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Navigating the Cultural Minefield

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Summary

This article discusses the importance of understanding cultural differences in business when working with colleagues and clients from different parts of the world. INSEAD professor Erin Meyer has developed a tool called the Culture Map that plots the positions of numerous nationalities along eight behavior scales: Communicating, Evaluating, Persuading, Leading, Deciding, Trusting, Disagreeing, and Scheduling. Meyer also provides four important rules to help managers successfully navigate cultural differences: don't underestimate the challenge, apply multiple perspectives, find the positive in other approaches, and continually adjust your position.

Q&As

What is Erin Meyer's tool called that helps managers navigate cultural differences?
Erin Meyer's tool is called the Culture Map.

What are the 8 behavior scales used in Erin Meyer's tool?
The 8 behavior scales used in Erin Meyer's tool are Communicating, Evaluating, Persuading, Leading, Deciding, Trusting, Disagreeing, and Scheduling.

What are the 4 rules suggested by Erin Meyer to help with cross-cultural management?
The 4 rules suggested by Erin Meyer to help with cross-cultural management are: Don't underestimate the challenge, apply multiple perspectives, find the positive in other approaches, and continually adjust your position.

What example does the article give of a manager struggling to work with a culturally different team?
The example given in the article of a manager struggling to work with a culturally different team is Aaron, who was having difficulty managing his team in Moscow.

What range of resources does Harvard Business Review offer to help with cultural differences?
Harvard Business Review offers a range of resources to help with cultural differences, including the Magazine, Ascend, Podcasts, Video, Store, Webinars, Newsletters, The Big Idea, Data & Visuals, Reading Lists, Case Selections, and HBR Learning.

AI Comments

👍 This article provides an excellent tool for navigating the complexities of international work teams. It provides an insightful look into cultural differences and how they can affect business dynamics.

👎 The article does not provide any concrete solutions on how to navigate the cultural minefield. It relies too heavily on cliches and stereotypes which may lead to inaccurate assumptions.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about navigating the cultural minefield in the workplace. It talks about the Culture Map, which is a tool developed by INSEAD professor Erin Meyer to compare the relative positions of different nationalities along eight behavior scales. The article also suggests four important rules for managers to negotiate cultural differences in the workplace.

Friend: Interesting. What are the implications of this article?

Me: Well, the main implication is that managing a culturally diverse workplace can be challenging, but also rewarding. By understanding and appreciating cultural differences, managers can create a more productive and collaborative working environment. Additionally, it's important to continually adjust your behavior to better align with the cultural norms of colleagues from different backgrounds.

Action items

Research the cultural norms of the countries you are working with and understand how they may differ from your own.
Make an effort to learn the language of the countries you are working with, even if it is just basic phrases.
Develop an understanding of the cultural differences in communication styles and adjust your own communication style accordingly.

Technical terms

Navigation Menu: A menu of options that allows a user to navigate through a website or application.
Subscribe: To sign up for a service or product, usually in exchange for a fee.
Account Menu: A menu of options that allows a user to manage their account settings.
Cross-cultural management: The study of how different cultures interact and how to manage those interactions in a business setting.
The Culture Map: A tool developed by INSEAD professor Erin Meyer that plots the positions of numerous nationalities along eight behavior scales.
Communicating: The act of exchanging information or ideas.
Evaluating: Assessing the value or quality of something.
Persuading: Convincing someone to do something.
Leading: Guiding or directing a group of people.
Deciding: Making a choice or decision.
Trusting: Having faith or confidence in someone or something.
Disagreeing: Expressing a different opinion or point of view.
Scheduling: Planning and organizing activities or events.