Cross-Cultural Leader Problems

Running Head: cross-cultural leader problems

A few problems of the cross-cultural leader

Park University

February 26, 2008

Abstract

Cross-Cultural leadership is not for everyone, the leader must be able to fully intertwine into the culture of the country they are working in. In addition, they are expected to realize and be able to adeptly handle the problems that arise during these exchanges whether they deal with communication, supervision, conflict, or ethical issues. Being a leader in a country other than your own requires a different set of competencies that must be learned. This report covers: (1) cross-cultural definitional issues, (2) the cross-cultural leader, (3) competencies required, and (4) problems associated with the cross-cultural leader. Research for this paper was conducted using books and Park University internet sites.

Introduction

In today’s economy more and more businesses are operating in countries other than their own for a variety of reasons. Leaders in the United States are usually chosen for the foreign assignment based on their technical expertise and loyalty to the corporation. It is becoming increasingly apparent that a leader needs more than that to operate in a culture different from their own. Leadership among persons of the same culture is difficult but it is even harder to lead persons of different cultures. This paper will explore a few problems that cross-cultural leaders may face in their attempt to obtain success in their business endeavor.

Cross-Cultural Definitional Issues

The word culture has been very hard to define and understand because it expands several disciplines to include sociology, anthropology, psychology and communication. A review of the literature finds there is no single definition of the word ‘culture’, it all depends on the audience one is presenting to. When one refers to culture in a leadership or management aspect, the definition of culture by Hofstede (1980) is used extensively in the literature. For this report, Hofstede’s definition of culture will be used which states, “the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes members of one group from those of another” (Hofstede, 1980, p. 25).

The Cross-Cultural Leader

The terms culture and leader have a wide variety of definitions, it is hard to determine what a cross-cultural leader is even using Hofstede’s (1980) definition. Performing research on the cross-cultural leader can be a daunting task because researchers use expatriate leaders where a leader from one country and culture assumes a leadership position in a different country and culture, or they compare the differences of how leaders lead in a variety of different cultures to define a cross-cultural leader (Dickson, Hartog, & Mitchelson, 2003).

Because culture is so important in shaping behavior, the cross-cultural leader must be flexible, knowledgeable of the country cultures and values, and be able to quickly adapt to the culture of the country they are in. The cross-cultural leader must have a thorough understanding of how objects or events are defined in the culture. According to Graen and Hui (1999) the cross-cultural leader must have (1) global leadership experience which builds a relationship of trust, respect, obligations, communication, empathy, defensibility and teamwork; (2) learn trans-cultural skills that enable them to conform, respect, and understand the social and behavior norms of different cultures; (3) combine differences in cultures to build a third culture to aid in operations; and (4) engage in cross-cultural creative problem solving to resolve conflicts. If they display a parochial perspective, they are almost certain to fail.

The cross-cultural leader will be more successful if they are able to be open to new experiences and have relationship skills, they must not feel threatened, or uncomfortable with the cultural differences.

Competencies Required

Depending on who is writing the story, the competences required for the cross-cultural leader vary. To give some structure to the variations, Allan Bird and Joyce Osland (2004) devised the “Building Blocks of Global Competencies.” They state all required competences fall into four categories which include: “1. threshold or foundation competencies that begin with traits or natural abilities, 2. Attitudes and orientations (global mindset), 3. Interpersonal Skills, and 4. System skills” (p. 66). Rosen, Digh, Singer, and Phillips (2000) used the term ‘global literacy’ to define four competencies required of the cross-cultural leader, McCall and Hollenbeck (2002) identified seven competencies, and The Corporate Leadership Council (2000) identified several competencies that are required of the cross-cultural leader. Using the four categories identified by Bird and Osland (2004), the following table incorporates the competencies identified by the authors listed above.

The Building Blocks of Global Competencies

Skills Bird & Osland Rosen, Digh, Singer, and Phillips

McCall and Hollenbeck Corporate Leadership Council

System Skills Span boundaries,

build community

through change,

make ethical

decisions Social literacy Honest and integrity Start up businesses in

new markets

Ability to develop

individuals across

diverse cultures

Global team building

Ability to interact with

local political interest.

Interpersonal Skills Mindful

communication

Creating and

building trust Cultural literacy Stable personal

life

Cultural interest

and sensitivity Intercultural

adaptability

Attitudes