🕰️ When should I follow up? … The Hidden Role of Time in Cross-Cultural Communication 🌍

You’ve sent an important email to a client or business partner from another culture. Days go by. No reply.
Now you’re wondering: Should I follow up? Have I waited too long- or not long enough?
The answer? It depends on where your contact is on the cultural perception of time.

Erin Meyer, in her insightful book The Culture Map, distinguishes between linear-time cultures and flexible-time cultures:

🔹 Linear-time cultures (e.g. USA, Germany, Switzerland):
Time is sequential. Punctuality and fast turnarounds are signs of professionalism. In these cultures, following up within 48–72 hours is expected and often appreciated.

🔹 Flexible-time cultures (e.g. India, Brazil, many African or Middle Eastern countries):
Time is fluid. Relationships may take priority over efficiency. Deadlines are more adaptable. Here, following up too soon might be seen as pushy or impatient.

⏳ So when do you follow up?
First, pause. Consider the cultural context of your contact. What does “timely” mean to them, not just to you?
Second, if possible, build in expectations from the beginning: “If I don’t hear back within a week, I’ll follow up.”
And third, approach with empathy- a gentle follow-up with warmth and respect can go a long way in any culture.

In intercultural business, understanding time isn’t just about calendars and clocks — it’s about trust, respect, and connection.

💡Have you experienced different cultural perceptions of time in your work? I’d love to hear your story in the comments.