Culture is behavior, traditions and knowledge of a particular social group, including language, typical foods, religions, local music, arts and clothing, among other aspects. These are concepts settled over time, establishing themselves in that social group as their way of living and creating a cultural identity.
Multicultural leadership is always challenging, even more so in today’s volatile and changing environment. We no longer know if we are dealing with VUCA, BANI or some other acronym that will appear (or even has already appeared), bringing tension within the organizations.
There are cultural aspects that are easy to perceive, but there are others that are in less visible layers and these are the most sensitive points in multicultural management. The image of the “cultural iceberg” helps us in this understanding.
Dealing with the submerged layer of culture requires a deeper dive into these subjects by the leader, seeking a minimal understanding of each one of them, so that he can be comfortable in his position of command, without compromising his authority.
3 Challenges of leadership in multicultural environments
Well, in practice, you may be faced with the situation of having to lead a multicultural team in three situations (each one with its challenges and own aspects):
1) A local team that receives people from other operations (regions or even countries)
The main point in this scenario will be to promote the inclusion of outside elements in a good way, but giving these new members some knowledge about the culture of that place, which will allow them to adapt quickly.;
2) A team composed of people located in different locations (regions, countries, continents or even globally)
Here the issue is more complex and the greater the scope of responsibility, the more care the leader must take in understanding the cultural aspects of each location, in order to promote an equitable leadership that is accepted by all. Aspects such as respect for religious beliefs, and working hours, are essential in creating this uniqueness in the team.
3) An assignment abroad, serving as an expatriate, and leading a team abroad
Here, the mission is more complex, as the leader will be a minority in the team (and will find himself in someone else´s environment), and will have a big task in adapting to the local culture, as a way of joining the team and building the necessary engagement with the team members.
Whatever the situation, the leader plays a fundamental role in team engagement, leading all members to work in cohesion and single objectives, creating a permeable and transversally applicable “culture” for the entire team.
Working with multiculturalism requires great communication, great adaptability and resilience, some of the soft skills considered most relevant for current leaders. It also implies getting to know local aspects that can affect the team’s routine activities.
For example, in some Muslim countries the work calendar runs from Sunday to Thursday, with the weekend being considered on Friday (sacred day) and Saturday, which differs from most countries that adopt the work calendar from Monday to Friday. This may seem like a simple issue, but one that needs to be well managed, avoiding, for example, scheduling meetings on Fridays, so as not to harm a relevant cultural aspect, causing disruptions in the team.
(My) Advice for success:
In the real world, there is no magic formula for success, but an interaction and collective creation of common rules and understandings that are accepted by all team members can result positively.
However, some advice based on my own experience, I leave listed:
- If your organization has operations in different regions (within or outside the same country), offer employees who have corporate or broader functions training on relevant cultural aspects that involve the social groups involved.
- Practice active listening (open and constant dialogue) with team members, seeking to understand and capture any crises, starting with quick and immediate solutions;
- Require leaders to respect aspects related to working hours in each location. Teams that work together but are situated in time zones of six or more hours (or even with different working days) may struggle with meetings, etc.
- Be careful how you express yourself. Some cultures are more permissive, others are more traditional, and sometimes some form of language or body language may not be well understood and even offensive.
- Try to understand political and socio-economic aspects of the localities with which you work. Sometimes some countries face more severe problems than others do, and this knowledge avoids mistaken and sometimes even offensive statements
- Never impose your culture on other locations. And here, especially if you are the leader, offer a two-way avenue, with mutual acceptance of cultures on all sides
- For M&A cases, always bear in mind the aspects of anxiety that a team can have in situations of acquired companies, etc. Empathy brings teams together and brings powerful engagement;
In conclusion, take advantage of the cultural diversity of your team, and get the most out of this fantastic set of skills at your disposal. Do not be afraid of this situation. Just be careful, be transparent and close to the team and the results obtained will certainly be expressive.