Customs of the World: Using Cultural Intelligence to Adapt, Wherever You Are

What is culture? How do you know whether you can attribute a person’s behavior to culture or personality? Why are business executives increasingly paying attention to the realities of cultural differences? Start to answer these questions as you explore why virtually every aspect of our lives is shaped by culture.

According to research, there are recurring characteristics that exist among those who can be described as culturally intelligent. Examine these capabilities, then learn a variety of ways to enhance your own cultural intelligence. Consider the potential benefits of improving your CQ, from being a better global citizen to increasing your earning power.

Begin your exploration of the 10 cultural value dimensions most useful when comparing cultures. As you contrast individualist and collectivist societies, learn how these differences shape personal behavior and society in countries such as the United States, China, and India, then get helpful tips for working with people from each background.

Power distance - the degree to which members of a society are comfortable with inequality in power, influence, and wealth - is one of the most significant value orientations that shape behavior. Identify cultures and settings with high and low power distance indexes and learn how you can use an understanding of this dynamic to avoid misunderstandings or awkward situations.

tolerance for risk and the degree to which you believe people should develop contingency plans is not only a reflection of your personality, it's also a product of your cultural background. Compare behavior between high and low uncertainty-avoidant cultures, and conclude with tips for interacting with people from both.

The degree to which a society emphasizes the importance of nurturing, collaborative behavior over achieving results varies widely and can cause confusion, particularly for business travelers. Look at countries and personalities at each end of the cooperative-competitive spectrum, and learn why the most lively groups, organizations, and work teams include people from both orientations.

There is perhaps no cultural difference that people relate to more than the stewardship of time. Learn how researchers account for these variations, and see how a culture's tendency to be "polychronic," or have a long-term orientation, correlates with punctuality being a low priority. Conclude with practical suggestions for dealing with people who may not share your view of time.

Do you appreciate people who "shoot straight" or do you find that communication style overly direct? The culture in which you were raised has a lot to do with your answer. Differentiate between high-context cultures such as that of Liberia, where much is left open to interpretation, and low-context cultures such as in Holland, where little is taken for granted.

Return to the topic of how we relate to time, but shift your focus to contrasts between "being" and "doing" cultures and ways you can effectively relate to people whose orientation differs from yours. Consider how our environment shapes this value and can even create variations within a culture - as in differences between New Yorkers and Midwesterners.

People in North America, western Europe, and Australia tend to be universalists who believe a singular set of rules should apply to everyone regardless of circumstances. Particularists, found in many Asian societies, Latin America, and Russia, believe each situation should be handled individually. See how these dimensions play out in daily life.

In many cultures, long pauses in conversation are uncomfortable, but in Asia - which has a "neutral" expression culture - it's a sign of respect. Consider how expressiveness is often a product of our cultural and socioeconomic origins, then examine the concept of "face" and get tips for making someone from a face-conscious country feel comfortable.

As the intermingling of cultures and religions increases globally, so too does tension in many societies. Contrast "tight" cultures, where there are rules, norms, and standards for "correct" behavior, with "loose" cultures that have greater "category width" and will tolerate a variety of viewpoints and behaviors.

Cultural value dimensions must be understood within the broader framework of cultural intelligence, or else we stereotype people. Pause at this midpoint of the course to consider deeper questions about why cultures do what they do and how far you can apply these various generalizations. Then get an introduction to the 10 global clusters that you're about to explore in detail.

As you begin your examination of specific locations around the world, explore the currents that flow throughout this geographically dispersed culture with historical ties to the British Empire. Consider what it means to be an "average American" and get a list of do's and don'ts for dealing with people from the Anglo cluster.

In Sweden, every employee (grad students included) gets five weeks of paid vacation. Across Scandinavia, dressing prosperously is frowned upon. See how the people of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden live life based on Jante Law - which says people shouldn't see themselves as special or better than anyone else.

German culture emphasizes orderliness, straightforwardness, and loyalty, so it can be easy to interpret its people's behavior as rigid, aloof, and untrusting. Investigate the long history of the German cluster, its way of life, and what we can learn about Germany from its art, literature, and music.

Characterized by a tough tenacity forged through centuries of harsh weather, constant movement, and the dominance of other clans and empires, this diverse cluster includes countries such as Russia, Slovenia, Poland, Greece, Kazakhstan, and Albania. Take a closer look at what connects these cultures and the reasons why customer service seems to have limited priority.

Why do the French and people from the United States often seem to dislike each other? Find out in this lecture on the culture and dining customs of the Latin European cluster, which includes Italy, Portugal, France, French Switzerland, Belgium, and - although an outlier - Israel. Also get tips for handling catcalls when you visit countries in which such behavior is common.

Why are you expected to provide your own nurse in some Latin American hospitals? What does it mean to be Latino? Draw distinctions between Latin America and Latin Europe as you investigate common Latin American cultural traits, including the central importance of family, adherence to Roman Catholicism, and a contagious form of optimism.

Etiquette, order, and protocol are important to Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cultures - but so is getting drunk. See why this is especially true in Chinese business culture, where relationships can make or break you, and learn the five key relationships that govern most of life in Confucian cultures. Also, look at where the custom of using chopsticks comes from.

We often think of Asia as having a monolithic culture, but the South Asian cluster has very different characteristics and core cultural values from places such as China, Japan, and Korea. Explore the various foods, religions, languages, ethnic influences, and other aspects of countries including India, Bangladesh, Thailand, the Philippines, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

Why are Africans so religious? Why are African brides looked upon with such high regard? How big a problem is corruption in Africa, really? Get answers as you examine the diversity of Sub-Saharan Africa's customs, religious and tribal traditions, and lifestyles, as well as its unifying history of colonization and slavery.

The news often depicts the Arab world as a place filled with conflict and unrest - but is that an accurate portrayal? Learn the Five Pillars of Islam, why you must avoid using your left hand when interacting with others, what it means to be an Arab, and more in this lecture that clears up misperceptions frequently associated with Arabic culture.

Using the hypothetical situation of traveling to Southeast Asia, learn CQ strategies that help you prepare for and make the most of your trip, whether your destination is in that part of the world or elsewhere. Also, get tips for avoiding jet lag and quickly identifying where the place you'll be visiting falls within each cultural value dimension.