"Culture mapping," is a way to visualize the differences between cultures in eight key areas such as communication style, feedback, persuasion, leadership, and trust-building.

It's often cultural differences, not personality traits, that lead to misunderstandings. For example, there's the case of "Silent Bo," a Chinese individual who doesn't speak up in a meeting because of cultural norms about hierarchy and taking turns. Then there's "Deaf Dulac," a situation that highlights the clash between American and French cultural norms about giving positive versus negative feedback.

At the heart of culture mapping are eight scales that map out national cultures. These scales range from one extreme to another in the key areas. For example, some cultures lean more towards egalitarianism, while others are more hierarchical in their leadership styles. These scales help visualize the gaps between cultures, making it easier to identify potential miscommunications.

These scales were created based on interviews about cultural norms and were fine-tuned using feedback from international executives. They show the mainstream culture, with individuals making choices within that range. The important thing is the relative gap between two cultures, not their absolute positions.

"Cultural relativity," is understanding not just how your culture views another, but also how they view you. The goal is to help readers "decode" the invisible cultural frameworks that shape perceptions, thought patterns, and behaviors around the world.