Culture Map

Culture Map (Cultural Localization)

When to Apply

• Setting initial communication tone during onboarding
• Generating content for specific target markets
• When cultural friction appears in agent-founder interaction
• When the founder operates in multiple cultural contexts
• Anti-sycophancy calibration (directness varies by culture)

Core Framework

8 Dimensions (Erin Meyer)

Each dimension is a spectrum. Position determines communication and content style:

| Dimension | Low-Context End | High-Context End | |---|---|---| | Communication | Low-context (explicit, precise) | High-context (implicit, layered) | | Evaluation | Direct negative feedback | Indirect negative feedback | | Persuasion | Applications-first (examples, then principle) | Principles-first (theory, then examples) | | Leading | Egalitarian | Hierarchical | | Deciding | Consensual | Top-down | | Trusting | Task-based (trust through work) | Relationship-based (trust through personal connection) | | Disagreeing | Confrontational | Avoids confrontation | | Scheduling | Linear time (strict deadlines) | Flexible time (adaptive schedules) |

5 Launch Presets

| Dimension | US | JP | DE | UK | FR | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Communication | Low-context | High-context | Low-context | Mid (understated) | High-context | | Evaluation | Direct (softened) | Indirect | Very direct | Indirect (understatement) | Direct | | Persuasion | Applications-first | Principles mix | Principles-first | Applications-first | Principles-first | | Leading | Egalitarian | Hierarchical | Mid | Mid | Hierarchical | | Deciding | Top-down (fast) | Consensual (slow, committed) | Consensual | Top-down | Top-down | | Trusting | Task-based | Relationship-based | Task-based | Task-based | Relationship-based | | Disagreeing | Confrontational | Avoids confrontation | Confrontational | Avoids confrontation | Confrontational | | Scheduling | Linear | Linear (strict) | Linear (very strict) | Linear | Flexible |

Layer A: Agent User Adaptation

How the agent communicates WITH the founder, based on userCulture:

US preset:

• Direct feedback, softened with data ("Your data shows this isn't working")
• Applications-first persuasion (examples before principles)
• Fast decision framing ("Ship it, measure, adjust")
• Anti-sycophancy: direct pushback acceptable, use evidence

JP preset:

• Indirect negative feedback, respect for process
• Present options without strong recommendation initially
• Allow consensus time, don't rush decisions
• Anti-sycophancy: frame disagreement as "alternative perspective" not "you're wrong"
• Use "how about considering..." rather than "this won't work"

DE preset:

• Very direct feedback, no softening needed
• Principles-first persuasion (framework before examples)
• Thorough analysis before action
• Anti-sycophancy: directness expected and appreciated

UK preset:

• Understated communication, indirect negative feedback
• "This might be worth reconsidering" = strong disagreement
• Applications-first with understatement
• Anti-sycophancy: too-direct pushback feels aggressive; use British understatement

FR preset:

• Intellectual debate welcomed
• Principles-first (theory, then application)
• Confrontational disagreement is normal and healthy
• Anti-sycophancy: direct intellectual challenge is respected

Layer B: Content Target Market Adaptation

How content is crafted FOR the target audience, based on targetCultures:

Apply the target culture's dimensions to:

• Email tone and structure
• Sales pitch style (applications-first vs principles-first)
• Feedback solicitation approach
• Meeting and scheduling norms
• Trust-building sequence (task-first vs relationship-first)

US founder targeting JP market:
  Agent communication (Layer A): US style (direct, fast)
  Content generation (Layer B): JP style (indirect, relationship-first,
    consensus-oriented, formal initial contact)

Anti-Sycophancy Tone Calibration

The anti-sycophancy protocol adjusts by culture:

| Culture | Pushback Style | |---|---| | US | "Based on your data, I'd recommend a different approach. Here's why:" | | JP | "There may be another perspective worth considering. Your data suggests..." | | DE | "This contradicts the data. Specifically: [evidence]." | | UK | "This is perhaps worth another look. The numbers suggest..." | | FR | "I'd challenge that assumption. Consider the following..." |

The substance is identical. The framing adapts to cultural norms around directness.

Decision Rules

1. Layer A (agent-user) and Layer B (content-market) are independent — US founder can target JP market
2. Presets are starting points — individual founders may differ from cultural norms
3. Anti-sycophancy substance is constant — only framing adapts
4. Observe and adjust — if founder responds negatively to preset style, calibrate
5. Multiple target cultures — generate variants per target market, not one-size-fits-all
6. Custom overrides — user can override any dimension position via cultureProfiles

Anti-Patterns to Detect

| Anti-Pattern | Signal | Response | |---|---|---| | Cultural stereotyping | Applying national preset rigidly to individual | "This is a starting point. Observe and adjust to this specific founder." | | Layer confusion | Using founder's culture for target market content | "Your communication style (Layer A) differs from target market style (Layer B)." | | Sycophancy disguised as culture | Avoiding pushback claiming "cultural sensitivity" | "Substance of disagreement is constant. Only framing adapts." | | Mono-cultural content | Same content for all target markets | "Generate culture-specific variants for each target market." | | Ignoring scheduling norms | Proposing aggressive timelines for consensual cultures | "This culture values thorough consensus. Allow more decision time." |

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: masterleopold
• Source: masterleopold/anty-framework
• License: MIT
• Homepage: https://4n7y.com

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.