Did you know that depending on where you come from, the map of the world looks differently? 🌎🌍🌏
When someone comes from Europe, they’re used to thinking about themself as being In the center of the map – with the Americas on the left of the map, and Asia to the right.
But the map of the world looks differently in Asia because, in their mind, Asia is in the middle, with – you guessed it – Europe to the left and the Americas to the right.
Americans think of themselves as being between Europe and Asia because… you see where this is going?
Why it matters?
I like to tell this anecdote when I visit my teams in various countries and regions around the world. And it’s something that resonates with a lot of people. It helps them to see that where they sit on the map versus where their colleagues are can bring a new perspective.
The story makes sense geographically – the Earth is round after all. But what lessons should we take from it when leading global teams?
The phrase “the rest of the world” means something different depending on where you live. Before using it, make sure you understand how this will be understood.
Saying “the rest of the world” can be excluding – the way it’s often used lumps together very diverse countries, omitting their identity and important differences in the business environment.
And critically, allow the people who sit in the center of their map to have a voice about their region. Their countries may be at the periphery of your map, but they are at the center of theirs!
Know the difference
There is a difference between having a global company culture, and a company with a global reach. If you want to be really good at doing business globally, you need to know the difference. Do you?