Cross Cultural Leadership Lecture

Ocean University of China

Qingdao, China

February 28, 2005

What I will cover:

• Personal Introduction• About the International University of Monaco• Aspects of Management and Leadership

– Basic concepts of culture

– Cross Cultural Management

– Aspects of cross cultural leadership

• Finish

Who Am I? …….William S. Lightfoot, Ph. D.

My Background• 20 Years business experience:

– 12 in Large Companies

– 2 Family Business

– 4 Consulting

– 2 Start up operations

• Bachelors in Electrical Engineering

• MBA

• Ph. D. Organization and Management

Today• Associate Dean, MBA Program

• International University of Monaco (France/Italy)

• Teach: Strategy, Product Management, MIS, Operations

• Father/Husband

2 daughters (10 and 12)

• Have taught: US, Canada, Greece, Monaco

About the International University

ofMonaco

Where is Monaco

Where the Alps meet the Mediterranean Sea…and France meets Italy.

What Monaco is known for…

• The Princes’ Family…• Luxury• Wealth• Prestige• Sports

– ASM Monaco #2 Club Team in Europe (Football)– Monte Carlo Grand Prix (Formula 1)

What it means to be in Monaco:

Location Access to ‘industry’ leaders Multiculturalism/Diversity* Entrepreneurial Spirit* IUM is Ranked #1 in the Economist Rankings

Multicultural Student Body

Monaco

EUROPE/Mediterranean

About IUM

• Small, private, prestigious University– A Top 100 MBA (The Economist)

• #1 in Student Diversity

• Follow the AMERICAN curriculum• Expertise in:

– Luxury Brand Management– Finance/Wealth Management– Entrepreneurship

• Sponsor of the NeXT Generation Entrepreneurs Forum

‘An American MBA Program with the #1 ranking in student diversity!’

Basic concepts of culture:3 domains of cultural knowledge

• General cultural knowledge– Freely available knowledge about cultures

• Specific cultural knowledge– Peculiar to a given source of common knowledge – relevant to

firm’s operations

• Cross-cultural knowledge– Applied in cross-cultural interactions and continually updated with

experience.

Cross Cultural Knowledge

Specific Knowledge

General Knowledge

Culture

• Members of a culture system share:– Set of ideas– Values

• Transmitted by symbols• Produced by past actions of a group and its

members• Culture is learned;• Culture shapes behavior; • Culture influences ones perception of the world;

How culture is perceived:

• Culture as an aspect of:– National or ethnic grouping– Special qualities of an organization– Mental attributes

Past studies have attempted to group cultures by nationality.

Risk Avoidance vs. Respect for Hierarchy

Where do the Chinese people fit?

China

China

China

High Respect for Hierarchy

Willing to take Chances

Differences can lead to a fixation with culture shock.

Core Problems•Much focus on differences.

•Can lead to fear/discomfort.

•Can lead to retreat home.

Core SolutionsDevelopment of cross cultural

skills possibly through training and positive experiences

Creating the need for ‘Cross-cultural

managers.’

Thematic model of core problems and core solutions in the Cross-cultural management literature. – page 30; Holden.

Cross Cultural Management:

• Responsible for managing the interaction between people from different cultural groups

• Responsible for enabling learning– By joining the Ocean/Northumbria program, yo

u are taking responsibility for your own learning…a VERY important first step towards success.

Task of cross-cultural management:

• Redistribution of common knowledge;

• Connecting centers of common knowledge through the creation of a common serviceable language. (p. 228)

Cross Cultural Manager is a facilitator of CC Interactions

The cross-cultural manager is also…

• A communicator;• A global knowledge worker;

AND:• They guide Multicultural teams; • They run the global organization.

Cross-cultural managers are concerned with business ethics,and social responsibility.

Backgrounds of Successful Cross Cultural Managers:

• Good, general education (business & liberal arts/humanities)

• Useful international experience

• Widened, deepened mind

• Work, education, or long-term residence in another country

• Know-how to apply intelligence and tact

• Knowledge of a modern foreign language

• Computer literacy

CC Managers focus on short term achievements…and leaders?

Leaders have …

• A presence and a passion– Often an expertise

• Emanate positive energy…– Attractive to others (‘followers’)

Leaders also…

• Can ‘see’ a future others cannot– Not always clear– Sets the direction

• And an achievement orientation– Great leaders want to be part of achieving great

things…

Leaders are visionaries…strategists.

Cross Cultural Leaders…

• Have all of this…Passion, Presence, Vision, Achievement orientation…PLUS

• Open minded• Curious• Courageous

They have a strong desire to work with people from other cultures….

Where are you on the path?

Leadership(Strategic)

Management(Tactical)

Work Experience

Masters Degree

Bachelors Degree

Who are GREAT leaders?

• Ghandi?

• Martin Luther King?

• Mother Theresa?

• Jack Welch?

• Philip Green?

• Queen Elizabeth I

• Hitler?

• Bishop Tutu?

• Mao?

Who do you consider a great leader? Why?

William Butler Yeats

‘Education is not filling a bucket but lighting a fire.’

Thank you!