LEADERSHIP



In examining leadership in intercultural experiences, we can break the topic into three parts:

1. How leaders need to lead; 2. Creating guidelines for a successful assignment; and, 3. How leaders can use these experiences to deepen their leadership development.

A number of authors have weighed in on these issues, providing us a map of success factors for each of these areas. For instance, in order to be effective in leading a multinational team, Earley and Gibson (2002, p. 175) indicate that a leader must be able to:

1. Discuss the dimensions of cultural differences; 2. Create ways to work that optimize cultural differences; 3. Plan team activities that take into account the cultural differences of team members; 4. Develop techniques for working together that do not elevate one culture over another; 5. Build trust by stating values, keeping commitments, and accurately portraying the team’s work to management; and, 6. Build personal relationships and identify key collaborators. (Earley & Gibson, 2002, p. 175)

Understanding these necessary skills provides a target for the new intercultural leader. However, to help support a successful transition, it is useful to have guidelines for leadership development that specifically address international assignments. Festing (Mendenhall, Kuhlmann, & Stahl, 2001, p. 37) underscores this need to develop leadership skills specifically to attain a competitive advantage in a global marketplace. Intercultural assignments are one way to achieve this. He points out, “International experience is an excellent opportunity to develop global leadership capabilities” (p. 52). As noted, established guidelines help support this process. While every organization must consider its own goals, Festing (p. 52) offers the following “International Human Resource Management” guidelines used at a large German multinational company for consideration:

1. International managers must have international experience; 2. Career prospects are independent of nationality; 3. International assignments are a most important management development tool; 4. Contracts for international assignments differ from local contracts; and 5. Employees should speak at least one foreign language (English in the German Headquarters, German in foreign subsidiaries) (Mendenhall, Kuhlmann, & Stahl, 2001, p. 52).

Beyond the establishment of guidelines, an organization can clarify the opportunities and pathways to leadership development by describing the process. Osland (Mendenhall, Kuhlmann, & Stahl, 2001) describes the transformation process which unfolds for expatriates as one that requires a letting go and a taking on. Specifically, expatriates commonly let go of the first, to take on the latter:
 * **Letting go...** || **Taking on…** ||
 * Cultural certainty || Internalized perceptions of the other culture ||
 * Unquestioned acceptance of basic assumptions || Internalized values of the other culture ||
 * Personal frames of reference || New or broader schemas so that differences are accepted without a need to compare ||
 * Unexamined life || Constructed life ||
 * Accustomed role or status || Role assigned by the other culture or one’s job ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Social reinforcement knowledge || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Accepting and learning the other culture’s norms and behavior ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Accustomed habits and activities || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Substituting functional equivalents ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Known routines || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Addiction to novelty and learning ||

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">(Mendenhall, Kuhlmann, & Stahl, 2001, p. 148)

Osland describes some of the benefits of this transformation as including:

1. Positive change in self; 2. Changed attitudes; 3. Improved work skills; and 4. Increased knowledge. (Mendenhall, Kuhlmann, & Stahl, 2001, p. 153)

In summary, the challenges of an expatriate assignment are many and understanding the leadership requirements in advance helps support a successful experience. Further, established guidelines for leadership development, which encompass the international experience, help create context for the development aspect of the experience. Finally, the personal change that is possible in the process can be significant. Approaching an international assignment with a clear understanding of these opportunities allows the intercultural leader the preparation that supports a successful, meaningful experience.