The Anglo-Saxon nations are more concerned with the “how” and will focus more on practical applications or conclusions rather than the method of reaching those ideas. In contrast, cultures may become polychronic because their countries are unpredictable. When governments are unreliable and natural disasters shut down your business, companies and managers succeed by adapting to unpredictable circumstances and by keeping employees loyal in times of hardship. When relationships and adaptability take priority, schedules become less important and thus more flexible. (Shortform note: In fact, one paper suggests that polychronism may inhibit industrialization by contributing to corruption and inefficiency.) Strategies for Scheduling Across Cultures Though the author is referring to the works of the above-mentioned gentlemen, she took a completely different approach than my class, when it comes to theory and its real-world application. Cultural differences in leading styles, according to Professor André Lauren, are hugely affected by the history of the country/region. For example, the history of France shows the influences of the Roman Empire’s hierarchical structures and central political standing. On the other hand, hierarchical structures leading in countries such as Sweden are seen due to the impact of the Vikings. Meyer divides trust-building methods into two extremes: task-based, which we’ll call cognitive, and relationship-based, which we’ll call personal.

Meyer suggests that just as the Hegelian method used in the French educational system influenced how they persuade people in business settings, it also influenced how they disagree. In other words, the French disagree openly in business settings because that’s what they were taught to do in school. Japan is on the other side of the spectrum: it’s the highest-context country , closely followed by other East Asian nations, such as Korea, China, and Indonesia.According to Meyer, in cognitive cultures, trust develops based on behavior—like whether someone’s good at their job. Business relationships remain professional and don’t bleed into personal connections. In contrast, the cornerstone of business relationships in personal cultures is affective or personal trust—the trust that people of all cultures feel towards their family and friends. So while people build relationships slowly, this connection lasts across jobs. (Shortform note: Researchers suggest that trust has three parts: competency, honesty (or integrity), and benevolence, the idea that someone is acting in your best interests. It’s likely that although both types of cultures value honesty, cognitive cultures place a higher value on competence and personal cultures place a higher value on benevolence.) In The Culture Map, we read about a successful Norwegian manager who is biking to work every day. It is nothing out of the ordinary since Norwegia is an egalitarian country, and biking to work like everyone else perfectly fits to the culture. Of course, such a strategy only works if you understand your own culture. This is another essential strategy Meyer recommends: Only when we first understand how our culture is unique in some capacity can we appreciate and work with the differences in other cultures. (Shortform note: Meyer focuses exclusively on national cultures. But looking at what other kinds of cultures—our gender and generation, for example—have influenced us is also an essential business skill.) Speaking with passion isn’t the same as disagreeing as, especially in northern Europe, objectivity is valued strongly. So a German may disagree with you on the issue to be discussed, but is unlikely to show much emotion, however important it is to him (which in turn can drive a Greek or Egyptian crazy).

Flexible-time such as cultures such as in Vietnam, Indian, Mexican, Saudi Arabia usually appear as unorganized and chaotic in the eye of the linear-time observer in the UK, Japan, or the US. On the contrary, an Indian or a Saudi would view the British culture as inflexible and incapable to adapt to sudden changes. 8. Persuading: Principles first vs. applications first Even though I worked most of my life in task-based societies, the relationship between coworkers was newer than straightforward and most companies I worked with emphasized community as one of their most important values. Consensual scale – Cultures with consensual deciding scales involve everyone in the decision-making process. The final decision is made after all concerned reach a consensus. This type of deciding scale helps in making decisions faster. Countries such as Sweden and the Netherlands are examples of consensual deciding scales. Erin Meyer’ “ The Culture Map” is your guide to effortlessly transcend the cultural barriers and acquire the much-needed skills to “decode cultures foreign to your own.” Who Should Read “The Culture Map”? And Why? In countries that decide by consensus, the group takes everyone’s opinion into account. All the relevant parties consider all the information, and they make a decision only when everybody agrees. (Shortform note: Meyer doesn't specifically define consensus, which is generally defined as almost unanimous with some dissenting opinions. Acceptable dissent differs by country, so learn what consensus means where you’re working.) So decisions take a long time but are final once made. (Shortform note: This long decision-making process could have serious financial detriment.)Linear schedules – Linear styles focus on one task before they move to the next one and prefer to adhere to deadlines. Moreover, such cultures find it impolite to shift attention from one task to the other without finishing the first task.

In Israel and France – and to a lesser extent in Germany and Russia – you are expected to get confrontational, and this will not impact the relationship in any negative way.Considering the communication and evaluation scale together, we see that cultures can be divided into four categories – These 8 categories of cultural differences have helped us in the way we train companies, employees, and lead our personal lives. We highly recommend you take the time to read this book and start making your life easier when working with groups around the globe. Meyer’s strategies for building affective trust mostly involve ways to connect with the other person. If you can, visit, and socialize by spending time on meals, finding mutual interests to bond over and turning your professional self off when you go out. If you can’t visit, spend more time on the phone and follow the other person’s cues by letting them direct how the phone calls progress. (Shortform note: Since the COVID-19 pandemic, more people have been working remotely, making in-person visits difficult and presenting unique challenges for building affective trust. Some strategies include creating a virtual hang-out space or video chatting to feel more bonded to one another.) Axis #7: Open Disagreement vs Disagreement-Avoidant Cultures

Meyer outlines eight cases with two outliers and some in-between, highlighting that culture and personality both matter when it comes to understanding different people. Some takeaways from The Culture Map This is a great book to read if you are struggling with leadership or business issues across cultures. It provides you with the tools needed to navigate complex leadership challenges and to achieve the desired business outcomes. Chapter 1 – Communicating: Low-Context cultures communicate precisely, simply, and clearly. The communication is taken at face value and in some cases, repetition is appreciated, especially if it helps clarify communication. High-Context cultures, on the other hand, are cultures where communication is more sophisticated, nuanced, and layered. For these cultures, you may have to read between the lines as messages may be implied.The author suggests asking the following question after a team member of yours was fired to determine the answer: "Will you continue your relationship with the person who has been fired even though he is no longer part of your company? " When working with people from higher-context cultures, Meyer suggests to listen actively, listening out for what’s is meant instead of what’s being said. And if you find yourself working with people from lower-context cultures, Meyer recommends being as transparent, clear, and specific as possible.