The Culture Map Erin Meyer Summary

[In Libman]

Differentcultures have different expectations when handling feedback, with some offering (and expecting) more direct negative feedback, while others are more indirect. Below is a figure from the book showing countries across this spectrum.

A good example of this is America. While Americans are known as very explicit (low context) communicators, they are more indirect in giving negative feedback. In my own experiences, this resonates with many other Anglo-Saxon cultures, where giving negative feedback about a situation is often associated with judging or labelling someone.

In this dimension, different cultures approach discussion and arguments differently, with some first looking for or starting with theories (concept-first) and others looking for or starting with examples (application-first). Below is a figure from the book showing countries across this spectrum.

Countries with a concept-first focus, such as the French and Italians, tend towards deductive arguments, focusing on theories and complex concepts before presenting a fact, statement, or opinion. Others, notably Anglosaxon cultures, tend toward inductive arguments, first focusing on the practical application before moving to theory.

Although leadership expectations might be more egalitarian or top-down, decision-making is a separate element and is best highlighted by the stark contrast in Japan. While Japan is typically more hierarchical compared to other countries, culturally, it also has a very consensual decision-making system. This is called the ringi-system, which involves building consensus at a lower level before bringing proposals to a higher level. Nemawashi is a similar concept, which is the process of quietly laying the foundation of some change by talking to the people concerned and gathering support before a formal announcement.

In task-based cultures, trust develops as long as you do good work. This is very situation-dependent, and trust can be quickly built and lost. In relationship-based cultures, work relationships are not quickly built. In relationship-based cultures, people might be paired to a particular task solely on their relationship and not necessarily their aptitude to do the work.

For me, this aspect feels similar to the Evaluating aspect previously covered. Still, it is broader about how different cultures approach conflicting opinions, with some countries more confrontational and others tending to avoid confrontation. Below is a figure from the book showing countries across this spectrum.

The last cultural difference highlighted in the book is how countries approach time and schedule, with some being more sequential or linear and others being more flexible. Below is a figure from the book showing countries across this spectrum.

I am reminded of this cultural difference when I think of courses I held in Germany compared to courses in Brazil. With courses in Germany, participants typically arrive well before the workshop or very much on time. In Brazil, I remember several people turning up to 30 minutes after the start and one person casually walking in one hour after the start!

Unlike the Meyer-Briggs test, which is proven to be little more than a horoscope, I still believe these research-based models offer some value. I have personally found these models helpful for building empathy, tailoring communication and adjusting situations to be more inclusive.

I hope you enjoyed the series of posts about one of the approaches to identifying dimensions of cultures, created by Erin Meyer. This post is supposed to provide a brief summary of the dimensions so that you have them in one place as well as encourage you to explore the dimensions in more detail.

-> Useful to consider when you work in an international team where feedback is a valuable development tool. It is good to establish what is the best way to give feedback that increases the chances of actually taking it on board.

-> Definitely consider it together with the deciding scale to get the full picture of the discussions that might come up during brainstorming meetings and how they might be managed to give everyone the same chance for having an input.

The above suggestions are of course slightly generalised to facilitate broad understanding of the theory in place, but do have a look at all the above articles to learn some more about various approaches that can be met around the world.

Is there any particular issue that you find difficult to deal with when working with a culture different from the one you were brought up in? What tools or approaches helped you go past the differences and embrace the similarities when working across cultures?

Hi, my name is Marta. I am combining my psychological, business and intercultural experience to help you navigate the corporate world to progress your career. I believe that a lot is possible for such an ambitious and talented person as yourself! With some exercises, self-reflection and new knowledge, you can grow your cultural intelligence and build a successful international career.

The 8 cultural dimensions illustrated above can be plotted on 8 scales. The key is to look at cultural relativity, not absolutes, so we understand how people from one culture might see another culture differently.

In high-context cultures, communication is nuanced with multiple layers. Messages are often conveyed via non-verbal cues and subtle signals. Good communication means listening/reading between the lines and understanding unspoken messages. Asian countries skew toward this end of the spectrum, with

Japan, Indonesia, and Korea being the highest context.

Different cultures handle negative feedback differently. Cultures that are direct with negative feedback share them honestly, frankly, and even bluntly. Other cultures are indirect with negative feedback: They deliver the feedback subtly and diplomatically.

Our full version of The Culture Map summary covers three approaches to improve your persuasive skill and increase your chances of winning people over. This includes a unique approach for Asian cultures.

In egalitarian cultures, bosses and subordinates have little or no distance. In contrast, in hierarchical cultures, status is important. A great boss leads from the front and maintains some distance from subordinates. Find out the best ways to present yourself in different cultures, like knowing when not to skip organizational levels to become a more culturally-aware and effective leader.

In consensual decision-making cultures, people from different groups/levels are consulted to reach a unanimous agreement. In top-down decision-making cultures, decisions are usually made

by leaders and followed without challenge.

While Egalitarian cultures often use consensual decision-making and hierarchical cultures use top-down decision-making, there can be exceptions. For instance, Japan is hierarchical but uses a consensual approach (Ringi-system).

In task-based cultures, trust is built when people like working with you and see that you consistently deliver quality work. In relationship-based cultures, trust is built when people know you personally (or know others who trust you).

In confrontational cultures, open debates are encouraged for creativity and sound decisions. In confrontation-avoiding cultures, the priority is to preserve group harmony.

Linear-time cultures approach tasks sequentially, finishing one task before starting the next. They value order and punctuality. Flexible-time cultures approach tasks fluidly, adjusting as circumstances change.

The 8 dimensions above reflect how culture impacts business, and how different countries fall on the spectrum. You can use the 8 scales to map out the cultures of your team members or business partners, to make cultural differences explicit, thereby making it easier to identify challenges/opportunities and to bridge these gaps.

If you are ready to learn more about the 8 cultural dimensions and reflect more on how they impact business, do check out our full book summary bundle which includes an infographic, 17-page text summary, and a 27-minute audio summary!

For more on culture dynamics in business, check out our free summary of Organizational Culture and Leadership by Edgar Schein, which explains how leaders can influence, establish, and transform culture in organizations. Or, The Fearless Organization which explores fostering growth and psychological well-being in dynamic environments.

Netflix culture is different. It is not about universal rules, it is about the specific formula that works well for them. As a company, you may not be able to apply all of this advice, and as an individual, you may easily say: this is not for me.

In this review I will cover the main ideas from the book, adding my own commentary, and references to other books which cover similar topics. Sometimes it will be to reinforce the message, other times to provide a counter-example.

The reason for this choice is, I believe, that the book wants to be both a manual about good culture (according to Netflix) and a recollection of the Netflix evolution through various stages.

So, the chapters read like evolutionary steps, and for good reason. Today it is easy to take Netflix for granted as a modern tech giant, but the reality is: Netflix is older than Google.

It was founded in 1997, and for more than ten years it only worked as a DVD rental service. It reinvented itself in 2007, as a streaming platform, and the rest is history (trivia: it has still been shipping DVDs until last year).

3a8082e126