The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business

This is perhaps the best book I have ever read on understanding how people communicate, relate, and conduct business across cultures. Leading a dynamic international church has given me a front-row seat to these challenges, and this book is an absolute must-read. My biggest regret? Not reading it years ago. If I had, it would have saved me countless moments of confusion and questions about how other cultures operate. Whether you're in business or ministry, or any context requiring cross-cultural communication and relationships, you should read this book to help you understand each other. This is essential, required reading for anyone operating across cultures.

“The way we are conditioned to see the world in our own culture seems so completely obvious and commonplace that it is difficult to image that another culture might do things differently. It is only when you start to identify what is typical in your culture but different from others, that you can begin to open a dialogue of sharing, learning, and ultimately understanding.” (pg. 244) Meyer’s book does just this. She enlightens the reader about their own culture through graphs and stories that also help them to understand how another culture may approach things differently. She discusses culture with a neutrality that makes it safe for everyone reading her book to feel both validated in how they operate and convicted to more open-mindedness towards those who are different. Meyer’s extensive work across cultures is apparent from the beginning the end of this book. Her astute awareness of issues that cause tension between people from different cultural contexts has allowed her to communicate information simply and with plenty of examples which reinforce her points and provide context for effective learning. Meyer breaks down the primary issues which cause cultural disruption into eight categories. She shares cultural tendencies on a scale, which allows for individual and regional differences within a specific culture, as well as an easily digested visual of cultural differences. Meyer often provides historical or linguistic context that helps explain how the differences developed or why a culture may be similar to another or skew completely different directions. As each concept is explained, she layers on the new information so the reader can see how each of the eight categories work together and separately to make a culture unique. “When considering the impact of cultural differences on your dealings with other people, what matters is not so much the absolute positioning of a person’s culture on a particular scale, but rather their relative positioning in comparison to you.” (pg. 44) Through the scale approach, Meyer is able to help the reader navigate the space between their own culture and one in which they may be visiting or doing business. She provides general strategies for working with people on both the left and right of your own culture, as well as in multicultural situations, making it easy to not only understand your own position, but also how to adjust toward another’s comfort zone as well. As communication and transportation technology continue to advance, cultural understanding will be more imperative than ever to business relationships, political conversations, educational institutions, and even leisure travel. This book is a must-read for anyone who anticipates cross-cultural interactions or those who just wants to become more well-rounded by understanding their own culture better.

Who doesn’t need a Swiss Army Knife? In 1884 Karl Elsener I opened a Knife cutler’s workshop. In 1891 He delivered a major shipment of soldier’s knives to the Swiss Army. In 1897 the original Swiss Offer’s and sport knife was patented. [1] A tool full of tools. The knife that has everything you need, might need or someone you know might need, currently or in the future. The Swiss Army knife has been a tool used around the globe. Erin Meyer’s book The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business, is the “Swiss Army Knife” of books for the global business world. If you work with people from a different state, country or region, or if you might work in this type of environment, this book is a must read. Meyers does a great job giving background and insight chapter after chapter as she navigates cultural differences that affect the work place. She gives copious real life examples of how teams of different cultural origins have struggled then rebounded after understanding her 8 scales that concentrate on one aspect of a cultures differences. She makes it easy to understand and learn from stories and graphs. A quote from the book says it all. “Whether you need to motivate employees, delight clients, or simply organize a conference call among members of a cross-culture team, these eight scales will help you improve your effectiveness.” If you need to; cut, saw, tweeze, pick, file, measure, cork screw or open a bottle the “Swiss Army Knife” is your tool. If you work cross-culture and need to; Communicate, evaluate, persuade, lead, decide, trust, disagree or schedule The Culture Map is the tool you need. Read it, keep it as a tool, and use it often. Dave Hughes [1] Swissarmy.com/ourhistory

Sometimes we think we know everything about connecting with people from different nationalities because we have been going it for some years now, well, we don't, this book shows detailed experiences and objective data on how to approach and succeed on reaching objectives on a professional point of view as well as personal. Must read if you work on this kind of environment!

It was recommended to me and it’s excellent for anyone that is in a global role.

Utile vademecum x comprendere le persone in un contesto internazionale. In particolare ne business

Leitura fácil, exemplos ótimos e material fantástico. Indispensável para o bom convívio e entendimento em relações pessoais e profissionais em grupos de diversas origens e culturas.

full of learnings, easy to read