The Truth About Managing People, Third Edition

Truth 33. Adjust Your Leadership Style for Cultural Differences, or When in Rome...

Many managers fail as leaders because they forget to adjust their style for the cultural background of their employees. This applies to managers who take on assignments in a foreign country as well as managers who find themselves overseeing employees who come from a different cultural background. Research has found that national culture directly shapes a manager’s effectiveness and what matters most is the manager’s choice of leadership preferences and communication styles.

National culture affects leadership style in two ways. It shapes the preferences of leaders, and it also defines what’s acceptable to subordinates. Leaders can’t choose their styles at will. ...