A very pertinent book for organisations of any size. Lots of useful, important information and exercises on how to ensure we are culturally diverse and inclusive in the workplace. I particularly enjoyed the content on biases on how these impact us in daily life. Having worked and lived within a number of diverse cultures there was great new information and important reminders on how to ensure respect, inclusivity, curiosity, openness and compassion remains forefront to all communication.

Thank you Nicholas Brearley and NetGalley for an ARC in return of my honest review.

I found this book simply brilliant! Early this year I read another book about this topic (in fact I discovered that they're often recommended together), which I found interesting but not as complete, detailed and clear as Bridge the Culture Gaps.

Robert Gibson gives a valuable insight into cultural differences and bias and into the barriers and hindrances that may arise, especially in the workplace and with colleagues. He gives countless practical examples, offers a very clear and encompassing theoretical background and also makes it possible for the reader to put themselves to the test with some exercises. The book is subdivided into chapters all dealing with a specific micro-topic related to the macro-topic. It is a great read for people who never had a chance to deal with culture studies, as it also mentions very popular theories in the field, not taking for granted that the reader is a pro. I highly recommend this to people who are interested in the impact of culture (and cultural differences) in everyday life, not only to those who are looking for a toolkit to use in the workplace.

Bridge the Culture Gaps, by Robert Gibson is positioned as a "toolkit for effective collaboration in a diverse, global workplace". It aims to "help you optimize your performance when working in an intercultural environment". It also touches on diversity and the challenges of unconscious bias.

Having lived and worked in various parts of Europe, Asia, as well as North and South America, I recognise the struggles, but also the huge opportunities, when dealing with international teams and cultures.

The book is extremely informative and covers a very wide array of topics, but in some cases it lacks depth. To alleviate this, Gibson has provided a list of sources for further information at the end of each chapter. Unfortunately I didn't have all of those other sources easily at hand, so I couldn't dig deeper.

In the first two chapters, Gibson is setting the scene and is looking at the impact of culture and how we need to be aware of the differences between, but alos within, various cultures. He uses the term culture in the meaning of "a shared system of attitudes, beliefs, meanings, values and behaviour". He also points out that there are different levels of intercultural competence; starting with acceptance and ending with gaining synergies and bridging cultures.

Chapter 3 focuses in the power of difference, in a world where "Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) are no longer considered to be ‘nice to have’ but are ‘need to have’". If you need something done quickly, monocultural teams are recommended, but they are less likely to provide any innovative solutions. Multicultural teams, on the other hand, typically will bring more diverse ideas and solutions, but may need longer time to complete the task.

Chapter 4 focuses on different types of bias and how we should use our intelligence to make better decisions, rather than just assume B, because of A. This is where Gibson mentions the "flip it to test it" approach; just swap the gender of the person in question and see how that influences your point of view. "'He is a strong and assertive leader' and, ‘She is a strong and assertive leader'." What does your gut say?

The next chapter looks at ways of navigating different cultures and situations; taking into account the individual, situation, culture and context; the intercultural cocktail. He also reminds us that the "biggest culture gaps are within countries, not between them".

As we see in Chapter 6, intercultural communication is challenging as the message received can be very different from the message sent. A message consists of the actual, factual information, but e.g. the relationship between the sender and receiver will influence how the message is received.
We learn that virtual teams are impacted by three things: space, time and culture. The younger generation has grown up with remote working and collaborating, and it may even be their preferred way of communicating, whereas many still prefer face to face discussions.

Chapter 8 deals with inclusive leadership, how the the result can be more than the parts put together, but also how different levels of technical skills are expected from managers in different cultures. We get a quick introduction to forming, storming, norming and performing (plus adjourning and swarming).

The next chapter deals with how to successfully build trust, influence and deal with conflict in different cultures.

Chapter 10 touches on managing change and how people are likely to react, including the early stages of shock, denial, frustration, and anger.

The next chapter deals with the often over looked problem of returning to the home country after an assignment abroad; the reverse culture shock. Gibson mentions "third culture kids" in this section; children who has grown up in a culture rather than that of their parents; speak several languages, but lack a clear main language. These children will have a head start in working with and leading multicultural teams later in life.

The final chapter, Chapter 12 looks at practical ways of coping with culture and turning differences into competitive advantages in a business context. He covers topics like be curious, observe (don't judge), empathise, be mindful and celebrate differences. To be successful in the VUCA world, it's important to be open-minded and consciously build bridges across cultural divides.

Many of us work in a culturally diverse workforce. Equality and diversity practices are so important. I appreciate the author’s insight which helps us train for a more inclusive work environment and encouraging deeper connections between groups of all ages and backgrounds. The book is practical. The advice is easy to follow.

Bridge The Culture Gaps is a useful guide to implementing equality and diversity practices in the modern workplace, The layout was simple, efficient and easy to follow, providing useful thought activities, quotes and examples for the reader to consider when trying to improve their own business. With advice and content that will relate to small and large businesses alike, this is a handy and well thought-out guide that anybody who wants to foster a culturally diverse and inclusive workplace should definitely take a look at.

Thank you, Nicholas Brealey Publishing, for the advance reading copy.

Broadly devided into ten short crisp chapters, this book focuses on intercultural environment in order to bridge cultural gaps and help us perform better if we feel it is a setback for us.

For someone like me who can totally relate to this situation as I work with people from different cultural backgrounds, I can feel and understand what the author is talking about.

I find the book to be really thorough and impressive right from the very beginning as it leads the reader with what the book is about giving clear aims and target with special features.

The reader will find the book totally practical and easy to follow/understand given the perfect setting for each chapter starting with great suitable quotes, asking key questions and apt exercises.

I appreciate the presentation in such a convenient manner to be accessible for all age groups. Also, I find the different scenarios described as examples with models the best parts of the book.

For someone who's looking forward to build connections and expand their experiences, this book is a must have.

I am planning to keep a physical copy of this book and recommend it to someone in need as well.