The Leadership in Action Series: On Leading the Global Organization

Cultural Adaptability: It’s About More Than Using the Right Fork

Maxine A. Dalton

For global managers, adapting to the cultures of the countries in which they conduct business is a crucial capability. It’s also an often misunderstood capability, one that can easily be diminished through oversimplification. As global managers work at adapting to other cultures, they need to be mindful of issues of appropriateness and ethics.

Managers in global organizations know all about getting advice. One piece of guidance that they’re offered repeatedly—by their bosses, researchers, consultants, coaches, books, and newspaper and magazine articles—is that they need to be able to adapt their thinking and behavior to the cultures in which they work. They’re told ...