As we increasingly work with colleagues and clients who come from all parts of the world, it is vital to understand how cultural
differences affect business. Yet too often we rely on clichés and
stereotypes that lead us to false assumptions. To help managers
negotiate the complexity of an international work team, INSEAD professor
Erin Meyer has developed a tool called the Culture Map, which plots the
positions of numerous nationalities along eight behavior scales:
Communicating, Evaluating, Persuading, Leading, Deciding, Trusting,
Disagreeing, and Scheduling. Meyer suggests that comparing the relative
positions of different nationalities along these scales can help us
decode how culture influences workplace dynamics. She adds four
important rules: Don't underestimate the challenge. Management and work
styles stem from lifelong habits that can be hard to change. Apply
multiple perspectives. Be aware of your own expectations and behaviors,
but also consider how members of other cultures perceive you and fellow
teammates. Find the positive in other approaches. The differences that
people of varied backgrounds bring to a work group can be great assets.
Continually adjust your position. Be prepared to keep adapting your
behavior to meld with the styles of your colleagues.