SUBTEXTnever ask anybody what he or she earns. The Brits have a rather
unkind joke about Americans. They say, you meet one and the
American immediately asks, How old are you? What do you do?
How much do you make?"
To break the ice, Ian suggests asking the British business associ-
ate about something that interests you. "If you are a theater buff,
you might ask about the latest production of the Royal Shakespeare
Company. They'd be quick to tell you about the season's openings
and might even invite you to see a performance. The trick is to
express your interest indirectly and let them help you."
The British no longer dress for dinner, but if you're invited to
dinner or to a country house weekend, it's proper to ask what
the dress will be. "They would much rather you ask than to have
you arrive dressed incorrectly."
A final warning Ian gave concerns the proper way to address
the British businessperson who happens to be a member of the
aristocracy. "If he is a knight named John Smith, you address
him as Sir John, not Mr. Smith and never Sir Smith. If he is a
baron, marquess, earl, or viscount, it will be Lord Smith, not
Lord John!"
In Great Britain, as in Russia and the Eastern Bloc countries,
change is going on, and many of the subtexts that work this year
may be out of date next year. This may be particularly true of
Russia, where the attempt to move into a free-market economy
could change the workers' attitudes.