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- International Management
Individual Assignment

Leading Across Cultures

LEADERSHIP ACROSS CULTURES

Leading Across Cultures

Executive Summary
Modern day leaders are faced with a myriad of challenges making their managerial
positions, not a cozy path. They are expected to motivate, lead, and direct a diversified group
of individuals from various ethnic, social, and cultural boundaries. Modern day leaders are
expected to work across organizational limits and boundaries to inspire growth and
development within the various units in the organization.
Externally, the leaders are bound to the complex, globalized environment. In this
external environment, leaders are expected to comply with the governments rules and
regulations, attain the expectations of stakeholders, and manage competitors. Despite the
variance in cultural dynamics, the society requires that leaders conform to the global
environment and consequently deliver results. Leaders are also expected to work with others,
despite the variance in their ethnicity, culture, and race, to achieve results in the organization
(van Driel & Gabrenya, 2013).
The challenges evident in the leadership of a global organizational environment occur
as a threat as many leaders shy away from these roles. It is difficult to develop leaders who
can effectively address the leadership needs on a global environment. Various strategies must
be adopted to complement the training needs essential in developing such global leaders.
Planned change initiatives also come in handy in equipping leaders to manage organizations
on a global scale. Despite these efforts, some leaders possess a number of challenges that are
not covered by the change and strategy initiatives. The aspect of cultural sensitivity among
being served has been raised. This requires managers to sensitive to other peoples culture as
a way of limiting conflicts. This is the premise of good management (Dartey-Baah, 2013).
This following study focuses on these challenges and their effect on leaders and the
organizations they lead. We also delve into the ways in which an organization can develop to
mitigate these problems and shape the management skills of their leader. In efforts of
critically addressing this issue, the paper engages in the identification of the prominent
challenges leaders face on a global scale. Establishment of these challenges helps global
leaders identify with their problems. Consequently, we identify strategies that can be instilled
to alleviate these challenges for leaders.

LEADERSHIP ACROSS CULTURES

Introduction
In this paper, the article under scrutiny delves in the analysis of management across
cultures. The aspects under study include leadership in a global environment, motivation, and
communications across various cultural divides in a global setting. All these aspects engulf
the prominent topic of management across cultures. The focus also extends to include the
identification of appropriate HRM skills across teams as a way of limiting workplace
conflicts. These elements are related to one another as they revolve around the leadership
duties, roles in a global environment. In this paper, we also scrutinize these aspects, the
present imminent challenges and delve at arriving at a conclusion that seeks to address the
current challenges. The paper also aims at establishing solutions towards solving the
challenges that global leaders encounter and their solutions. In addition, we highlight the
initiatives undertaken by organizations to shape their leaders to take on managing
organizations on a global scale (van Driel & Gabrenya, 2013).
Challenges of International Management
The article highlights the plight of a team leader named Carlos Gomez managing
Heineken, a Dutch brewing company situated in Amsterdam. From Gomezs experiences, we
identify the challenges that global leaders and executives face in their workplaces. Gomez,
who is of Mexican origin experiences, challenges with his interaction with the Dutch in his
new workplace. Previously, Gomez was stationed in Mexico where the company runs a big
operation with a large number of head employees.
The experience in Amsterdam is quite different. According to Gomez, the Dutch do
not care at all of the presence of the boss in a room or meeting. They carry along their duties
as usual, not minding the presence of a senior employee in the company. It is through this
experience that Gomez realizes that the experience of managing Mexican teams does not link
at all with that of managing the Dutch teams (Insead Knowledge, 2014). Knowledge in
IHRM and cross-cultural management becomes essential at this instance because it helps him
to appreciate the diversity in cultures. The appreciation of such a concept enables him to
avoid conflicts that would arise were he to expect some form of formal recognition from
employees in the new environment (Chitakornkijsil, 2010).
In Gomezs culture, a relatively high level of deference to authority is common but
uncommon with the Dutch culture. As a result, it becomes challenging and confusing leading
a team where the team views their boss as one of the people present in the room. The Dutch
culture occurs as one of the most egalitarian one globally. The cultural rift between the
Mexican and Dutch culture places Gomez in a confusing state of enforcing his managerial
roles and duties (Insead Knowledge, 2014).
As he explains, the team under him quickly engages in challenging a process he
intends to roll out. In most cases, the discussion takes unexpected directions and
consequently ignore the whole process altogether. In such circumstances, Gomez feels to
kneel down and plead with the team members to acknowledge that he is the boss in the room.

LEADERSHIP ACROSS CULTURES

From Gomezs experience, we develop a number of assorted challenges he faces in

enforcing stewardship within his area of jurisdiction. Developing effective managerial skills
becomes an issue, as team members seem to ignore the presence of their leader.
Consequently, it becomes challenging to develop the relevant skills of strategic thinking,
decision-making, time management, and prioritization of various duties and roles in the
organization. As the team members fail to acknowledge Gomez as their team leader, it
becomes difficult for him to enforce various duties in the organizations. The prevalence of
arguments, unnecessary discussions that sway away from the main agendas also deprives
Gomezs leadership roles and functions (Insead Knowledge, 2014).
Based on Gomezs experience, it is difficult for a manager to manage internal politics
and stakeholders. In this case, leaders may fail to maintain the organizations politics, image,
and relationships. Attaining all these needs support from other departments who may fail the
leader.
Leaders also face the obstacle of guiding the change in the organization. The
dynamics in guiding change include the need of mobilizing, understanding, and managing
change. It becomes a challenge for leaders like Gomez to mitigate the change consequences
within the organization and deal with the reaction of the employees over the instilled change.
The role of leaders in developing team members becomes a challenge. Leaders also
have a responsibility of coaching and mentoring other team members under them. Obstacles
present such as non-acknowledgement of the boss in the room inhibits the execution of such
duties by leaders in organizations.
The article also engages in the identification of the effects of cultures in an
organizational setting with reference to the Japanese and Swedish. In the research, 45 percent
of the Japanese sample claimed that it was necessary that a boss possesses all the answers.
Only seven percent of the Swedish thought of the same. In the Japanese case, team members
may fear to engage their bosses on a number of issues and challenges (Insead Knowledge,
2014). The Swedish managers, on the other hand, involved more with their staff in
organizational interactions through the question and answering processes.
Factors that have led to issues international management
The difference in cultural backgrounds explains most of the challenges faced in
international management. In a global environment, team players come from various cultural
divides that possess a number of variations from one to the other. For example, the Dutch
Society ranks as one of the worlds most egalitarian societies. In this society, everybody
occurs as an equal not minding his or her positions in the communities. As a result, there
occurs a free interaction between individuals without emphasis on the social status. In such a
society, leaders from other communities face difficulties in the execution of their roles based
on the cultural background of the people under them (Dunning, 2010).
For example, most Asian countries have a relatively high deterrence to authority in the
society. These Asian cultures are rooted in the aspect of Confucianism. Adherence to the
aspect of Confucianism demands that humanity to identify their roles and positions in the
society and consequently behave accordingly. The belief also asserts that the world would be
a better place to live when humanity acknowledges their roles in the society. It is under this

LEADERSHIP ACROSS CULTURES

idea that the Asian societies have developed obedience to those in higher positions in society.
Consequently, those in these positions are expected to mentor and protect those in lower
positions in the society (McFarlin & Sweeney, 2014).
In China, for example, most individuals believe in the notion, the boss is always
right. The society has grown to respect and understand the system of reciprocal obligations.
In this case, the team a leader takes on must adhere to the instructions by the leader to the
latter. Consequently, the leader must understand his role of mentoring and coaching the team
members (Fernandez & Underwood 2011).
Problems in internal communication within the organization also result in the
challenges evident in groups. The culture of an organization emanates from interpersonal
relationships, philosophical and policy statements, newsletters, and other training materials.
Lack of good interpersonal relationships between team players results in poor relations,
thereby jeopardizing the organizational roles and duties (Missoni & Alesani, 2013).
Interpersonal relationships boil down to basic acts of courteousness, respect, and tolerance.
Courtesy and respect occur as a fundamental pillar in all aspects of intellectual
communication. It is important to consider and appreciate other cultural breeds with openness
and civility. Without these adhering to these controls, various problems arise in the
organization (Insead Knowledge, 2014).
Theories & Key Concepts to explain these challenges
Hofstede's Cultural Dimension Theory
Group and cultural performance of major global businesses have realized the impact
of variations in culture from their employees. Cultural awareness presents lead to significant
improvement in the business ventures of global organizations. However, the lack of cultural
awareness results in failure of the organizations. In response to this issue, Hofstede developed
a five-model structure categorized as cultural dimensions in his research of the various issues
surrounding cultural differences in the society (Devjani, 2014).
In his study, Hofstede identified IBM employees spread over fifty countries in the
world. From his study, he identified the five problems that are regarded as dimensions in his
model based on the various analyzed cultures. The identified problem areas include
masculinity/feminity, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation. Other identified
dimensions are individualism/collectivism and the power distance (Piepenburg, 2011).
Power distance delves in exemplifying the perception and acceptance of social
inequity in various cultural divides. According to Hofstede, high-power societies raise their
children with emphasis on the respect for elders. The emphasis is carried through from the
childhood stage to the adulthood one evident in various individuals in organizations. Cultures
with emphasis on high-power are more aligned to centralized organizations since they prefer
autocratic leadership styles. The hierarchical structures present wide gaps as subordinates
expect to be told what to do by the authorities in place (Piepenburg, 2011). A case example of
this high-end power distance culture is the Chinese. Low-end power distance societies depict
a clear opposite of the high-end power cultures, and employees expect their seniors to consult
them before any act of decision-making. In fact, they prefer a democratic and resourceful

LEADERSHIP ACROSS CULTURES

leader. A case example of this culture is the Dutch as depicted in the article above
(Chitakornkijsil, 2010).
Hofstede defines individualism as the preference of individuals in belonging to a
loosely knit society. In this society, the self and autonomy occur as significant aspects of
these cultures. On the other hand, collectivism holds with the high importance the social units
of the family, rather than the self-evident in individualism. Individualistic cultures inspire
independent working of employees so that the employees attain self-actualization. On the
other hand, collectivism encourages cohesion of employees who work as a team in
accomplishing goals and objectives of the organization (Devjani, 2014).
Hofstede asserts that masculinity is a representation of the distinct gender roles that
men play in the society. In this case, men focus on aspects of competition, success, and
rewards in an organization. On the other hand, women focus on the aspects of modesty and
the quality of life. Feminity occurs as a representation of an overlap in gender roles across
cultures (Fernandez & Underwood 2011). Managers evident in masculine cultures happen as
more decisive and assertive. Managers in feminine cultures happen as more intuitive that are
ready to negotiate in cases of disputes and are open to dialogs.
The dimension of uncertainty avoidance delves in elucidating the extent to which a
culture feels threatened. High-risk environments demand rules, regulations, and policies that
govern a workplace. The workforce in this type of situation feels great anxiety with the
organizational need for hard work and performance from the employees. Weak uncertainty
avoidance cultures fuel more relaxed experiences for the employees in the workplace. In
these cultures, employees tend to engage in slower working paces due to less anxiety over
any future happenings.
The long-term orientation dimension reiterates the Chinese Confucian Theory. In
these cultures, individuals portray dynamic and future-based orientations. Individuals in these
cultures do not also pay particular attention to past events rather pay close attention to future
events. The five dimensions exhibited in Hofstedes model are important in modern day
businesses and consequently affect their outcomes (Piepenburg, 2011).
Strategies to deal with these problems
Leading across cultures calls for the need of means to adapt and override the crosscultural differences. As a result, cultural agility occurs as an important aspect in ensuring a
comfortable and quick response in addressing the various cultural divides that people call
home. It is essential that organizations identify and toggle across the approaches in efforts to
establish a culturally agile workforce (Chitakornkijsil, 2010).
Organizational leaders should first question their assumptions about cultural
variations and differences. Some leaders may ignore the occurrence cultural differences in the
society. It is difficult for leaders to spearhead a global organization when they ignore the
significance of cultural variations in the workplace. The significant appreciation of cultural
agility enables organizational leaders implement strategic initiatives in solving the problems
(Miller, 2014).
Investment in collaboration diversifies the working experience for employees. In this
case, an introduction of cross-cultural training programs facilitates further cultural
interactions between the various cultures. Cross-border collaborations have also ensued face-

LEADERSHIP ACROSS CULTURES

to-face meetings between members in a different geographical location in efforts to establish

bonding and learning from one anothers culture (Miller, 2014).
It is necessary that the HR departments align global mobility, recruitment, and talent
management roles. Strategic integration of these three functions helps develop a group of
culturally agile professionals. Recruitment processes should attract culturally agile
professionals. The talent management role of the HR late delves in facilitating the creation of
progressive cross-cultural experiences in efforts to establish cultural agility.
Conclusion
Experience of Gomez shifting from one culture to another as shown n this study has
emphasized the importance of learning various techniques of managing conflicts arising from
diversity. The study has identified the leadership challenges that emanate from differences in
cultural upbringings among various individuals. We also learn about the factors, causes, and
the need to rectify on the cultural differences that may cost the performance of organization.
Hofstedes theory on cultural dimension has proven to be useful in managing such workplace
challenges. This will only be realized when diversity among employees is appreciated. Global
organizations should work to attain cultural agility within their workplaces. Most importantly,
the study of international management is essential to anyone who seeks to gain skills essential
in limiting potential workplace conflicts related to difference in cultures.
(2462 words)

LEADERSHIP ACROSS CULTURES

8
References

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Appendix
Insead Knowledge (2014, May 13). Leadership Qualities: How to Lead Well Across Cultures.
Forbes Magazine/ Accessed April 26 2015 from
http://www.forbes.com/sites/insead/2014/05/13/leadership-qualities-how-to-lead-wellacross-cultures/