So this week in London, I learned that Brits are Coconuts and Americans are peaches.




I'll explain in a moment. But have you ever been in a foreign place, just minding your own business and suddenly get that funny feeling like you're alone in a crowd . When you look at someone and get the gut feeling that they are seeing the world from an entirely different perspective. All of a sudden the earth opens up and you're peering at each other across a widening cultural crater in the middle of the train. The last few days in London I've been noticing that cultural gap getting larger and larger. They call it culture shock. When you start to notice the difference between the coconuts and peaches. They say its healthy. Its part of being aware. They say embrace it. Well I think I'm just a peach cobbler man and there may be nothing I can do about it.









So the basic story goes like this. Americans break the ice and become friends easily, you drop into town and before you know it you are invited over for the BBQ and having a good time. With the Brits it takes a bit more time to break through the tough exterior. But on the plus side, when you do get through, you are friends for life. Americans on the other hand will let you get to a certain point and then you hit that tough inner core where family secrets, Vegas parties and that trip to Jamaica hide.




So by now you're thinking that this is nice, but why should I care?



Why bother examining different cultural norms and how to relate to other communities. Two reasons. A new president will not magically fix the American economy so we all might as well learn to think international (Can't afford to think like GM). And why not, it's just more fun than thinking of the world only in terms of red and blue states.



Life is all about learning something new and become more aware of ourselves. Understanding differences in a more meaningful way and learning to reconcile what we knew yesterday with what we know today. In business the same rules apply. Taking a business international requires much more than a few business etiquette rules or how to hold a business card. The fundamental way people think about time, social hierarchies, and freedom are as different as night and day even in English speaking countries. And whether we like it or not, they all don't dream of waking up American.




Take the example of a work scenario. After a particularly bad presentation by a senior VP, the audience is asked about the presenter.
Taiwanese: He was good.
Brit: That VP is quite quick, wouldn't you say?
Dutch: Nothing personal, but he's an idiot.


Americans and Dutch are more literal and direct, while the British will use subtle inflections and sarcasm that can be completely missed. The Taiwanese are much less likely to speak up or complain all. These are not stereotypes just norms that are built on basic assumptions about what is appropriate at work.

Beware of those that would tell you that learning other cultures is easy. Those that have done it successfully know that it takes time and patience and in my case an umbrella and a good recipe for homemade peach cobbler.



For a Great Intro to Managing Cultural Differences

Check out this lecture by Dr. Frons Trompenaars.

He defines culture, explains how leaders manage cultural dilemmas and give contextual research results that prove we should all be a bit more careful before we judge.


And to Really Get Into It...

Buy his book Riding the Waves of Change (trust me I won't recommend Wharton guys unless they're good).