Business Leadership Across Cultures

Leadership across cultures is difficult, but not impossible.

Globalization means that managers will increasingly be working with foreign employees or in overseas offices. There is no doubt that culture shock, and varying ethical and moral codes of countries make it difficult for any such manager. A manager must research and understand the situation he is entering, and then try to adhere as strictly as possible to his and the company's ethical standards. He should also help his employees overcome cultural differences and unite as a functioning team.

Defining Leadership

International leadership, according to cross-cultural management professor Helen Deresky, is the process of developing strategies, designing and operating systems, and working with people around the world to ensure competitive advantage.

Defining Globalization

As management author John Schermerhorn writes, globalization is the worldwide interdependence of resources, products and businesses.

Intersection: Culture Shock

Obviously, when leadership and globalization intertwine there are many benefits, hence the explosion in worldwide economic growth and international conglomerates. However, culture shock is the downside to these trends, as people from different backgrounds find it difficult to work with one another because they do not share the same reference points and social mores. Americans, for example, must get used to the different negotiating styles, the pace of life, and punctuality of people in a foreign culture, which can be very frustrating for all parties trying to work together. Likewise, a manager may have to make difficult ethical and moral decisions if he is operating in a country where customs like bribery are widespread, despite their illegal nature.

Potential Solutions

As Deresky writes, there is no easy answer to these dilemmas, and often leaders must balance the conflicting objectives of people from different cultures and societies. Ethical standards vary greatly throughout the world, which makes the process even more difficult. It seems that the wisest course of action a manager can take is to follow his own and the company's ethical guidelines as closely as possible, and then make individual decisions on a case-by-case basis: It is always better to abstain from any unethical behavior, but very small concessions to local customs can be acceptable if they do no real harm and get the job done.

Leadership Benefits

Of course, managers are not the only ones struggling when cultures clash. Leadership is more important than ever when a company assembles an international team. It is a leader's job to do his homework, researching the culture and norms of his staff before taking on a project. That way he can be prepared to deal with potential conflicts and understand others' points of view, so he does not seem ethnocentric or snobbish. When a manager understands and tackles culture clash and helps his employees work through their differences to achieve results, he is demonstrating true international leadership.

References

• "Global Management: Strategic and Interpersonal;" Helen Deresky; 2002.
• "Management;" John Schermerhorn; 2008
• "Project Management: The Managerial Process;" C.F. Gray & E.W. Larson; 2008.