Book Review: The Culture Map by Erin Meyer

I am continuing my exploration of organisational culture through a book first suggested to me by an executive coach??

'The Culture Map' by Erin Myer is a mostly anecdotal exploration around behavioural characteristics of people from different nationalities.??

The book uses 8 continuums of behaviour and plots countries against these. The 8 scales are as follows:?

• Communicating: explicit vs. implicit?
• Evaluating: direct negative feedback vs. indirect negative feedback?
• Persuading: deductive vs. inductive?
• Leading: egalitarian vs. hierarchical?
• Deciding: consensual vs. top down?
• Trusting: task vs. relationship?
• Disagreeing: confrontational vs. avoid confrontation?
• Scheduling: structured vs. flexible?

Myer points out that it’s the relative distance between countries on these scales we should be noticing and not their absolute position.?

So, for example, Americans may be direct compared to the Japanese but vs the Dutch who are even more direct, Americans might be perceived as indirect and perhaps over complimentary which may make some question their sincerity.?

The topic around how negative feedback is delivered was an area I found particularly interesting. The author suggesting the French favour criticising passionately and?providing positive feedback sparingly. Whereas in Thailand, you are taught never to criticise a colleague openly. Brits will use understatement whilst Americans wrap up negative feedback in positive comments. If these are true, then it's no wonder we can get in a tangle.?

The book uses anecdotal storytelling to make its point. Take the Danish manager who led a Russian team but lost respect because he maintained an egalitarian style of leadership. When all the while, they wanted a boss that asserted authority.?

Or the American leader who thought nothing of emailing her?Indian Co-workers boss’s boss directly to ask for a meeting. Only to find out that the correct protocol was to traverse the hierarchy first and ask the immediate line manager first.?

She also asserts that it’s too easy to think of behaviour as defined by personality or culture. It’s personality AND culture. Communication misunderstandings might take place because of personality clashes, but equally they can happen because of cultural differences.?It wasn't something I had considered before but I can't help but agree.

In summary, I think the book will divide people. Some will find it’s insights instantly applicable, and others will find it contradictory and an over simplification.?

My view? Stereotypes are true for a reason and a think the book has some really good practical ideas for anyone looking to increase trust and reduce friction whilst working with global teams. The validity of some of the conclusions might require inspection, as the book mainly appears to be based on the authors anecdotes. I would be keen to also look at work that has more empirical research behind it (Hofstede ?comes to mind). But for all that it’s a very good entry into understanding cultural norms. And it’s 8 scale framework seems to be an excellent?starting point to guide teams around exploring their differences.??

About Anish

A self confessed Change obsessive and founder of?Jigsaw Change Consulting . A side project providing advice on better meetings, change management, workplace culture and future of work type stuff.