Communication Archives

The 2 Types of Decision-Making Styles

What is the difference between consensus and individual decision-making? Why do people from different cultures tend to make decisions based on different factors? According to Erin Meyer, the author of The Culture Map, every culture has a prevalent approach to decision-making. She defines two primary types of decision-making styles: consensus (where people decide by unanimous agreement) and individual (where all opinions are considered but the final decision is made by the chief decision-maker). In this article, we’ll explore how a culture’s decision-making style interacts with its leadership style.

How to Give a Compliment: Tips for Maximum Impact

Have you ever wanted to compliment someone but felt too awkward to do it? What are the benefits of giving compliments? According to Debra Fine, the author of The Fine Art of Small Talk, giving compliments actually has many benefits—they can break the ice, help establish rapport, and make people feel appreciated. She defines two types of compliments: deep and shallow. Here is how to give a compliment, according to Debra Fine.

The Pros and Cons of Consensus Decision-Making

What is consensus decision-making? What are the main benefits of deciding by consensus? What are its key disadvantages? Consensus decision-making is where the group takes everyone’s opinion into account. All the relevant parties consider all the information, and they make a decision only when everybody agrees. In this article, we’ll explore the key advantages and disadvantages of consensus decision-making. We’ll also present some strategies for working in cultures that decide by consensus.

Erin Meyer’s The Culture Map—Book Overview

What is The Culture Map about? What are Erin Meyer’s eight axes for measuring cultural differences? In her book The Culture Map, cultural communication expert Erin Meyer presents a framework you can use to analyze how cultures differ from yours as well as practical strategies to mitigate any cultural misunderstandings. She also explains why these cultural differences developed in the first place. Below is a brief overview of her key points.

How to Break the Ice With a Stranger: Tips + Openers

Do you find it awkward to talk to people you don’t know? How do you start up conversations with coworkers or with a date? Not all of us are blessed with the natural ability to start up a conversation with somebody we barely know. If you’ve ever been to a business meeting, a party, or even on a date with someone new, you know the feeling. But luckily, you don’t have to be a natural extrovert to be good at conversations, you just need to know how to break the ice. Keep reading for advice on how to break the

The Pros and Cons of Individual Decision-Making

What is individual decision-making? What are the main benefits of the individual decision-making style? What are its key disadvantages? Individual decision-making is where the chief decision-maker may consider others’ opinions, but ultimately, the individual (usually the boss) makes the final decision. The individual decision-making style is the key feature of hierarchical cultures where there is a clear delineation of ranks amongst members. In this article, we’ll explore the key advantages and disadvantages of individual decision-making, and present some strategies for working in cultures that decide individually.

Erin Meyer: The Key Characteristics of Asian Thinking

How do Asians think about and view the word? Which aspects do they tend to focus on? Which ones do they de-emphasize? According to cultural communication expert Erin Meyer, Asians are “dialectical thinkers.” Dialectical thinking focuses on the big picture and the relationships between the different elements rather than the elements themselves. In this article, we’ll discuss how Asians think, according to cultural communication expert Meyer.

Cross-Cultural Negotiation: Tips for Success

How do you negotiate across the cultural divide? What are some things you should take into account when negotiating with people from different cultures? When negotiating across cultures, the key thing to take into account is how the people with whom you are negotiating approach persuasion. According to cultural expert Erin Meyer, different kinds of arguments persuade people from different cultures. In other words, what persuades you might not persuade someone from a different culture. In this article, we’ll explore the two primary approaches to persuasion and present some strategies you can use to effectively persuade people from different cultures

How to Introduce Yourself to Someone New

How do you introduce yourself to someone you don’t know? Why is learning someone’s name so important? Debra Fine, small talk expert, provides the following advice for introducing yourself to a stranger: choose a partner who is open to conversation, make eye contact, and learn their name immediately. There are also signals you can look for to tell whether or not the person wants to talk to you. Here’s Debra Fine’s advice on how to introduce yourself.

Western Thinking: Theoretical vs. Empirical

Is there such a thing as a Western way of thinking? What is the difference between theoretical and empirical methods of reasoning? Which style of thinking does your culture tend to use? Cultural communication expert Erin Meyer divides non-Asian cultures into two broad patterns of thinking or reasoning. Specifically, Meyer argues that Western and Latin American cultures tend to use either theoretical or empirical thinking. Latin Americans and Germanic countries fall in the middle of this spectrum. In this article, we’ll look at the two variations of Western thinking or reasoning, according to Erin Meyer.