When working in an international company, people can sometimes experience cultural misunderstandings. Here are a few examples.
First, there was Ravi from India. In meetings, Ravi often stayed silent. This was because in his culture, younger people do not speak much when older people are talking. He wanted to show respect by listening carefully. But some of his colleagues thought he was not interested or did not have ideas to share.
Then came Li, who was from China. In conversations, Li often said "yes" even when he did not agree. This was a way to avoid saying "no" directly, because saying "no" can be seen as rude or cause conflict in his culture. But this sometimes caused confusion because others thought he agreed with them when he really did not.
Sarah was from South Africa and worked in Japan for the first time. She was surprised when her Japanese coworkers stayed late at the office every day, even if they finished their work early. Sarah thought she should leave on time. But in Japan, staying late shows dedication and respect. Sarah’s behavior was misunderstood as being less serious about her job.
Finally, there was Johan from Sweden. He was frustrated when his Mexican colleague, Carlos, often joined virtual meetings late. Johan valued punctuality and expected everyone to be on time. However, Carlos’s culture has a more relaxed view of time, where being a few minutes late is normal. This caused some tension during their meetings.
These stories show how cultural differences in communication and behavior can make work difficult. Since it is difficult to know every nuance of every cultural difference between peoples, it is important to keep an open mind. When you are experiencing difficulties with someone from another country, assume first that there may be a cultural difference you are not aware of, rather than judge the other person as incompetent.