Leadership & Diversity: Synergistic Cross-culturalism

Abstract

As the harbinger of change, globalization has led to increased demand for leaders who exhibit a broad range of competencies. The required nature of cross-cultural interaction has emerged as an area of major importance for leaders within the private and public sectors. Leaders in distinct roles and sectors are likely to find themselves in situations where they must navigate a range of contrasting cultures while learning to cooperate with others from diverse backgrounds. To adequately equip leaders from divergent fields, it is quintessential to have a firm understanding of six key areas of cross-cultural synergism and leadership: approaches to conflict and conflict resolution, communication styles, decision-making, task completion, levels of disclosure, and epistemological approaches. This article describes each of these areas and explains the ways in which it is imperative for future leaders to succeed.