Charlotte Wittenkamp. Building Bridges across Cultural Differences - Why don’t I follow your norms?

Bookboon, 2014. — 101 p. — ISBN: 978-87-403-0821-1Have you ever been in the company of people from another country and wondered “Why to they do that?” – “that” being anything from the way they greet each other to public policies we find highly exotic?
“Building Bridges across Cultural Differences” looks at foundations for these differences because in all human relationships, if we can find a satisfying answer to these “Whys”, we are much more likely to connect with people who at first glance seemed somewhat unpredictable.
Exploring values, history, and the ways societies are organized, the book touches on themes where people from very different backgrounds often disconnect. To make it easier to gain trust in people who don’t behave the way we are used to, the book goes deeper into differences in communication patterns. Even when you speak the same language it doesn’t mean that you hear the same things or that you focus on the same issues.The Golden Circle
What is culture?
Values and Norms
The Learning Curve
Adapting – or not
Don’t jump this chapter as much as you may want to
More about Values
Other Models
Egalitarianism. Hierarchy. Patriarchy
History
Systems
Blueprint of the World
Communication
Concluding Comments
About the Author
Charlotte Wittenkamp is an organizational psychologist who since 2006 has counseled international transfers, immigrants, and foreign students in overcoming culture shock. Originating from Denmark, Charlotte has lived in California since 1998. Her own experiences relocating lead down a path of research into value systems and communication patterns.