My book review of Culture Map by Erin Meyer: One book you must read before managing or doing business with people from other cultures.
Culture is not straightforward. What is respectful for others might not be for you. But, once you miss the difference there, all good intentions turn into bitter conflicts, literally for nothing. You lose trust, friendships, and businesses.
What defines proper communication is barely communication itself. It is not about talking directly or indirectly, as some cultures prefer. There is more to communication. Cultural behaviors vary among building trust, disagreeing, giving feedback, decision making, scheduling meetings, persuading others, and leading. And cultures can exhibit counterintuitive behaviors between these.
Let’s take Americans as an example. People tend to speak openly here. They are direct. How direct? Let’s compare them with Turkish culture. If you are a guest in your friend’s house, he asks if you are hungry; saying yes immediately is considered impolite. Hence, your friend must ask you several times to get an honest answer. People know how to operate around this. But here in the US, one question and answer is enough, and people don’t get offended if not asked multiple times. Having to ask numerous times would be considered awkward.
Another example. Americans are more egalitarian than Germans on the importance of hierarchy. For example, people call their boss by their name; titles are not hugely important. But, when it comes to decision-making, things work counterintuitively. Germans display a more egalitarian approach than Americans. Germans get everyone’s buy-in before making the decision. But American’s tend to follow what the boss says. Is that bad? No. Germans might be making more precise decisions, but Americans move faster. It is all about the circumstances the decisions are made.
But if you are German or American, who does not know how each side operates, you may start developing prejudices towards each other. But it is a cultural thing, and understanding how the other side functions can help tremendously with communication and business.
Interestingly, reading this book helped me see my behaviors better.