Framework
Culture Map
Culture Map Overview
The Culture Map is a cross-cultural communication framework developed by Erin Meyer at INSEAD. It maps business behaviors across eight scales β from communication style to scheduling β enabling professionals to assess counterparts and communicate flexibly in diverse, multilingual global workplace environments.
The 8 Scales
Communicating & Evaluating
- βCommunicating: Low-context vs. High-context
- βEvaluating: Direct negative feedback vs. Indirect negative feedback
Leading & Deciding
- βLeading: Egalitarian vs. Hierarchical
- βDeciding: Consensual vs. Top-down
Trusting & Disagreeing
- βTrusting: Task-based vs. Relationship-based
- βDisagreeing: Confrontational vs. Avoids confrontation
Scheduling & Persuading
- βScheduling: Linear-time vs. Flexible-time
- βPersuading: Principles-first vs. Applications-first
Objectives
Understand the Culture Map and the relative positioning of countries, companies, teams, and individuals.
Practice and master the ability to identify characteristics and adjust communication approaches.
Apply Culture Map knowledge to effectively assess counterparts and communicate flexibly in diverse global workplace environments.
Reflect on behaviors and communication approaches, leverage constructive 360-degree feedback, and improve cultural communication skills.
Frequently Asked Questions
Culture Map Tools and Text
Study relevant quotes from Erin Meyer's book "The Culture Map" while using Culture Map tools. Participants share their cultural experiences with in-depth theoretical and practical components for that quarter's cultural scales.