French culture weights expertise heavily in decision-making. Those with relevant knowledge have standing to influence decisions in their domains. Decisions that ignore relevant expertise are questionable; claiming to decide on matters one does not understand is risky.
When working with French counterparts, respect expertise in relevant domains—seek input from those who know, defer to professional judgment in professional matters, demonstrate relevant competence when claiming authority in technical areas. If you lack expertise in a decision domain, consult those who have it. The unprepared decision-maker who proceeds without relevant knowledge or appropriate consultation violates French expectations about how serious decisions should be made.
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