The Culture Map by Erin Meyer

What it is about:

The Culture Map walks you through the wide spectrum of societal norms, traditions and expectations that inform so much of our behaviors whether we are aware of it or not. The author does not stop at providing examples or rules of conduct, but she does a wonderful job of organizing the amazing diversity of cultures along the dimensions of Communication, Evaluation, Persuasion, Leadership, Decision Making, Trust, Conflict/Disagreement and Schedules/Time, which to gear heads like me is a blessing to be able to put it and keep it in my head. This book, together with the more philosophical Structure of Society are a great combo to improve how we interact with each other rooted in better and deeper understanding and appreciation of one another.

Why it changed my thinking:

The term Multicultural has been used for all kinds of purposes, but avoiding any charged interpretations, the fact is that to be effective and remain sane in today's work world you cannot just expect to just talk to people that share your background, traditions or even sense of humor. I can consider myself reasonably well traveled, having lived and worked in multiple countries. This book accelerated my learning and helped a lot reducing anxiety and easing interactions with many wonderful colleagues, and even my neighbors.

Where to get it