Leadership in a Diverse and Multicultural Environment - Case Study Example

Global leadership Introduction Multinational projects require effective leadership in order to achieve the set goals and objectives. Successful global leaders are required to create personal development plan. They are also needed to demonstrate wide variety of contextual issues involved in running a global project. Leadership skills are also highly indispensable in enhancing the team’s performance. This paper intends to explore the necessary skills and qualities in effective global project of a retail firm. It also intends to establish some of the ways of building a multinational team. Besides, it seeks to examine some of the challenges to such a venture, as well as contextual issues that global leaders should know. Qualities of effective leadership As per Mendenhall, Oddou, Osland (2012), effective leaders require certain qualities in order to succeed in the achievement of the team’s goals and responsibilities. To start with, they should be able to cope with speedy occurrences of interconnected global crises and events, which include technological speed. It is also essential to manage and lead with integrity in an expanding complex international society. Such leaders also need ability to manage the instability and difference between global poverty and the high-income population. Flexibility and adaptability among the leaders is also necessary in developing, embracing and adapting to any changes. Additionally, working before in global locations and environments is necessary. It is also vital to recognize the reduction of nation boundaries and states. Besides, proficiency in appropriate languages is highly critical. They should also possess dynamic skills, multidisciplinary views, and transformational leadership qualities. As well, exposure to or experience in multicultural environments is crucial (Mendenhall, Oddou, Osland, 2012). Building an effective multinational team Emotional connections According to Goldsmith (2003), global leaders should develop personal and empathetic connections with individuals from various backgrounds in the group, and in the wider community. To facilitate this, three different abilities are required genuine interest in others. Firstly, global leaders should demonstrate sincere interest in team members. This implies that global leaders should like, talk, and care about others. Secondly, global leaders should genuinely listen to team members. These leaders should have ability to pick up both verbal and non-verbal interactions. Thirdly, it is imperative for effective leaders to understand various viewpoints. Understanding team members need leaders to connect personally lives of the customers, employees, and other relevant individuals in the business. This implies that understanding context as well as how to offer suitable leadership in it. Developing emotional connections is necessary part of successful global leadership, but this is different from becoming native (Mendenhall, Oddou, Osland, 2012). Integrity Further, Goldsmith (2003) asserts that integrity is another basic requirement for effective multinational leadership. Integrity is a basis for character and is vital in establishing sincere emotional links with individuals. Integrity implies having and displaying a strong dedication to company and personal standards. This entails ethical behavior and loyalty to the business’ agreed-on strategy and values. Both company and personal standards are considerably more susceptible to concession overseas. What is more, integrity involves external relationships. Ethical behaviors in connections outside the company crease certain challenges in an international context. There may be substantial gaps between the main behaviors of certain judgments and culture relating to suitable behaviors in spite of culture. When there is difference between leader’s moral standards and the nation’s behavioral norms, the company and their firm have three basic options of avoiding undertaking business in the country or maintaining their standards and risk being positioned under competitive disadvantage. They can also decide to alter their standards to do as their locals (Mendenhall, Kühlmann, & Stahl, 2001). Some of the best practices involved in this include: 1. Consensus on project plan, goals, and scope definition It is imperative to have program and project managers and team members consent on an explicit understanding of goals, which include outlining business objectives, setting a time schedule of accomplishing, and the reasons. This also implies that international teams benefit from precise and explicitly defined project plan with success metrics and benchmarks (Mendenhall, Oddou, Osland, 2012). 2. Reviewing team composition and working modes According to Goldsmith (2003), team composition refers to various business functions that are represented by the team members. This should be evaluated alongside members’ interactions, information processing, decision making, and organizing themselves. This is necessary in optimizing multifunctional expertise and establishing individual preferences in collaborating. 3. Team cohesion Connerley (2005) asserts that it is also critical to consider team cohesion when establishing a global team in a retail firm. Upon reviewing a team’s working styles, designing a team man is important. This is possible through examination of the team’s diverse functional strengths and weaknesses in undertaking the first three-to-four activities for offering the needed solution and end-product. 4. Multicultural and cross-functional communication matters Managing such teams needs dedicated planning and insight, since cultural gaps may worsen maters in terms of team performance. Some of the cultural components that can cause conflicts and reduce performance include: direct and indirect interaction; contradictory decision-making modes, different hierarchical attitudes, as well as speaking accents and language fluency (Mendenhall, Oddou, Osland, 2012). 5. Acceptable behavior Upon defining and agreeing on latest and non-negotiable conduct for the group, the information may be acknowledged for future functional and behavioral use and reference (Goldsmith, 2003). 6. Management support In spite of best reasons, international project managers and teams usually have insufficient permission to make all decisions essential to attain project goals. This is where substantive, timely, and consistent aid from top executives may make a big difference in a project’s yields. Sufficient resources and well-timed decisions are two significance examples of main management support (Mobley, Li & Wang, 2012). Challenges in building a multinational team As Mobley, Li & Wang (2012) argue, inappropriate business ethics also can hinder proper execution of global leadership. For instance, leaders from other countries may introduce unethical ideas in the home country. Poor legislation may also inhibit successful leadership. Nations must put in place laws that in order to allow the willing global investors to conveniently operate business as well promoting the domestic business interests and people’s rights (Mendenhall, Kühlmann, & Stahl, 2001). Besides, restrictive policies also hinder successful implementation of global leadership. Countries with strict immigration policies negatively affect free entry of leaders into a particular country. In addition, such countries may also make it hard for effective global leadership (Mendenhall, Oddou, Osland, 2012). Poverty is also affects productive global leadership negatively. Bringing diverse leadership together can be hindered by poverty since moving worldwide needs substantial resources. Nevertheless, leaders from poor nations; hence, inhibiting free movement of people. Technological and educational challenges may also hinder effective international leadership. Some of the leaders from less developed technology and education may impede free contact and movement of individuals. Culture may also become an impediment in global leadership. Factors, such as, communication and language difference can make it hard for global leaders to work together efficiently. Some cultures may limit free human relations. Therefore, global leaders should have a cultural sensitivity to handle cultural diversity in the team (Mobley, Li & Wang, 2012). Terrorism is another challenge to efficient global leadership. Some of the people of certain social and ethnic class can be deprived of free movement and entry in such countries (Mendenhall, Oddou, Osland, 2012). Personal leadership skills As Mendenhall, Kühlmann, & Stahl (2001) argue, for a team to achieve its goals and objectives, an effective leader is highly indispensable. Some of the leadership skills required are: a) Honesty Every leader needs to have a greater ethical and responsibility level than the members of team. This is because the business and the employees tend to reflect the leader. Thus, any ethical and honest behavior is a critical value; the team will follow the same. Therefore, honesty is a basic requirement of the team’s leadership (Connerley, 2005). b) Capacity to delegate For the multinational team to succeed, the leadership should have the capacity to trust the team members potential. This implies that the leader should be able to delegate the roles and responsibilities to the team members. Delegating work to appropriate departments is a significant skill a leader can develop in such a team. Piled work compromises with its quality, production levels, as well as overall performance of the firm. An effective leader should identify the team’s strengths and capitalize on them (Goldsmith, 2003). c) Communication Effective global leaders should possess excellent communication skills. It is important for leaders to succinctly and clearly describe what they want to team members. This will enable the whole team to achieve its vision. The ability to train and create a productive work environment depends on healthy communication channels. Leaders should make themselves available always to discuss work matters. Consequently, the team will tend to trust and rely on the leaders and enhance their performance (Mendenhall, Oddou, Osland, 2012). d) Sense of humor Goldsmith (2003) says that in every successful team, morale is connected to productivity, and it is the leaders’ responsibility to instill a constructive energy to the members. This is where sense of humor comes in handy. Good leaders encourage their members to laugh at problems instead of crying over them. A team that usually finds humor in struggles creates a healthy and happy work environment that members in which workers strive to work. Global leaders should also share jokes with the team and entertain personal conversations about weekend trips and plans. e) Confidence Global leaders should also uphold confidence level and guarantee members that drawbacks are natural is of the essence. They should assure members the most valuable thing is focusing on the bigger goal. Maintaining calm and confidence is helpful for leaders as they make the team feel the same. Since members look up to their leaders, it is essential to keep them working and forging ahead (Mobley, Li & Wang, 2012). f) Commitment Leading by example is essential in enhancing good performance. Leaders who prove their commitment to work and role earn respect of the members, as well as instill similar hardworking energy among them. Global leaders should not only show commitment to work, but also to their promises to the team. This will promote dedication and high performance among the members (Connerley, 2005). g) Positive attitude Leaders should always keep their teams motivated to achieve consistent success of the firm, and maintain high energy levels. Whether this implies provision of coffee, snacks, relationship advice, or even occasional beer at the office, it is crucial to ensure that every member is a person. Leaders should be able to maintain an office mood a good balance between playfulness and productivity. Team members who feel upbeat and happy tend to stay longer hours to accomplish a report, or devote their finest work to the firm (Goldsmith, 2003). h) Creativity Some decisions made in a team may not always be definite. Leaders should be forced to shift from the set direction and make weird decisions. This is where leaders’ creativity becomes essential. At such situations, team members tend to look up to their leaders for guidance; hence the need to make quick decisions. It is notable for leaders to think out of the box and select one of the bad options as the most appropriate. For instance, in the retail store, leaders might be required to make a decision regarding changing an unsuccessful product line or improving on it. Therefore, it is critical for global leaders to utilize all potential alternatives prior to making rash decisions (Mobley, Li & Wang, 2012). i) Intuition When leading a global team through hard situations, there is absence of a roadmap on what should be done. Here, everything is unclear, and the greater the risk, the more the pressure. In such situations, leaders are required to capitalize on their intuition. They should be able to guide the members through their routine tasks efficiently. Referring to past experiences is as right as enlisting mentors’ assistance. Although leaders are required to make hard decisions, they have to rely on their instincts. Thus, it is important for them to trust themselves and the team should also trust them (Goldsmith, 2003). j) Ability to inspire Establishing a business usually involves some forecasting. Particularly in the initial stages of a startup, motivating the team to foresee the success is crucial. Leadership should make their teams feel part of the firm’s accomplishments. The ability to inspire members is crucial for focusing on the future objectives, but also vital for present issues (Connerley, 2005). Conclusion In order to effectively run a multinational team, an appropriate personal development plan is of essence. Global leadership skills required include honesty, commitment, intuition, creativity, confidence, communication, positive attitude, and capacity to delegate. Building a multinational team necessitates cultural sensitivity, ability to handle cultural diversity, emotional awareness, integrity, technological savvy, and capacity to create partnerships and alliances. Some of the best practices in building a global team include management support, team cohesion, communication, acceptable behavior, concession on goal, plan, and vision, as well as regular review of working modes, and team composition. Nevertheless, such a process may be hindered by issues, such as, terrorism, poverty, cultural difference, restrictive policies, poor legislation, unethical business practices, as well as low education and technology. References Connerley, M.L. (2005). Leadership in a Diverse and Multicultural Environment: Developing Awareness, Knowledge, and Skills. Mason, OH: SAGE. Pp. 70-90. Goldsmith, M. (2003). Global Leadership: The Next Generation. New York, NY: Pearson Education, Inc. Pp. 5-20. Mendenhall, M.E., Oddou, G.R., Osland, J. (2012). Global Leadership: Research, Practice, and Development. New York, NY: Routledge. Pp. 20-50. Mendenhall, M.E., Kühlmann, T.M. & Stahl, G.K. (2001). Developing Global Business Leaders: Policies, Processes, and Innovations. New York, NY: Greenwood Publishing Group. Pp. 120-140. Mobley, W.H., Li, M. & Wang, Y. (2012). Advances in Global Leadership, Volume 7. New York, NY: Emerald Group Publishing. Pp. 5-30. Read More