Middle School Mindset: Cultural (mis)Understandings in the office, classroom, and parties.

Our world is divided into two different categories when it comes to time management; Monochronic and Polychronic. Monochronic countries prioritize one task at a time, and generally fall under individualist cultures. Polychronic on the other hand, are multi-taskers and generally come from collectivist cultures.

The United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, Norway, and Denmark are some of the countries that are considered monochronic. Mexico, Central and South America, almost all if not all of Africa, China, Russia, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and some easter European countries are Polychronic. This does not mean that a person born in a polychronic culture can only multi-task or is unable to complete a task at a time, nor that a Monochronic will ever prefer to multi-task, since after all, these are generalizations. Nonetheless, these differences can be the conduit for confirmation and/or implicit bias when we do not understand a cultural practice despite the setting.

In a classroom, a Monochronic teacher who has predominantly polychronic students may unknowingly create tension and divide by focusing on work and structure instead of building trust or relationships. Effort and dedication will be skewed by both cultures, and students might not feel seen or supported. Most importantly, lack of trust will be misinterpreted as defiance. Implicit bias has entered the chat. Collectivist cultures tend to rely on trust or need to create a relationship before any progress is made. Rushing prompts skepticism.

In a social gathering, both cultures tend to act differently as well. This leads to possible awkward moments, but with a little bit of knowledge, and one key question, you can avoid these cultural blunders. When a person from a monochronic culture sends invites to a party, gathering, or event, the times written on the invite tend to be sacrosanct, generally speaking, of course. If it says it starts at 6pm, a Monochronic will be there at 6pm, and if it says it will end at 9pm, Monochronic individuals will start to leave before 9pm. Whereas a Polychronic sends invites with times solely as a formality. If it says it starts at 6pm, it really means 7, possibly 8. Do not pay attention to the end time, it will most probably go throughout the night. Those Hispanic neighbors with loud music at 2am that kept you awake, their invite said it ended at 9.

We (my fellow polychronic friends and I) usually asked for clarity whenever we were invited to a party. Our phrase was, "is it 6pm Mexican time, or 6pm American time?" The answer would determine our arrival. It was no fashion statement, collectivist cultures tend to rely on those they feel comfortable with, specifically in social settings. Ever been to a work event where you barely know anyone? Or were on your way to a family gathering when your favorite cousin has not arrived yet? Not so enjoyable, innit?

The workplace also allows us to interact with people from all over the world. It has created numerous opportunities for meaningful relationships, deals, and growth. It has also confused many individuals when they see a practice they are not accustomed to, specifically when it comes to dealings with coworkers or clients from a country with different priorities of time. When a Monochronic sales person is trying to close a Polychronic potential client in the initial stage, the sale might fall through. "But I did everything the same way as with my other clients!" That may be true, although the subject and their cultural belief in trust supersedes the final objective. The process is just as important as the contract agreement. The majority of Polychronic cultures need to know the person, where they come from, their values, and ultimately, prove the sale is beneficial for long-term growth and partnership. Remember that rushing prompts skepticism with Polychronic mindsets.

The biggest hurdle can often times be our own perception and stories we have created of a certain group. Previous experiences raise flags that may limit progress. Our brains remember the last time an event created tension or divide, and if we are risk-averse, we act on it without giving others a chance. This is defined as the Availability Heuristic. They way we ignore all the existing information and rely on what we think we know or what is readily available in our brains. Combat these thoughts when they appear, they normally cloud our judgement.

If you are from a Monochronic country, here are some tips for your future encounters with Polychronic people; Don't! Joking...well sort of. Don't, rely on your mental shortcuts. Don't expect the exact same process as with like-minded individuals, organizations, or groups. Your Polychronic students need to get to know you, otherwise they will see you for what you represent and not who you are. Or don't, and you may continue to struggle with classroom management. Challenging students listen to those they respect, and respect is earned. Not ideal, but is the truth. The phrase "sharing is caring" is very accurate with Polychronic members. In-depth techniques to build relationships with students, sons or daughters, and direct-reports will be covered on another post.

The next time you go to a Polychronic party, ask what is the appropriate time to arrive, or don't, then you may or may not need to help set up tables while the host is still getting ready. Finally, for the professional sales pitch, learn a little about the culture they belong to. It is no surprise Shia LeBeouf's character, Jake Moore, in Wallstreet: Money Never Sleeps offers a bottle of whisky to the Chinese Executive. Manners, as Jake says, is just as important as business in their culture. It is not taking an extra step or going above and beyond, it is acknowledging and respecting the values and practices of another human being without ignoring our own. Do you agree?