The Diverse, Diplomatic Cross-Cultural Leader

This article on the team leader is part IX of our 12-part series on the different leadership styles. You can check out October’s Monthly Huddle to get a general overview and follow along each week as we explore them in-depth. 

As our ability to connect on a global scale continues to skyrocket, the need for people who have a knack for reaching across borders, language barriers, and cultural assumptions becomes increasingly apparent. That’s where the cross-cultural leader shines. Their thirst for knowledge is nearly unquenchable, constantly seeking ways to understand the way other cultures interact with the world. 

What Defines a Cross-Cultural Leader?

A cross-cultural leader is one that deeply appreciates the intricacies of intercultural relationships and works to “bridge the gap” between parties within a business setting. With tools like Zoom, Skype, and social media constantly in our pockets, there is an expectation that businesses use them to expand into the global market. 

The person in this role takes on the mantle of helping each cultural group participating in a business transaction reach mutually-beneficial solutions to their negotiations or disagreements. 

In addition to having a keen awareness of the business intricacies of other cultures, a cross-cultural leader must also demonstrate a certain charisma that invites others to see them as a flexible mediator and advocate for all parties involved. 

Personality

With an easy smile, insatiable curiosity, and keen observational skills, cross-cultural leaders are often some of the most exciting people in a room. They are typically friendly and extroverted, seeking new professional opportunities to engage with others. 

They love the process of learning new things because it helps them increase the level of trust between unique groups of people. Their leadership paves the road for a much higher chance of arriving at satisfactory solutions while still respecting– even celebrating– cultural differences. 

Above all else, the cross-cultural leader is flexible. They go beyond just accepting change in their workplace but welcoming it and thriving amidst it. They are typically at the front lines when rolling out new initiatives, developing creative solutions, and solving complex conflicts by encouraging perspective-taking. 

Decision-Making

Worldwide, the culture one lives in has a significant impact on making decisions. For example, a business group from a country that emphasizes traditional authority may find the process of working with a more democratic group tedious and tiresome. 

There is an enormous pool of values that various cultures use to structure their business norms. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it can give you an idea of all the different factors at play when two or more groups of varying origin come together in a professional setting: 

• Hierarchy vs. equality
• Competitive vs. cooperative
• Low-context communication vs. high-context communication
• Individualism vs. collectivism
• Shared use of space vs. private use of space
• Expectations of how much work bleeds into personal time

Crosscultural leaders are a huge asset in situations like this because they can coherently communicate the expectations both parties should have while ensuring everyone maintains decorum in case of misunderstandings. It is not uncommon for a cross-cultural leader to work as an ambassador and a mediator in these situations. 

Situations Where Cross-Cultural Leaders Thrive

• Companies that have the need and budget for global travel. A cross-cultural leader does their best learning with boots on the ground. They need to travel professionally, doing hands-on work with the professionals from other cultures they are most likely to engage with. 
• Groups that need help diversifying their workforce. Lack of diversity equates to a lack of perspective. There are undeniable assumptions and stereotypes each person holds about different groups from our own. Cross-cultural leaders help move teams from the assumptive, guarded stage into accepting, integrating, and celebrating. 

Wrap Up: The Pros and Cons of Cross-Cultural Leadership

Pros

• They are charming, dynamic, and courageous. It’s hard to break the spirit of a cross-cultural leader, as they can analyze each situation from a multi-lens perspective that adds context to their experiences. 
• Cross-cultural leaders invite more opportunities that your business may have otherwise. It’s an asset to have a team member who is ready and willing to dive into new experiences that may make others feel like a fish out of water,

Cons

• Smaller businesses may find that providing the proper experiences and training for cross-cultural leaders is difficult to sustain. They have to have access to learning resources, and that most often looks like traveling to various locations for face-to-face experiences. 
• They have a shallow threshold for boredom. More traditional companies will have trouble holding onto a cross-cultural leader for long, especially if diversification isn’t moving along at the speed they deem appropriate. They place too much value on their continued growth as global citizens that they have no tolerance for stagnation.