1. Implement Scheduled Feedback Touchpoints
Danish managers naturally operate with a "no news is good news" mindset, while Romanian professionals interpret silence as uncertainty. Establish regular, calendared feedback sessions (weekly or bi-weekly) where performance discussions are expected and normalized.
This creates a predictable framework for Romanian team members to receive the explicit confirmation they need, while giving Danish managers a structured opportunity to provide feedback they might otherwise assume is unnecessary.
2. Develop Cultural Feedback Translation Skills
Train Danish managers to recognize that their natural feedback style may be creating unintended anxiety. The most effective approach is teaching them to "translate" their internal assessment ("This work meets my expectations, so I don't need to say anything") into explicit statements ("I've reviewed your work and it meets all our quality standards").
This small communication adjustment preserves the Danish assessment process while meeting the Romanian need for verbal confirmation.
3. Create Objective Performance Indicators
Establish clear, documented performance metrics that Romanian professionals can reference independently between feedback conversations. This might include project milestone trackers, quality assessment checklists or team contribution frameworks.
These tools provide Romanian team members with tangible reassurance when direct verbal feedback is limited, while respecting the Danish preference for letting quality work stand on its own merit.
4. Develop Multi-Channel Feedback Systems
Different cultural backgrounds respond to different feedback channels. Implement a combination of approaches:
- Brief written summaries after project completions
- Visual dashboard indicators of performance status
- Peer recognition systems
- Regular team celebrations of achievements
This creates multiple pathways for feedback to flow, meeting Romanian needs while not forcing Danish managers to completely abandon their cultural comfort zone.
The most successful cross-cultural teams don't require either side to fundamentally change their values, but rather build systems that honor both approaches while meeting everyone's core needs for clarity and recognition.
