In global corporations, start-ups, and expat communities, people from vastly different backgrounds often begin to act, lead, and communicate in surprisingly similar ways. And maybe this includes you. So, is there such a thing as a “global culture” and are you a part of it?

Loosely translated as The Law of Jante, this invisible rulebook ultimately says: “Don’t think you’re better than anyone else.”

Proverbs and sayings may seem like throwaway phrases, but often, they reveal how people think, communicate, and relate to the world around them. Let’s unpack the wisdom of old sayings to find insight into cultural values in which they originated.