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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
The Culture Map summary
Erin Meyer
Breaking through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business
15 mins
Brief summary
'The Culture Map' by Erin Meyer is a guide to navigating cultural differences in the global workplace. It provides practical tools for understanding other cultures' norms, behaviors, and communication styles to improve collaboration and avoid misunderstandings.
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The Culture Map
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Key idea 1 of 8
Being a good observer is sometimes more important than being a good speaker.
Why do we find communicating with people from other countries so challenging sometimes? We often have to deal with different temperaments, values and senses of humor.
In order to navigate these situations, we should try to avoid being what the Japanese call kuuki yomenai, which translates to someone who “cannot read the air.”
We can better “read the air” if we consider that communication styles can fall on a communicating scale, and be grouped into low-context cultures and high-context cultures.
Western countries, such as the USA or Australia, are known as low-context cultures, where communication is precise and clear in order to avoid misinterpretation. Contrastingly, communication in high-context cultures in countries such as Japan or Korea are more subtle and layered and often require reading between the lines to understand what is meant.
No country, however, is 100 percent low or high context. French managers, for instance, tend to be more high-context than German managers, but are low-context compared to Chinese managers.
Why do different countries have different contexts? The answers can be found in history. High-context cultures like Japan have had largely a homogenous population, therefore people became tuned to subtle nuances in communication and developed skills in “reading the air.”
American history, on the other hand, is much shorter and has been strongly influenced by immigrants, requiring their communication to be explicit to avoid misunderstandings.
So how can you work well with other cultures? You need to strike a balance between listening and speaking. When working with high-context cultures, listen for meaning and not what is actually spoken. Pay attention to changes in body language, like head-shaking or noticing self-restraint that shrouds the meaning of a message.
The opposite is true when working with low-context cultures. You should be as specific as possible and take time to explain yourself clearly.
When multiple cultures are working together, the most effective method of communication is to use the low-context style as this causes fewer misunderstandings.
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What is The Culture Map about?
The Culture Map provides a framework for handling intercultural differences in business and illustrates how different cultures perceive the world. It helps us understand these differences, and in doing so improves our ability to react to certain behaviors that might have once seemed strange. With this knowledge, we can avoid misunderstandings and maintain conflict-free communication, regardless of where we are in the world.
The Culture Map Review
The Culture Map (2014) is an insightful book that explores the impact of cultural differences on global business. Here are three reasons why this book is worth reading:
- It provides a practical framework for understanding and navigating cultural differences, helping readers become more effective communicators and collaborators in multicultural environments.
- Through real-life examples and anecdotes, the book offers valuable insights into how different cultures approach work, communication, and leadership, making it a valuable resource for anyone working in a diverse global context.
- With its emphasis on cultural nuance and understanding, the book challenges common assumptions and stereotypes, leading to a more inclusive and open-minded mindset.
Best quote from The Culture Map
It is only when you start to identify what makes your culture different from others that you can begin to open a dialogue of sharing, learning and ultimately understanding.
—Erin Meyer
Who should read The Culture Map?
- Anyone who’s interested in understanding cultural differences at work
- Anyone who wants to improve his or her communications skills
- Anyone who is leading an international team and is facing culture clashes
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The Culture Map FAQs
What is the main message of The Culture Map?
The main message of The Culture Map is that understanding cultural differences is essential for successful global collaboration.
How long does it take to read The Culture Map?
The reading time for The Culture Map varies depending on the reader's speed. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is The Culture Map a good book? Is it worth reading?
The Culture Map is a valuable read for anyone working in a multicultural environment. It provides insights and strategies to navigate and bridge cultural differences.
Who is the author of The Culture Map?
The author of The Culture Map is Erin Meyer.
What to read after The Culture Map?
If you're wondering what to read next after The Culture Map, here are some recommendations we suggest:
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- Maps of Meaning by Jordan B. Peterson
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- Buddhism – Plain and Simple by Steve Hagen
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