A Critical Map for Navigating Global Teams
If you work with international teams in any capacity, Culture Map is a must read! A game changer in navigating the increasingly complex tapestry of global teams, Author and INSEAD professor Erin Meyer uses an eight-scale system to guide the modern manager in effectively understanding and bridging cultural divides. Rich with anecdotes that transport you to those awkward moments when cultural norms clash, Meyer demonstrates how these situations arise and what can be done to avoid them. As an added bonus, if you’ve lived in another country, have immigrant parents, or are married to someone from another country, you’ll uncover fascinating insight into how your personality has been shaped by these cultural influences.
The Culture Map’s eight scales represent key areas managers need to focus on when working with multicultural teams. Each scale is expressed on a continuum with each culture placed between the two extremes. I’ll confess while reading the book on a long flight to India I found myself questioning the validity of generalizing across an entire culture. The country I was headed to is home to over 1.3 billion people. What were the chances my colleagues would be so similar in their preferences and behaviour that this eight-point scale would be of use?
Clearly I wasn’t the first person to ask this question. Meyer addresses it early in the book. Each cultural preference is based on a midpoint of acceptable behaviour in the country, the range determined through extensive interviews and feedback. The explanation was sound enough for me to buy-in and give mapping a try. Once I did the value of understanding even general tendencies and differences between cultures became clear.
Looking to India, as an “American” the areas requiring the greatest attention would be communicating, trusting, and scheduling. The mapping exercise made it clear why trying to establish strong relationships with our Indian team had been such a challenge.
Trusting: “Cognitive trust (from the head) can be contrasted with affective trust (from the heart). In task-based cultures, trust is built cognitively through work. If we collaborate well, prove ourselves reliable, and respect one another’s contributions, we come to feel mutual trust. In a relationship-based society, trust is a result of weaving a strong affective connection. If we spend time laughing and relaxing together, get to know one another on a personal level, and feel a mutual liking, then we establish trust.” — Erin Meyer, Culture Map
We’d never met in person, work had been done over the phone, focused on tasks. This made me even more excited about our upcoming visit to Bangalore and Delhi. It would give our U.S. based team an opportunity to spend relaxed time together with our Indian colleagues. Because we had read the book before landing we also understood the importance of the extra activities. Normally on a business trip, after a long day in the office I might be tempted to skip out of late night drinks or decline the visit to the zoo with a colleague and his family. We made sure, no matter how intense the jet lag or discomfort from the soaring temperatures (50°C/ 120°F) to say a resounding “yes” to all invites. Sure enough, after a couple of days of colocating, several face-to-face dinners, a few late nights of drinking and a full day of zoo visits everyone relaxed, things moved forward more smoothly and upon our return the U.S. collaboration continued in this direction.
Don’t just take my word for it. Map yourself on the culture map, add in your base culture and the cultures represented on your team. Talk about it as a team or better yet, have everyone read the book and discuss it at an offsite. Not only will the exercise give you greater self-awareness it will create a deeper understanding across your entire team.
