Summary chapter 1:

In chapter 1 the author introduces high and low context cultures Aswell as cross culture
communication.
What makes a good communicator:
High-context culture: heavily relies on implicit and context-based communication, for example,
using metaphors and so on.
Low-context culture: cultures that rely on explicit verbal communication.
Being able to see communication from different perspectives, for example, if you're from a high-
context culture, you might perceive a low-context communicator as stating the obvious. They may
also come off as condescending or patronizing. However, if you come from a low-context culture,
you might perceive a high-context communicator as secretive or unable to communicate
effectively.

Communicating across cultures:

Being a good listener is equally as important as being a good speaker. Both are essential skills and
equally important from one culture to another.

For example, in the USA, people tend to communicate as literally and explicitly as possible. Good
communication is about clarity for accurate communication between peers.

The same applies to many African cultures and to a lesser degree, Latin American cultures.

In many Asian cultures, messages are often conveyed implicitly, requiring the listener to read
between the lines. Good communication is subtle, layered, and depends on subtext. Responsibility
for proper communication depends on both the speaker and the listener.

Strategies for working with high-context people:

Practice listening more carefully, learn to listen to what is meant instead of what is said. Reflect
more, ask more clarifying questions, and make an effort to be more receptive to body language
cues. For verification, ask open-ended questions rather than backing the person into a corner if
you are confused. Work to get all the information you need to pick up the intended message. A big
mistake is assuming the other individual is purposely omitting info or unable to communicate
explicitly. Over time, you may not need to ask for as much clarity as the other also learns to adapt
to you. Allow yourself to accept the blame for not understanding, then ask for assistance. When
you find yourself frustrated by misunderstanding, laugh at yourself and use positive words to
describe.

Strategies for working with low-context people:

Be as transparent, clear, and specific as possible. After a phone call, repeat all points again or send
a follow-up email. Repeat the points if you are not 100% sure what you have been asked to do.
Don't read between the lines; state clearly you don't understand and ask for clarification. Focus on
when you are expecting the other person to read your intended message and be more explicit. Ask
if you have been clear enough.
Chapter 4:
Chapter 4 of the book talks about the Leading scale, analyzing how leadership is perceived in
different cultures. Some expect the boss/leader to be someone distinct/above the rest, while others
prefer to have the boss as "one of them."

Asian countries are found on the far right of the scale, where leadership tends to be more
hierarchical. Scandinavian countries are found on the far left, being the countries that have more
egalitarian leadership expectations.

European countries are well-distributed between the scale. The author draws some parallels with
history and religion:

Countries that were under the influence of the Roman Empire – which was a very hierarchical
society – tend to have a more hierarchical view of leadership to this day. Here you can find Spain,
Italy, and to some extent France.

Countries that were under the influence of Vikings are more egalitarian. Some examples are
Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, and Finland.

Countries with a Protestant culture tend to be more egalitarian than Catholic countries.

Egalitarian cultures see as normal: disagreeing with the boss openly in front of others, action being
taken without the boss's OK, communication between people on different levels of the
organization is expected. For hierarchical cultures, it is expected to defer to the boss's opinion,
especially in public, wait for the boss's OK before executing tasks, not communicate across too
many levels in the organization.

Strategies on cross-cultural level communication.

For hierarchical societies:

Communicate with your equal or get explicit permission to cross-level.
When emailing someone lower on the hierarchy, copy their boss.
Address the recipient by their last name unless they have indicated otherwise.

For egalitarian societies:

Go to the source, don't bother the boss.
Think twice before copying the boss. Doing so could suggest to the recipient that you don't trust
them.
If you are unsure, following the hierarchical society rules is less likely to get you in trouble. Strive
to define a clear team culture that everyone agrees to apply.

Strategies to get closer to staff:

For hierarchical societies:

Ask your team to meet without you, brainstorm, and report back the group ideas.
Give clear instructions beforehand on how a meeting is supposed to work and what you plan to
ask. Be clear about wanting their input so they can prepare beforehand.
Invite people to speak up.

For egalitarian societies:

Manage by objectives. Set a department vision and work on objectives for your staff that align
with that vision.
Set concrete and specific objectives.
Check progress on the objectives periodically.
Make efforts to be seen as "one of them." Dress as the team dresses, avoid titles, communicate on
a first-name basis.