Abstract
Most of us never consider how culture shapes our expectations and assumptions about relationship building. But research shows that our cultural upbringing influences how we form and maintain connections with others — often quite significantly. This article identifies six core elements of the relationship code: where relationship building takes place, who can initiate relationships with whom, what kinds of relationships people attempt to form, what types of personal information people share, how people present themselves in the early stages of getting acquainted, and how quickly we expect to establish a working sense of trust and rapport. These elements are at the root of the confusion and misunderstanding that can occur when people attempt to build relationships across cultures. By paying attention to these six elements, global workers will gain insight into why things may “feel different” when getting to know their colleagues. They may even discover they have more in common with their colleagues than they thought.c