifts that are disproportionate in value. Truly on a Russian scale. It is not without reason that the gift industry is replete with expensive and pretentious gifts that are sold out for every holiday.

The main distinctive features of the Russian people are also the following:

Compassion, mercy. Today, mercy and charity are in trend (it’s very Russian to help not even for the sake of image, but simply because someone is in need and suffering...): many people and companies actively help those who find it difficult, transferring funds to help the elderly, children and even animals. They travel at their own expense to disaster sites and actively help the victims.

A German Wehrmacht soldier wrote about this feature of the Russian character when he found himself in a Russian village during the Second World War: “When I woke up, I saw a Russian girl kneeling in front of me, who was feeding me hot milk with honey from a teaspoon. I told her: “I could have killed your husband, and you are worried about me.” As we passed through other Russian villages, it became even more clear to me that it would be right to conclude peace with the Russians as quickly as possible. ...The Russians did not pay attention to my military uniform and treated me rather in a friendly manner!”

Among the best qualities of the Russian people are the interests of their family, respect for parents, and the happiness and well-being of their children.

But this is also associated with the so-called nepotism, when a manager hires his relative, who is forgiven a lot, unlike an ordinary employee, which does not have a very good effect on the performance of professional duties

Russians are characterized by an amazing quality of self-abasement and self-denial, belittling their merits. Maybe this is related to all the words that foreigners hear when they are in Russia, that they are gurus, stars, etc., but Russians seem to have nothing to do with it. Foreigners cannot understand how a people with such a rich culture and literature, a colossal territory full of riches manages to deny itself in this way. But this is due to the Orthodox rule: humiliation is more important than pride.” Pride is considered the main mortal sin that kills the immortal soul, according to Christian beliefs.

TO national traits also applies:

Religiosity and piety exist in the soul of even a Russian atheist.

The ability to live in moderation. Not the pursuit of wealth (that is why Russian society is confused - people do not know how to live only by wealth). At the same time, many, “hungry” in Soviet period“by import”, they strive to show off and throw money, which has already become a byword and is well known in Courchevel. This part of Russian nature is usually associated with “Asianism” and money obtained easily or unjustly.

Kindness and hospitality, responsiveness, sensitivity, compassion, forgivingness, pity, willingness to help.
openness, straightforwardness;
natural ease, simplicity in behavior (and even a fair amount of simplicity);
carelessness; humor, generosity; the inability to hate for a long time and the associated agreeableness; ease human relations; responsiveness, breadth of character, scope of decisions.

Wonderful creative potential(that’s why the Olympics were designed so beautifully, with the help of innovative technologies). It’s not for nothing that in Russian culture there is a character called Lefty, who hooks a flea. It is known that Lefty is a right-brain person, that is, a person with creative thinking.

Russians are incredibly patient and tolerant. (see above example with a Wehrmacht soldier).

They endure until the last minute, and then they can explode. Repeating the phrase of A.S. Pushkin: “God forbid that we see a Russian revolt - senseless and merciless!”, and sometimes misinterpreting it (so in the Internet dictionary of aphorisms you can read “The Russian revolt is SCARY - senseless and merciless”), tearing it out from the context, some forget that this remark has a very informative continuation: “Those who are plotting impossible coups among us are either young and do not know our people, or they are hard-hearted people, for whom someone else’s head is half a piece, and their own neck is a penny.” “.

Negative qualities, of course, can also be noted. This is carelessness, laziness and Oblomov’s daydreaming. And, alas, drunkenness. To a certain extent this is due to climate. When there is no sun for six months, you want to warm up and don’t want to do anything. Under certain conditions, Russians know how to gather themselves, concentrate and ignore the climate in the name of an idea. Many feats of arms- confirmation. Carelessness is associated with serfdom, which almost every Russian will have to overcome. The Russian relies on “perhaps” for two reasons: hope for the master, the Tsar-Father and the “zone of risky farming,” that is, the uncertainty and unevenness of climatic conditions.

Russians are characterized by a certain gloominess. And you rarely see people with cheerful faces on the streets. This is due to the legacy of the socialist past, which had its difficulties, with the current state of affairs and, one must assume, with the harsh climate, where there is no sun for almost half the year. But in the office the situation is changing: Russians willingly communicate with people they know.

Insufficient ability to unite and self-organize suggests that a leader, ruler, etc. is definitely needed. At the same time, a man is often appointed as a leader, based on patriarchal stereotypes - a man is the best leader. However, the situation is changing, and today we can see many women in top positions.

Perhaps due to the fact that in recent decades values ​​​​that are not characteristic of Russian peoples have been introduced - acquisitiveness, worship of the Golden Calf, Russian people, despite all the existing benefits, modern technologies, the absence of an “Iron Curtain” and opportunity, often remain (and representatives of the middle class) in a state of heightened anxiety and pessimism. Wherever Russians gather, at a festively and sumptuously laid table, there will certainly be a couple of people who will argue that “everything is bad” and “we are all going to die.”

Evidence of this is the active discussion on the forums about the Opening of the Olympics, which was excellent. At the same time, many did not see this beauty because they were discussing corruption and how much money was spent on preparation Olympic Games.

Russians cannot live without ideas and faith. So, in 1917, faith in God was taken away, faith in the CPSU appeared, in the 90s faith in the CPSU and the communist future was taken away, bandits, outcasts, Ivans-of-kinship-not-remembering appeared, because It became unclear what and who to believe in.

Now the situation is slowly but leveling out. Despite the eternal criticism of everyone and everything (and Orthodox Church and its servants), people turn to God and practice mercy.

Two faces of modern business society

Today the business community is divided roughly into two parts. These parts are presented like this. Directors are middle-aged and elderly, more often representatives of regions, former Komsomol members and party leaders. And young managers, with an MBA education, sometimes obtained abroad. The former are more closed in communication, the latter are more open. The former are more often endowed with instrumental intelligence and tend to view their subordinates as cogs in a single mechanism. The latter are more characterized by emotional intelligence, and they still try to delve into the problems of their employees, of course, not always.

The first category was not taught how to negotiate. At the same time, in the process of communication, some of them acquired good communication skills and were able to come to an agreement “with whoever needed” and had great connections in their environment. Some representatives of this group, on the contrary, communicated “from top to bottom”, in the usual authoritarian style, often with elements of verbal aggression.

Modern top managers have been trained in negotiation skills and continue their training after completing the basic course. But at the same time, “...It’s rare that foreigners who get into top positions in Russian companies last more than a year” (SmartMoney Weekly No. 30 (120) August 18, 2008).

What is the reason? The fact is that, despite their European education, young top managers are carriers of the domestic mentality.

The authoritarian management style is “imbibed with mother’s milk”; profanity may be heard at meetings and on the sidelines. This type was demonstrated by Nikita Kozlovsky in the film “DUKHLESS”. His hero has all the characteristics.

By the way, both the first and second are introverted. The latter may be completely immersed in the world of gadgets and prefer communication through communication devices.

Knowing these features, you can draw conclusions on how to adapt to communicating with Russians.

So, you have to understand that ambitious “red directors” need to be treated with great respect, like a gentleman during the times of serfdom, and young top managers - too, but at the same time understand that they are more democratic in communication. And yet they will prefer communications via the Internet.

Russian etiquette - sometimes meaningless and merciless

Despite all the kindness, generosity, and tolerance, the manners of Russians leave much to be desired, because... the Russians are the successors Soviet people, to whom for a long time they instilled in them that “bourgeois” was bad. It's ingrained into my subconscious. Therefore, sometimes you can observe the manifestation of not very correct behavior.

For example, at the Closing Ceremony of the 22nd Olympic Games, when the champion was awarded a medal on a ribbon and had to be hung around his neck, the athlete did not think to take off his hat, although during the anthem he put his right hand to his heart. On special occasions, men need to remove their hats.

Once the author observed a situation also related to hats in another city. After a seminar on business etiquette and a conversation about what to do and what not to do, two participants stood up without warning, put on large caps right in the training room and left the room.

According to the rules of European and Russian etiquette, indoors and, especially, at the table, he takes off his headdress. Exceptions: artists who claim a certain image, and representatives of faiths where it is customary to always wear a turban or turban.

If a foreigner leans back in his chair, this may mean that he expects to relax and/or end the conversation. Russians have a way of sitting, leaning back on a chair - basic state. Only athletic and/or well-mannered people in Russia sit without leaning against the back of a chair (if the chair is traditional and not ergonomic), while the rest sit as they please, demonstrating many of their complexes and basic attitudes.

Russians are not used to standing elegantly, they may try to accept closed pose and/or trample on the spot.

The view of a Russian person depends on the situation. If this is a leader, then he can look, literally without blinking, with a prickly gaze into the face of his interlocutor, especially a subordinate, or quite benevolently if in front of him is his acquaintance or relative. Of course, intelligent and well-mannered people “wear” a friendly facial expression.

Anxiety and tension are indicated by a transverse vertical fold between the eyebrows, which gives a stern, unattainable appearance, which can somewhat interfere with contact. It’s interesting that in our country such a fold can be seen even in very young girls.

When a lady approaches a colleague sitting on a chair, he does not always think to sit up, but at the same time he can, with an elegant gesture, invite her to enter the elevator, which is wrong, because Either the man or the one standing closest enters the elevator first.

Features of communication in Russia

Communication in our country has its own specifics:

- ungraciousness, poor manners, projective thinking (projection - the tendency to consider others similar to oneself); stiffness or looseness instead of free communication; gloomy facial expression; inability/unwillingness to give an answer and feedback, conflict, inability to have a “small conversation” and listen.

In informal (and sometimes formal) communication, the wrong thematic choice of conversation is often preferred (about politics, problems, illnesses, private affairs, etc.). At the same time, we have to admit that women more often talk about “everyday life” and their personal lives (relationships with parents, husbands, children, while men talk about politics and the future, and more often in gloomy tones.

In Russia, there is a wide range in the nature of communication - from a gloomy style to a feigned positive style, which came back in the 90s and was “copied” from communication models in the United States.

Along with other factors, inability to communicate in general lowers the personal image of many compatriots, the level of corporate culture and the image of the company as a whole.

Errors and main misconceptions in communication in Russia

The main mistakes and misconceptions in Russia include the opinion of the average employee, which still exists in some cases, that the guest owes him something and is obliged to do something: leave a lot of money, purchase an expensive tourist product, order luxurious dishes to the room, etc.

This is based on an irrational psychological attitude called “obligation” (a person believes that everyone owes him something, and when this does not happen, he is very offended) and affects communication in the most direct way. If hopes that a colleague, partner, or customer are not justified, and the interlocutor behaves as he does, then the Russian clerk may experience disappointment and even express his irritation.

A common misconception is also an unkind attitude and, accordingly, communication with a guest who is untenable, from the point of view of an employee.

What influences communication style. Past and modern.

Modern communication style is influenced by:

- a huge flow of information that modern people encounter;

— multiple contacts, open borders of countries and the associated willingness to travel, tourism of all types;

— new technologies, primarily online communication, which sets a certain communication style, fragmented perception of the world, “clip” thinking”;

— enormous speeds and rhythms of life;

- globalization, and the associated processes of interpenetration of languages, speech and communication styles.

Reasons for developing communication skills in Russia.

Historical past, serfdom, political regime, climate and distances, mental duality (duality) - “black” and “white” in one person, geographical borders of Russia, paternalistic (that is, when the ruler is like a father) management culture.

As a result, the formed national character encourages communication that is not associated with courtesy, openness, etc.

This manifests itself, for example, in an internal reluctance to say one’s name on the phone. Although after training they learn this.

Why is it so difficult in Russia to say your name on the phone?

An example of insufficient communicative competence is the low willingness of compatriots to give their name on the phone. This is due to the historical mentality and habits of Russians. And this may happen because

— previously the staff were not trained in business communication, courtesy, etc.

- it has been proven that the lower the social status person, the more difficult it is to introduce yourself.

- it is more difficult for a person from more distant from the centers to introduce himself by name to a stranger.

— Soviet man For many decades I have been accustomed not to demonstrate myself, to be secretive. It's connected with political regime, which existed for a long time in the USSR.

— The archetypal memory, the collective unconscious, “works.”

- Some mystical ideas (for example, in pre-Christian Rus' there were ideas that one could jinx one by name and therefore amulets were hung around the neck - a bear's claw, etc.)

Centers and regions

Speaking about modern Russian society, one cannot help but mention the constant confrontation between central cities (Moscow, St. Petersburg...) and regions, which is due to the fact that Moscow was always replenished in Soviet times with products that were not available in all regions of the Russian Federation. During the period of stagnation, there were so-called “sausage trains”. People came from other cities of Russia and from the Moscow region to buy scarce products, including sausage

The first consider the inhabitants of the provinces to be not very well-mannered, sometimes cheeky, and that “they walk over corpses,” without taking anything into account.

There is even such a thing as “life outside the Moscow Ring Road,” that is, outside of Moscow. Starting from the nearest regional cities and places, life really seems to freeze and remains unchanged for a long time. Innovations come here with some delay.

At the same time, the regionals consider Muscovites, on the one hand, arrogant and rich, despite the fact that the true native residents of the capital in this generation are quite calm and friendly people, on the other hand, as “suckers” and “blunderers” who can easily be outpaced in in many directions.

And if Muscovites can look condescendingly but tolerantly at newcomers, then regional residents, even having settled in the capital, cannot always accept the lifestyle and mentality of a Muscovite, and, sometimes, they may even experience residual complexes, saying in a conversation with a native resident something like : “Is it okay that I’m not a Muscovite?” or: “Here you are, Muscovites!” The latter have to prove the “presumption of innocence” in the inadequate distribution system that took place during the years of the USSR.

Now the appearance, the face of the city is changing, and the style and morals of the inhabitants of the metropolis are also changing.

Bulat Okudzhava

Ch. Amirejibi

I was evicted from Arbat, an Arbat emigrant.

In Bezbozhny Lane my talent is withering away.

There are strange faces and hostile places all around.

Although the sauna is opposite, the fauna is not the same.

I was evicted from Arbat and deprived of my past,

and my face is not scary to strangers, but funny.

I am expelled, lost among other people's destinies,

and my sweet, my emigrant bread is bitter to me.

Without a passport or visa, just with a rose in hand

I wander along the invisible border on the castle,

and to those lands I once inhabited,

I keep looking, looking, looking.

There are the same sidewalks, trees and courtyards,

but the speeches are unhearted and the feasts are cold.

The thick colors of winter also blaze there,

but the invaders come to my pet store.

A master's gait, arrogant lips...

Ah, the flora there is still the same, but the fauna is not the same...

I am an emigrant from Arbat. I live, bearing my cross...

The rose froze and flew all over.

And, despite some confrontation - open or secret - at a difficult historical moment, Russians unite and become a united people.

Men and women

Russian men who serve in companies and do not work on construction sites are distinguished by gallant behavior: they will open the door for a lady, let them go ahead, and pay the bill in a restaurant. Sometimes even regardless of official chain of command. Should you hold the door for a lady? Should I give her a coat?

Until now, expert opinions are contradictory, and in each case it helps to understand the moment and intuition. According to American rules business etiquette: Under no circumstances should you hold the door and hand a coat to a lady colleague. But we live in Russia.

Women in Russia have a combination of femininity and homeliness, they are well-groomed, businesslike and very active. In Moscow, every second or third lady drives. Modesty in its traditional meaning seems to be a thing of the past.

At the same time, women continue to love it when office men look after them: hand them coats, etc. So foreigners who advocate emancipation, having arrived in Russia, will have to wait with their advice.

On the one hand, gallantry is pleasant, on the other, in Russia, as in many countries, there is a glass ceiling for women. And they prefer to hire men for leadership positions. Both men and women.

Traditional stereotypes are that a woman cannot think logically, is a weak leader, and will be disturbed by her family.

Moreover, if a woman occupies a leadership position, then she is a “real bitch”, “a man in a skirt” and walks over corpses...

IN mixed team, where both men and women work, office romances happen. Traditionally, the public takes the man’s side, so in some cases it is better not to take risks and not start an unnecessary relationship.

Women's groups have their own specifics. While some employee is doing well, others may sometimes feel envy. Therefore, it is better to try not to excite her by dressing, say, too brightly or stylishly. Moreover, if a misfortune befalls an employee, everyone unites and begins to provide her with all possible assistance: financial, organizational, etc.

According to the rules of etiquette, it is not pleasant to talk about illnesses and family matters at work. However, this rule is violated, especially in the women's team. And woe to the secretary who, in response to her boss’s confidential stories, began to share her problems. It can come back to haunt you harshly.

Men and women in Russia look different.

Clothing, dress code

For the sake of walking career ladder, some men try to dress elegantly, and even buy suits famous brands. These are mostly top managers and ambitious yuppies.

Another part of men is socially lower and has a lower educational level. This probably has something to do with the way I wear a black top and jeans on any day. The subway can be dark because of such clothes. Black jackets, black pullovers, sometimes black shirts (for negotiations, for which it is customary to wear light shirts) in combination with a black tie.

It is interesting that, as soon as the slightest opportunity is given not to wear a good, stylish suit, like the Italians or the French, Russian men immediately put on the “black style”. This is usually explained by the fact that it is “non-marking”. In fact, the desire to “hide” behind the color black would say a lot to social psychologists...

There is a special demographic situation in Russia: there are significantly more women than men. And, if earlier you had to be wary of harassment directed at a woman, now in Russia, due to natural competition, there is a “hunt” for accomplished men. Therefore, women resort to various tricks just to get a successful husband: neckline, mini, false nails, which does not meet corporate standards, but at the same time “promotes” the lady on the local “marriage market”. This comes as no surprise.

Both of them violate the dress code, which at the same time today has become softer and more democratic. And employers do not require ladies to wear a strict “sheath” suit, which was previously necessary.

Negotiations and reception of delegations

Much has been written about the rules of business negotiations on the pages of our magazine.

Russian negotiators: perceive the interlocutor as an adversary, treat him with suspicion and some hostility, consider it necessary to hide certain data (opacity allows many things to be done).

Local “princelings” have ambitions. Russian negotiators think that their city or region is the best. And, what’s worse, they try to “knock out” all sorts of preferences for themselves during negotiations, which most often go not for the development of territories, but into their own pockets. At the same time, often on the spot federal authorities represent the most serious obstacle to the innovative development of the territory.

At the same time there is very positive examples development of territories. Thus, Alexander Vasilyevich Filipenko, the former head of the Administration of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug, is considered the pride of Siberia, who glorified the region with innovations and amazing projects aimed at the improvement and development of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. The International Biathlon Center is named in his honor.
Specifics of negotiations

Speaking loudly without taking into account the other party's mannerisms can also derail negotiations.

Rigidity, i.e. hardness, inactivity, inadaptability in negotiations. No concessions.

Overt manipulation, when they try to “drive the interlocutor into a corner”

Inadequate appearance(either jeans with a black pullover, or a very smart suit.

Reluctance to take responsibility, attempts to avoid a serious conversation.

Ignorance and not a strong desire to know national characteristics representatives of the other side and the rules of good manners (they may take off their jacket at the wrong time, at the beginning of negotiations, or slap them on the shoulder)

Unfulfilled promises and negligence in paperwork complete the list.

Unpleasant hints of bribes (in the case of compatriots), so-called kickbacks.

Pleasing trends. Some Russian local leaders are building roads and hospitals at their own expense. Isn't this Russian?.. After all, generosity and charity have always been on Russian soil.

When a delegation is expected in an organization or company, everyone strives to prepare in the best possible way.

Hospitality.

But if in modern companies young managers, with all their democracy, can even reach the point of some familiarity in communication (this is expressed in carelessness of address, the truncated name “Tatyan” instead of “Tatyana”, in ignoring the senior-junior positions, some even carelessness in communication, strange Business Cards), then in organizations with traditional culture Ceremony, sedateness, and adherence to the rules of conduct adopted when receiving delegations are more honored. There is a protocol department that organizes receptions, delegations, meetings, and events.

Feast

In Russia it is accompanied by abundant eating and drinking wine. Only in diplomatic circles can only two snacks be served for “Breakfast” or “Lunch”. If you don’t serve too many treats at a corporate party, this may be perceived with surprise, if not offense. Russians at corporate parties eat generously, drink a lot and sometimes dance, but more often they prefer to break into groups and have a heart-to-heart talk.

Etiquette is not always observed, because why observe it if everyone has become friends and almost relatives at that moment?..

It is very important to control yourself at such moments, because office romances that begin at events quickly pass, and the words spoken about a leader under the influence of strong drinks are, “Not a sparrow. If it flies out, you won’t catch it.”

Greetings, address

After the October Revolution, the boundaries of communication between the sexes were erased and the address “comrade” and “comrade” appeared in everyday life, addressed to both men and women.

After Perestroika, when capitalism began to enter Russia, experts in the field of the Russian language tried to introduce into speech the addresses “master”, “madam”, “sir”, “madam”. Sometimes at pretentious corporate events you can hear “Mr. Ivanov”, “Mrs. Petrova”, but more often at the moment when they are spoken about in the third person.

When contacting directly, you have to find an option that is acceptable and convenient for both. So, in Russia an older person is addressed by his first name and patronymic, of course, with “you”; a younger person is addressed by his first name. At the same time, the practice of addressing even older people by name has become a practice (depending on the corporate style). This style came from the USA.

Particularly important today is the issue of switching to “You”. The initiator of such an appeal Maybe Only a higher-ranking person, only a client, only an older person, and in an equal situation, only a woman, can speak. Everything else is a violation of the rules of etiquette.

At the same time, in Russia “you” is heard all the time, especially on highways, where drivers seem to completely forget about the existence of the pronoun “you.”

Nowadays, as an initial address you can hear “respected” in relation to a man or “lady” said to a woman. Or the impersonal: “Would you be kind?”, “Can you tell me?”

Smile.

It should be noted that the traditional unsmiling and gloomy facial expression by which Russians are recognized all over the world are associated with a sincere desire to appear serious.

Russians smile willingly. But only when meeting friends. Therefore, foreigners could be philosophical about the fact that on the streets they will meet many people who walk with the most negative expression on their faces, with furrowed eyebrows. Obviously, the climate influenced this style. This is also due to the fact that Russians are characterized by a certain closedness, despite the fact that there is a proverb “Death is fair in the world!” Some actors are very reserved in life. But Russians will smile widely and sincerely at their acquaintances and friends. It’s just that in the minds of a Russian person, smiling and laughter are close in meaning, and “Laughter for no reason is a sign of a fool.”

Guests can come not only from abroad, but also from other regions

Forewarned is forearmed. In order to be well prepared for contact with representatives of a particular national culture, in this case modern Russians, it is important to study their customs and traditions, features and possible differences. If you know what certain traditions are associated with, then this will make it possible to adapt in relation to partners and visitors, establish the correct style and intonation in communication with them, which as a result will allow you to establish long-term business relations. Knowledge of morals, characteristics, traditions will ultimately give a tolerant approach, which in turn will give understanding and create spiritual comfort and loyalty towards, in this case, the Russian people and their mysterious soul.

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1. Paternalism ( lat. paternus - paternal, paternal) - a system of relations based on patronage,guardianship and control by seniors of juniors (wards), as well as subordination of juniors to seniors.

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Irina Denisova, member of the Council, coordinator of the “Personal Marketing” club, “Communications” workshop of the Guild of Marketers

This article was published in the paper business publication “Directory of the Secretary and Office Manager”, No. 4 2014. Please respect copyright and refer to the author and publication when reprinting. Published in the author's edition. - I.D.