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This is very similar, but somehow not the same as this "The Culture Map" [0], which I thought was great and would highly recommend. https://www.amazon.com/Culture-Map-INTL-ED-Decoding/dp/16103...
> One example she gives is math class: In France, students are taught to calculate pi as a class before using it in a formula. As a French, I don't think I ever calculated pi, we were just handed the formulas and told to use it and I don't think I saw an exercise on how to calculate pi for a few years (or maybe I didn't saw it at school...)
The PI example might be slightly exaggerated but it is not such a far fetch.
For my generation, most advanced Mathematics were taught in France by first a theorem proof and then by an example on how to use it. I do not know if it is still the case nowadays.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Race condition, just edited :) > It will never not irk me when people say ”Please feel free to X” when they mean ”It is paramount that you do X” Another big one is when people say “Not my favorite”, but mean “I hate this”. And a cause of great confusion in the workplace: “Can we do X?” meaning “You should do X, I am delegating this task to you” And then there’s the whole genre of “corporate speak” memes like what “Pe…
> On a more personal note, the California Yes is super frustrating when making plans with people. Just because someone said Yes, does not mean they have any intention of actually showing up. They might get a headache an hour or so before the planned meeting time. Headaches are very popular in California it seems. The Californian 'Yes' sounds like the Japan one. British understatement gets me in trouble when communica…
I've worked with people from a lot of different cultures in various scientific and technical situations, with mostly North Americans in more nebulous "business" situations. What I'd generalize is that on technical matters, there are few communication issues across cultures. People are able to make themselves understood and collaborate, even in the face of language barriers. On the other hand, even simple business dis…
Later when we realized we asked the wrong thing, they said "oh yes of course we knew it was not the right thing". The convention that you don't argue with "the boss" cost us many man-months of work.
You can only successfully discuss technical matters if both parties are willing to do just that.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I thought it was called the California No ? "Oh ya totally let's hang out!!" (you're never gonna hang out) I've lived in LA for over 25 years. I think part of the reason things are like this is that the sheer amount of people here make it hard to know if you are dealing with a person who is going to end up being a nut or not. This town is also full of narcissists and leeches who want to use you. I've let people into…
> For example, locals know not to make eye contact while out and about I believe this is a city thing. We have the same back home in Ljubljana. The social contract in cities seems to be one of politely ignoring each others’ existence.
In cities the friendliness is missing because you don't need to rely on others for food/water or anything else, you can just purchase it nearby.
When resources run out that's where the social contract becomes more social.
Camping trip and need a match to start your campfire? Your neighbor will happily chat with you.
Power outage. People on the street become way more friendly.
Transit failure. People are more likely to help arrange transport or chat as they wait.
Snowstorm snowed you in. That's how you meet the new neighbors who are also out shovelling.
I've worked with people from a lot of different cultures in various scientific and technical situations, with mostly North Americans in more nebulous "business" situations. What I'd generalize is that on technical matters, there are few communication issues across cultures. People are able to make themselves understood and collaborate, even in the face of language barriers. On the other hand, even simple business dis…
We (Australians) have been hit with some serious stuff with our Filipino subsidiary. They've been asked to do something, they realized it was not the right thing to do a week in, still did what they've been asked for more than two months. Later when we realized we asked the wrong thing, they said "oh yes of course we knew it was not the right thing". The convention that you don't argue with "the boss" cost us many ma…
If only both parties created trust between each other.
You grow what you sow.
I've worked with people from a lot of different cultures in various scientific and technical situations, with mostly North Americans in more nebulous "business" situations. What I'd generalize is that on technical matters, there are few communication issues across cultures. People are able to make themselves understood and collaborate, even in the face of language barriers. On the other hand, even simple business dis…
When reading up on international business communication, to prep for one of my roles, one of the writers gave an example of a statement an engineer might make: that widget X will work in time. But you're supposed to know from context, at the times they repeatedly said that, that what they really meant is it definitely won't work in time.
Some differences of culture/communication that I recall hearing can happen:
* that it's bad to say "no" in some contexts (e.g., it's disrespectful, or a sense that the other would rather you say "yes" but not follow through than to say "no");
* that a person should do exactly the task they were told to do without second-guessing nor feedback;
* that one shouldn't contradict their superior;
* that one can't mention a mistake of someone else;
* that admitting a mistake one made would cause embarrassment or a loss of face to the person hearing it;
* how important trust is, and how it's established.
Engineers talking with each other about tech aren't necessarily immune to this.
Of course these are just possibilities for misunderstanding to be aware of, as people from different cultures find common ground to communicate. (In many ways, I've been very impressed with how well many colleagues and partners around the globe have performed. I've also been humbled by how many people not in the US meet US-born people like me well more than halfway -- in language, and in cultural faux pas tolerance, etc. I've also seen more consistently friendly behavior/mindset in some overseas company locations than we'd normally find in a US company location.)
Also, I'm sure that there are lots of US-isms that are baffling to others (even if they learned it through training or US media), and I'd bet I'm oblivious to many of them, having grown up with them as "normal".
> One example she gives is math class: In France, students are taught to calculate pi as a class before using it in a formula. As a French, I don't think I ever calculated pi, we were just handed the formulas and told to use it and I don't think I saw an exercise on how to calculate pi for a few years (or maybe I didn't saw it at school...)
Earlier quoted context omitted.
We (Australians) have been hit with some serious stuff with our Filipino subsidiary. They've been asked to do something, they realized it was not the right thing to do a week in, still did what they've been asked for more than two months. Later when we realized we asked the wrong thing, they said "oh yes of course we knew it was not the right thing". The convention that you don't argue with "the boss" cost us many ma…
> ... if both parties are willing to do just that If only both parties created trust between each other. You grow what you sow.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> On a more personal note, the California Yes is super frustrating when making plans with people. Just because someone said Yes, does not mean they have any intention of actually showing up. They might get a headache an hour or so before the planned meeting time. Headaches are very popular in California it seems. The Californian 'Yes' sounds like the Japan one. British understatement gets me in trouble when communica…
In geek terms, the Japanese hai is not "yes", it's "ack": it's an acknowledgement that your message has been received, not validation that the receiver agrees with it, much less intends to do anything about it.