You immediately spotted them. There was something about them, the way they talked or walked. You could not say what, but instantly knew they were strangers. Which automatically and unconsciously made you more aware and alert. You were ready to defend yourself and your tribe. You became culturally protective.
The gut reaction to cultural differences is not curiosity and interest. It is alarm and withdrawal. Instantly, we prepare to fight or flight. The question of survival comes before anything else. Only when we feel physical and psychological safe are we ready to open our minds and hearts.
When companies merge, onboard new people, or establish new teams, the same old brain regions come alive and control the first reaction to change. Cultural differences can either promote integration and generate new opportunities, or work against the intention and ruin everything.
That is why synchronizing culture in organizations is so important.
Culture is a system of learned and shared beliefs, values and actions that we use to identify ourselves and provide a framework within which to live and work. Culture is reflected in our worldviews, stories, artifacts and actions. It is the collective environment that shapes who we are and what we do.
