leadership is culturally bound

Leadership is Culturally Bound

Wouldn’t you feel more comfortable at work if you had an employer that “spoke your language?” In other words, wouldn’t it be easier for an employee and an employer to communicate effectively if they were aware of each other’s cultures, beliefs and morals? Some may argue that leadership skills are universal regardless of what country the leader is in. On the other side of the debate are those that say that a leader must adapt their leadership style to different national cultures. In our opinion, it is essential that a leader understand the culture of his employees. Leaders cannot choose their styles at will. They are constrained by the cultural conditions that their followers have come to expect. The reason behind our opinion is clear. Different cultures perceive what a leader may be trying to communicate differently. For example, a Japanese employee may see what may be seen as harsh to an American employee, as normal disciplinary ac...