Michele Gelfand, a Stanford Professor of Organizational Behavior and author of "Rule Makers, Rule Breakers," explores the influence of cultural norms on our lives. She discusses the crucial balance between 'tight' and 'loose' cultures, arguing that effective strategies must consider these ingrained norms. Gelfand shares insights on how culture shapes everything from politics to parenting and emphasizes the need for cultural intelligence in teams. She also touches on the surprising stress that can come from enjoying life's simple pleasures.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Contrasting Kitchen Cultures
Anne and Betty work in adjacent kitchens but with vastly different cooking approaches.
Anne relies on intuition and ingredient cues while Betty values precision and strict recipes in pastry.
insights INSIGHT
Culture Is Invisible Yet Pervasive
Culture is omnipresent and impacts everything from politics to parenting yet remains invisible.
People notice their cultural norms mostly when stepping outside their own cultural context.
insights INSIGHT
Tight-Loose Culture Continuum
Cultures vary on a tight-loose continuum indicating how strictly societies follow rules.
Tight cultures emphasize order and discipline; loose cultures emphasize openness and adaptability.
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In this book, Huntington expands on his 1993 thesis that future wars will be fought not between countries, but between cultures. He argues that the primary axis of conflict in the post–Cold War world will be along cultural lines, with different civilizations, such as Western, Islamic, and Sinic, becoming increasingly significant in analyzing potential conflicts. Huntington also discusses the shift of economic, military, and political power from the West to other civilizations and critiques the Western belief in the universality of its values and political systems[4][5][1].
Rule Breakers and Rule Makers
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David Gardner
In "Rule Breakers and Rule Makers," David Gardner outlines his investment philosophy centered around identifying and holding disruptive companies for the long term. He details the characteristics he looks for in 'Rule Breaker' stocks, emphasizing factors like strong management, sustainable competitive advantages, and significant consumer appeal. The book also includes case studies of his successful and unsuccessful investments, illustrating the principles of his strategy. Gardner's approach prioritizes identifying companies poised for significant growth, even if they appear overvalued in the short term. The book serves as a guide for investors seeking to replicate his long-term success.
Do you stick to the rules or do you roll through stop signs? Whether you’re “tight” or “loose” — how closely you adhere to social norms — has major implications for your life at home and at work.
“To be effective, we want to be ambidextrous,” says Michele Gelfand, the John H. Scully Professor in Cross-Cultural Management and Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business. “Even if we might lean tight or loose, we want to be able to create a context where we can have both tight and loose elements.”
Sophisticated strategies will fail if they don’t account for deeply embedded norms, and Gelfand breaks down why the adage that “culture eats strategy for breakfast” is more than just a management cliché.
“From the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep, [culture is] affecting everything from our politics to our parenting,” Gelfand says. “But we take it for granted — we don’t even think about it. So it’s kind of invisible. And that’s a pretty profound puzzle.”
What’s the biggest cultural adjustment you’ve made? Share your story at ifthenpod@stanford.edu.
If/Then is a podcast from Stanford Graduate School of Business that examines research findings that can help us navigate the complex issues we face in business, leadership, and society. Each episode features an interview with a Stanford GSB faculty member.
If/Then 
