So if you were going to give a business presentation in Scandinavia, you would give it to your relationship peer to check it. You start to learn what is going to be accepted and what is not.

We had been IT-led before my arrival. We had to change governance and say to the business units 'it is your money we are spending' - without a business sponsor there is no IT project. These investments are business decisions.

When in any new culture, it's common sense to demonstrate basic restraint, tolerance and to show a desire to learn. To me, that is more about engendering good relations than going in holding a business card and saying if I do this at least they will think I have tried.

Too much at the moment can be left until after the decision is made.

I have seen and been involved in acquisitions where that big question is left unanswered.

If IT directors can't answer that, they are not managing their portfolio.