Organizational culture refers to rules, standards, principles, and perceptions that an institution upholds. It entails the way staff relates to one another, how they address challenges, and the manner in which they justify their actions. Globalization has made it possible for people to seek employment overseas, resulting in the emergence of a diverse workforce (Friedrich, Griffith, & Mumford, 2016). Today, companies require hiring leaders who understand how to deal with workers from different cultural backgrounds. Research highlights six essential leadership qualities that are critical to addressing disputes which might arise due to cultural differences. They are charismatic, participative, autonomous, human-oriented, team-oriented, and self/group protective. These management features are prevalent in many organizations across the globe.
Leadership Behaviors
One popular leadership behavior is charismatic or value-based management. It entails instilling certain qualities in employees through influence and articulate communication. Northouse (2018) argues that the success of this leadership behavior is premised on the traits and actions of a manager. A charismatic leader endeavors to motivate and inspire employees, thereby rallying them behind shared goals. Team-oriented management is another kind of leadership behavior that emphasizes the significance of employees coming together. As per Mikkelson, York, and Arritola (2015), a leader who values team-behavior has the capacity to unite workers, thereby mitigating challenges that arise due to communication breakdown. Such a manager encourages staff to work towards common goals, hence guaranteeing organizational success. Friedrich et al. (2016) identify participative leadership behavior as one of the forms of management that gives employees the power to make decisions on matters that affect their areas of specialization. Managers furnish workers with essential information regarding challenges that their organization faces and involve them in formulating requisite solutions. One of the weaknesses of this leadership behavior is that it can be slow in decision-making.
The call for addressing employee needs has resulted in the rise of a management style dubbed human-oriented leadership behavior. Ismail, Ishak, and Yusuf (2016) posit that support and teamwork characterize this form of administration. Human-oriented leaders are keen to deal with employee concerns. Additionally, they value the input of their subordinates, thereby encouraging them to partake in decision-making. According to Ismail et al. (2016), this kind of leadership style considers the feelings and expectations of individual workers, thus guaranteeing their happiness and success. Contemporary employees demand autonomy in their areas of specialization to enable them to make quick decisions. Consequently, some companies and managers exhibit autonomous leadership behavior. Such administrators advocate self-determination, eccentricity, autonomy, and exhibit distinct attributes.
It is imperative to note that autonomous leadership does not imply allowing staff to work in isolation. Instead, managers establish guidelines that employees observe in their daily operations. Moreover, they avail the necessary instruments and information to enable personnel to make informed decisions and execute their mandates. Mikkelson et al. (2015) cite self-protective behavior as another form of administration technique. Individuals who exhibit this style of leadership insist on following established procedures. They fear that failure to respect laid down protocols may result in errors, which could be detrimental to their reputation.
Latin American and Saudi Arabian Leadership Cultures
Latin American and Saudi Arabian leadership styles share some common features. Ourfali (2015) gives collectivism as one of the cultures that is prevalent in Latin America and Saudi Arabia. As per Ourfali (2015), this dimension determines the level of unity in a community. In Latin America, leaders encourage teamwork because they regard it as a key ingredient to organizational success. Moreover, they endeavor to ensure that employees coexist peacefully and learn from each other. Similarly, In Saudi Arabia, people are faithful to their kin (Ourfali, 2015). This culture is extended to organizations where managers value their employees and devote themselves to satisfying their needs.
One of the differences between Saudi Arabia and Latin America lies in their perceptions of gender. In the former, women are not highly regarded. Hence, most organizational leaders do not require consulting them during decision-making processes. In Latin America, females are accorded the right status, and leaders treat them the same as their male counterparts. Ourfali (2015) argues that in Saudi Arabia, religion is critical to all spheres of life, including business. Hence, organizational leaders may at times refer to religious teachings when making decisions. Aggressiveness amid women is one of the qualities that are not encouraged in Saudi Arabia. As a manager with a female employee from Latin America, I would advise this staff member to tame her assertiveness to fit in Saudi Arabian work culture. Being aggressive would make it difficult for her to collaborate with male employees, particularly those from Saudi Arabia.
Conclusion
Understanding the cultural values of a community or country is paramount to the success of an organization. Leaders ought to demonstrate managerial behaviors that align with the norms, perceptions, principles, and values of the nation in which they are operating. Saudi Arabians and Latin Americans value loyalty and collectivism. Hence, organizational leaders require encouraging a culture that brings workers together. On the other hand, in Saudi Arabia, women are undervalued, making it hard for them to serve in prominent positions. Hence, females from Latin America who go to work in Saudi Arabia require toning down their aggressiveness to conform to this country’s culture.
References
Friedrich, T. L., Griffith, J. A., & Mumford, M. D. (2016). Collective leadership behaviors: Evaluating the leader, team network, and problem situation characteristics that influence their use. The Leadership Quarterly, 27(2), 312-333.
Ismail, A., Ishak, Y., & Yusuf, M. H. (2016). Human-oriented leadership and organizational commitment in US subsidiary companies based in Sarawak. Binus Business Review, 7(3), 233-239.
Mikkelson, A. C., York, J. A., & Arritola, J. (2015). Communication competence, leadership behaviors, and employee outcomes in supervisor-employee relationships. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, 78(3), 336-354.
Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and practice (8th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications Inc.
Ourfali, E. (2015). Comparison between Western and Middle Eastern cultures: Research on why American expatriates struggle in the Middle East. Otago Management Graduate Review, 13(1), 33-41.