Cross cultural teams bring a special set of pitfalls that are not present in mono cultural teams; from hidden misunderstandings to perceived hostility or indifference. This talk introduces the anthropological concept of cultural relativism, explores how it can be used to uncover potential conflicts that arise out of cultural differences, and presents culturally sensitive strategies for addressing them.

You will gain an understanding of the interplay between culture and perception, and will understand how to apply the prism of cultural relativism to detect, understand, and disarm cultural differences that lead to failure within cross cultural communities.

Claude Warren is a Senior Software Engineer with over 30 years experience. He is currently employed by Aiven in Best, Netherlands where, as a member of the Open Source Program Office. He works on the