For those who have the luxury of good opportunities in their home country, the thought of having to occupy a position of leadership in a foreign country is the last thing that comes to mind. Just being a leader alone is already an endeavour riddled with many challenges pertaining to organizational matters such as fulfilling higher management demands and satisfying a dynamic and often unstable workforce. Add those to the fact that the workforce I am talking about is comprised of hundreds, even thousands, of people from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. This fact further complicates the situation. We all know that every person is unique but have we considered the fact that people from certain cultural backgrounds do have their similarities? This similarity between people of the same ethnicity is what we refer to as culture. It is taking this fact into account that will help a leader successfully manage his multi-cultural workforce.

This is a question I usually ask people who attend my courses; what is more important than money? The answer to this usually depends on the values of the attendees, but the one I often hear most often is respect. As loosely as most people use this word, we sometimes fail to think that this is a word with such a broad spectrum and every person has their own meaning to it. I am sure I do not need to go into a full length discussion as to what respect is but I will focus on its importance to working in a multi-cultural environment.

Different cultures have different values, beliefs and customs and it is how a leader respects these differences is what will determine his or her success. Respect in this context refers to both acceptance and reverence of the cultural differences of the leader and his/her workforce. It is a sad fact that cultural misunderstandings often go unresolved without the offender being aware of the existence of such a problem. Most of the time, this offender is the leader. This is an issue that may dissolve into thin air but not without its serious consequences. There have been some instances where leaders have discovered that disrespect of their workers’ cultures can truly be detrimental, not just to their own well being, but to that of the organisation as well.

Just as leaders must be competent in planning and strategy; they must also be flexible to the sensitivities of all cultures within their workplace. However, this is not an overnight process nor is it one that can truly be taught in a classroom setting. This is a step by step process that must first begin with knowledge. It is a good idea to learn more about the cultures of the people you work with. I, personally, find this very enjoyable to learn about different cultures first hand. To achieve this, leaders must learn to socially interact with their team and encourage open communication. Setting aside some time for an opportunity to socialize with your team does wonders not just for you but for the morale of the team as well.

Some cultures view leaders as being “too high up” and, sometimes, the thought of a leader coming down to the level of his/her workers is unthinkable. You would be surprised but some cultures believe that leaders emulate the position of deity. In other words, they view their leaders like gods. Socializing in this sense is not disrespecting the said culture but it shows your workers that you are humble enough to admit that you are a person; just like them. This dispels all unnatural fear that leadership instills in them and, in turn, they will then learn to be more open in sharing many things.

The breaking of this barrier actually opens up a wealth of knowledge that no encyclopedia could ever give you.

A leader should make it a point to ask about certain aspects of their workers’ culture and not be subjective in receiving this information. Some cultures have practices that other cultures would consider as taboo. Does this mean that culture is wrong? Absolutely not! Why not? Because that is their culture and there is nothing wrong with anyone’s culture, no matter how exotic their practices are. What may be right for them may not be right for you but it is the leader’s acceptance of this diverseness that will ultimately lead him/her to a higher understanding of various cultures.

Having gained the knowledge and acceptance leads a person to awareness which may be a powerful ally but sometimes it’s just not enough. Awareness without sensitivity is totally useless. It is much like having a thought that is never put into action. Being aware of different beliefs and customs should help a leader plan work related activities more efficiently. For example, if a certain culture or religion states that three o’clock in the afternoon should be a time for prayer, would allowing your worker fifteen minutes to practice his faith make your company lose millions in revenue? It is by accepting these customs that a leader and his team can truly move forward to complete all tasks in a timely manner.

One last piece of advice I can give is that leaders should seek to learn something new about their worker’s culture. Learning their ways and even some of their language is flattering and promotes good relations within the organization. Just by simply learning how to say “good morning”, “good day” or “thank you” in the native language of your workers actually does more than flatter them. It shows genuine interest in their culture and respect that will be paid back to the leader tenfold. All leaders should make it a prerogative to promote cultural sensitivity and acceptance within their organizations. A sense of equality amidst diversity should reign and once a leader has successfully achieved this, it is the start of a beautiful working relationship that could last a lifetime.