Cultural differences are impactful because our instinctive “obvious common sense” can in fact be “complete nonsense” in a different culture. These differences are often hidden in plain sight, and rather than debating which is “right,” the important thing is simply to recognize that they are there.
Consider your initial reaction to the idea of a man eating chicken stew with his hands. Sounds messy and like unbelievably poor manners, right? Well, in Morocco, eating local delicacies like tajine with your hands is a time-honored tradition. Now consider a woman sitting in a public park wearing a t-shirt. No big deal, right? But in Saudi Arabia, such a display of perceived immodesty could lead to harassment and even public shaming for a woman.
Every culture and country has its own norms regarding personal space, nonverbal cues, the concept of authority, etc. These are to be respected, especially when we are visitors, and we must try to avoid being led down the simplistic route of stereotypes – “Nobody in France takes work seriously!” or “People from the US are uptight and cold. Yuck!”
One major cultural difference that can cause significant personal and professional problems is the concept of time, namely conflicts between monochronic and polychronic cultures.
What is a monochronic culture?
A monochronic culture views time as a limited resource, and those sands of time must be grasped at through punctuality, schedules, and a strict delineation between work time and play time. In a monochronic culture, you barrel through your To-Do list one task at a time, and don’t relax until the job is done. This is where you’ll hear phrases like “Time is money” and “Let’s get down to business.” Can you think of some countries where this is the norm? Germany and the US likely sprung to mind.
What is a polychronic culture?
As the name implies, a polychronic culture views time as something in which we experience multiple things at the same time. Flexibility reigns supreme, as interruptions and delays are expected for every project. Relationships are what’s important, not extreme efficiency, and projects are completed together. One interesting perspective is that in polychronic cultures, “more value is placed on ‘being’ than on ‘doing.'”
Culture clash between polychronic and monochronic โ A case study
Cathy from California moves to Buenos Aires to set up a tour guide service for English-speaking tourists, a potentially lucrative market. She rents a little office space in Recoleta, hires some bilingual locals, and they get to work. As she and her team slowly make plans for the Palermo pub crawl and trip to the Boca Juniors Stadium, she starts to get a little annoyed with them because they always want to chat and listen to music at work.
She’s stressed about the upcoming deadline she’d set for herself. She fires the IT guy because he has been late for several team meetings. As the self-imposed deadline approaches and more and more people interrupt her with random questions and requests, she snaps one day and calls an immediate team meeting. She makes it clear that she wants people to take work more seriously. Save the socializing, the cigarette breaks, and the mate drinking for after work. No more music during work time.
One employee quits a few days later. The ones who are still there now spend supposed work time looking for new jobs online. Progress slows, and she has to fire another member, but can’t find a decent replacement. When the service finally gets going, people are disappointed with the tour and give it bad reviews. The business closes after 9 months.
How to navigate differences in perceptions of time
The key to preventing potential missteps is understanding that these different time cultures exist. Whether you’re the lowliest junior intern or the CEO, trying to force your own beliefs onto a workplace is never going to be the best way to get things done. Anticipate issues related to time, and if they become potentially problematic, get them out in the open. Discuss what’s essential, what’s flexible, and how everything can be accomplished. And do it immediately. There’s no time to waste!
