My Cultural Profile

My Cultural Profile

The first step in cultural learning is to understand your own cultural profile. This self-assessment is made up of 30 simple statements. Please indicate to what extent each one is normal or acceptable, using the scale shown. After the final question, you will be able to have a look at your results, and get feedback and suggestions on how your profile may impact you work across cultures.
Your name

First NameLast Name
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Is it okay

	Never 1	Usually no 2	Neutral 3	Usually yes 4	Always 5
1/1. Do something you know is wrong because your manager told you to do it?
1/2. Babysit your boss’s children?
1/4. Speak to your counterpart’s boss if you are not getting what you need from your counterpart?
2/1. Praise one person who has made a notable contribution to a team project?
2/3. Give a material incentive to the employee who makes the most sales?
2/4. Restrict the flow of information to maintain your position/status?
3/1. Get straight down to business in a meeting, without any small talk?
3/4. Skip lunch with your business partners as there is a very important call you have to make?
4/3. Stay silent when someone says something you strongly disagree with?
4/5. Agree to do something you know you are not able to do?
5/2. Be kept waiting for 90 minutes in an outer office?
5/ 3. Reply to an e-mail with a delay of more than a week because you are extremely busy?
5/4. Write emails while you talk on the phone?
6/1. Call your colleagues by their first names?
6/2. Invite your business partners over for dinner at your house?

Is it okay to...

	5 Never	4 Usually no	3 neutral	2 Usually yes	1 Always
1/3. Question a decision that has already been made by a more senior colleague?
1/5. Disagree with your manager?
2/2. Slow down a decision in order for everyone to contribute?
2/5. Cover for a colleague’s mistake?
3/2. Not greet every colleague you see as it would take too long in your busy schedule?
3/3. Ask your new colleagues about their family health and well-being at the first meeting?
3/5. Conduct important negotiations in a restaurant after work hours?
4/1. Tell your friend that their new jacket is really ugly and makes them look older?
4/2. Complain about bad service in a restaurant openly in front of all the other guests?
4/4. Give your employees direct feedback about their achievements in the open space?
5/1. Leave work at 5pm even if you have outstanding deadlines?
5/5. Abandon a meeting if there is no one else there after five minutes?
6/3. Insist that people use your academic title when they meet you for the first time?
6/4. Insist your team members wear shirt and tie (or equivalent) to the office every day?
6/5. For the CEO not to greet people s/he passes in the corridors?

1 Egalitarian (from 0 to 14) --- Hierarchical (from 15 to 25)
2 Individual (from 0 to 14)/Group (from 15 to 25)
3 Transactional (from 0 to 14) / Relationship (from 15 to 25)
4 Direct (from 0 to 14) / Indirect (from 15 to 25)
5 Fluid-Time (from 0 to 14) / Controlled-Time (from 15 to 25)
6 Informal (from 0 to 14) / Formal (from 15 to 25)
BIG Egalitarian/ Hierarchical
BIG Individual/ Group
BIG Transactional/ Relationship
BIG Direct/ Indirect
BIG Fluid-Time/ Controlled-Time
BIG Informal/ Formal

Your Cultural Profile
- Your answers suggest that you prefer a more EGALITARIAN approach to relationships in the workplace. In egalitarian cultures, leaders are part of the team, and everyone is expected to contribute to discussions. Decisions are based on a consensus. Demonstrating your status may be considered vulgar.
  
  If this matches your approach, then you may need to consider the following suggestions when working with more hierarchical cultures:
  
  - When assigning a task or delegating, you will need to be more detailed and explicit in your instructions. Give individual steps as well as the general details
  
  - Before making a decision, ask several key people for their input by email well in advance, and then follow up with a one to one conversation.
  
  - Be aware that in hierarchical cultures, employees try to avoid giving bad news to senior staff
  
  - It will take time before you can get your team to contribute to open discussions
- Your answer suggests that you prefer an approach that corresponds to HIERARCHICAL cultures. In hierarchical cultures, there is a clear distinction between levels of seniority. Power and authority is concentrated in the person at the top, public disagreement is discouraged, and decisions are made by one person.
  
  - If this matches your approach, then you may need to consider the following suggestions when working with more egalitarian cultures:
  
  - In a meeting, your employees will expect to give you direct feedback and may disagree with you. This is not a sign of disrespect, but a desire to contribute constructively
  
  - You are expected to mentor your team and may be expected to have a higher level of technical competency than they do
  
  - Those who are used to an egalitarian style of working expect their leaders to be part of the team and work along side them. Status is not demonstrated openly
  
  - Your team will expect you to give them quite a lot of indepence to solve issues without constantly reporting back to you.
- Group
  
  Your answers suggest you prefer a style that relates more to GROUP oriented cultures. These are sometimes called collectivist cultures, where the needs of the team are more important that those of the individual. Status is often defined by who you know rather than what you do, and you have a close loyalty to your team and extended family.
  
  If this reflects your preferred style, you may want to consider the following points when working with more individualistic cultures:
  
  You will need to encourage your more individualist colleagues to share information more freely
  
  - Showing that while you value the competitive nature of your individualist team members, you will need to work harder to get them to work as a united team
  
  - Your employees will expect to have large amounts of autonomy and you will have to work hard to ensure that you are kept up to date with what they are working on
  
  - Your team will expect you to recognise individual achievement, showing that you value the specific talents and successes of each one.
- Individual
  
  Your answers suggest that you have a more INDIVIDUALIST preference at work. Individualist cultures tend to be high risk takers, and are driven by personal achievement over the team effort. Although you are happy working in a team, you expect your individual contribution to be recognised and rewarded. You prefer working with a high level of independence.
  
  If this reflects your preferred style, you may want to consider the following points when working with more group oriented cultures:
  
  - Your employees may find it difficult to show intiative in public, so you will need to create an environment for them to demonstrate their skills more privately
  
  - Singling out an individual for reward or praise may cause embarrassment, so you should emphasise the team effort
  
  - Group cultures tend to have a lower tolerance for risk, so you will have to handle change very carefully
  
  - In group cultures the extended family is very important, so you may be expected to attend the life events of your team members’ families – non attendance may be seen as a deliberate slight.
- Transactional
  
  Your answers suggest that you have a TRANSACTIONAL cultural preference. This indicates that you tend to develop business relationships as you work. The end result is more important than how you get there, and you don’t necessarily need to like the people you work with if they are competent and effective.
  
  You don’t need to waste too much time on small talk. Respect is based on the successful outcome of each step, trust is based on experience of delivery.
  
  If you recognise this style you may want to consider the following points when working with people from a relationship culture:
  
  Although your preference may be to get straight down to work, your colleagues will want to get to know you before you start an important task
  
  - In relationship cultures, maintaining harmony is important, so open conflict is avoided. Rather than saying “no” directly, they may appear to agree, but show their disagreement more subtlety
  
  - It can be hard to break into the in-group for outsiders, so you need to build a network – who you know is often more important that what you do
  
  - In relationship cultures a contract is a starting point of a discussion, and not necessarily binding on both sides if it limits one or the other
  
  - It is important to greet every team member every day
- Relationship
  
  Your answer suggests you have RELATIONSHIP cultural orientation. You will probably place a high value on working with people you trust and like. It is important to know a lot about your colleagues and you may spend time outside of work socialising with them. You are guided by your instincts, and are very loyal to your network.
  
  If this seems to describe your approach, you may want to consider the following points, when you are working with people from a more transactional culture:
  
  An agreement or contract is the final word, and cannot be re-negotiated
  
  - You will be judged by how you perform at work, and maybe, if you deliver, they will learn to trust you
  
  - Transactional cultures focus more on the end goal, and less on the process of getting there – this can make them seem brusque
  
  - They may not consider it essential to greet you unless you have direct business with them
  
  - Their loyalty tends to be to an organisation or concept rather than an individual
- Direct
  
  Your answers suggest that you have a DIRECT intercultural communication style. For you you say what you mean, and you give direct feedback where necessary. Truth is an absolute, and when you say “yes” or “no” you are clear either way. It is important to give meaning to the words you say, without having people read between the lines.
  
  If this approach reflects your communication style, you may want to consider the following points when communicating with people from indirect cultures:
  
  - Yes does not always mean yes. You should ask follow up questions to establish what you are actually being told
  
  - Truth is negotiable and dependent on context, so two conflicting statements can both be considered true, although logically not possible
  
  - You should be very careful when giving feedback. Constructive feedback must be given gently, indirectly and in private
  
  - Don’t feel the need to fill silences with talking. Silence and non verbals are filled with meaning
  
  - Pay careful attention to body language
- Indirect
  
  Your answers suggest that you have an INDIRECT intercultural communicaiotn style. For you, meaning is taken from many different sources and not just the words said. A lot of meaning is taken for granted, so why repeat it constantly? Truth is contextual and dependent on perspective. Feedback must be given in such a way as to maintain face, criticism is implied rather than stated openly.
  
  If this is the style of communication you are most comfortable with, you may need to consider the following points when working with people from direct cultures:
  
  - If you are unable to do something you are being asked to do, you will need to be more explicit in signalling this. Don’t expect your counterpart to be able to read between the lines
  
  - For people from direct cultures, communication is less flexible in meaning. If you are unclear on meaning, you should openly for more information.
  
  - A direct communication style may seem impolite – this is rarely the intention of the speaker
- Controlled
  
  Your answers suggest that you have a CONTROLLED TIME cultural orientation.
  
  In controlled cultures, agendas are important as is punctuality. Time is seen as linear and divided into concrete segements, with one main activity per segment. People who have a controlled time culture consider interruptions rude, and see time as a valuable commodity. A deadline is a fixed point in time. Planning things in advance is important.
  
  If this approach matches your style, then you may want to consider the following points when working with fluid time cultures:
  
  - Allow more gaps in your calendar to make space for delays and overrunning appointments
  
  - It is important not to arrive late even though you know you will end up waiting.
  
  - Fluid time does not mean that deadlines will be missed, but the progression towards them may not seem as orderly as you would like
  
  - Check in regularly with colleagues to keep informed about progress. This will give you time to intervene if things are not going well
  
  - Allow time for silence and reflection: both for you and your team
- Fluid
  
  Your answers suggest that you have a FLUID TIME cultural orientation.
  
  In fluid cultures, time is harder to tie down – jelly rather than concrete. Time is foggy and uncertain, and it makes sense to multitask. Priorities and deadlines are in a constant state of flux and change according to the context – you can’t predict what will happen, so you adjust as you go. Time is a tool that should work for you; you are not controlled by time.
  
  If this approach matches your style, then you may want to consider the following points when working with controlled time cultures:
  
  - When someone from a controlled time culture organises a meeting they expect people to turn up five minutes before the meeting starts
  
  - If you are running late or may miss a deadline, fluid time cultures prefer you to warn them as early as possible to reduce stress and “wasted” time
  
  - People from fluid time cultures prefer to work on one project at a time, and only start a new one when they have completed it. Avoid giving too many tasks at in one go to prevent confusion
- Formal
  
  You answers suggest that you prefer more FORMAL cultures.
  
  In formal cultures, ritual, traditions and customs are important. You show your respect for someone in how you communicate with the, the words and gestures you use to speak to them. It is common to hide your emotions, and remain calm at all times. You probably have a small number of close friends, with a large circle of acquaintances. You likely to be more conservative in your approach to risk.
  
  If this reflects your preferred way of working, you may want to consider the following points, when working with more informal cultures:
  
  - Informal cultures tend to have a much smaller personal space so may stand much closer to you, and may be more physical, including hugs and/or a kiss in greeting
  
  - Informal cultures are more likely to challenge existing processes and ways of doing things and may consider themselves more creative
  
  - Informal cultures may see your formality as a barrier to building a relationship with you, so you will need to demonstrate your credibility
  
  - People from informal cultures will take a more casual approach to business dress, greetings, and will normally use first names to address even the most senior people
- Informal
  
  Your answers suggest that you are more comfortable in an INFORMAL culture
  
  In informal cultures the distinction between work and social life is more blurred, and both colleagues and clients can move between both. Dress, meetings and language are relaxed and do not conform to set rules. In informal cultures, passion is to be displayed, and it is common to use a display of emotions for emphasis. Friends are made easily in informal cultures and risk taking is more prevalent.
  
  If this seems to characterise your approach, you may want to consider the following points, when working with more formal cultures:
  
  - People from formal cultures tend to keep the private lives private, so relationships are established through credibility at work
  
  - You must demonstrate that a new idea improves on an existing process for it to be accepted, and it may still be resisted initially
  
  - Office attire is more formal, and invitations to events will often indicate the type of clothing to be worn
  
  - You will need to introduce change carefully and in small doses when working with people from formal cultures
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My Cultural Profile

Your Cultural Profile