Working Across Cultures

To work effectively with people from different cultures, you need to be aware of cultural differences. In this course, we'll take a look at some of those differences and how to interact with people who are on the opposite side of the cultural spectrum.

What Is Culture?

Culture is the word we use to describe the characteristics, customs, beliefs, values, behaviors, assumptions, and expectations shared by a particular group of people. Culture defines the "correct" way to perceive, think, feel, and act in that society. It defines what's right and wrong as well as what's acceptable or unacceptable. These social norms are deeply rooted in that group's history and are passed on from generation to generation as children observe their parents and other members of society.

Describing Cultural Differences

Did you know that what you perceive about a culture actually says more about your own culture than it does about the other culture?

For example, a British person may find that the French are disorganized and late while an Indian person may find that the French are too focused on structure and timeliness. But how can the French be both disorganized and structured? Or late and timely? Because the British person and the Indian person have different points of comparison, they perceive the French culture in opposite ways. 

As you can see, it's not possible to describe a culture in absolutes, because your point of view depends on your own cultural background.

By understanding how different cultures compare to one another in some key areas, you can gain insight on how to interact more effectively with people from those cultures.

*Disclaimer: In this course we're going to focus on cultural norms, but it's important to note that not all individuals in a given culture behave in the exact same way. Individual differences exist in all cultures.