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Leadership Behaviors and Culture

20 January, 2016 - 16:32

The findings of the GLOBE study served to help organizations and societies understand what made an effective or ineffective leader. Many leadership behaviors are similar across societies, pointing out that no matter the cultural difference or society in which a leader is from, there are specific leadership behaviors that are viewed as effective. The GLOBE project was significant in indicating how cultures perceive effective and ineffective leadership, which is helpful to leaders in facilitating intercultural interactions.

The study revealed six global leadership behaviors, which were used in the study to understand how the clusters perceived leadership. These six are charismatic/value-based, team-oriented, participative, humane-oriented, autonomous, and self-protective. Using their understanding of leadership behaviors and perceptions of leadership from each cluster group, the researchers were able to identify a leadership profile for each cluster. Table 3.7 and Table 3.8 list the six leadership behaviors and their characteristics as well as the leadership profile for each cluster.

Table 3.4 Cultural Dimensions as Researched in the GLOBE Study

Globe Dimension

One Extreme

Other Extreme

Uncertainty avoidance

Need for established social norms, rituals, and practices

Comfortable with ambiguity and predictability

Power distance

Egalitarian and nonhierarchal

Hierarchy, authority, disparity in status and wealth

Institutional collectivism

Collective actions and sharing of resources encouraged

Individual actions and goals are encouraged

In-group collectivism

Expressions of pride, loyalty, and cohesion

Noncohesiveness, loyal to oneself and one’s

needs

Gender egalitarianism

Nurture, care, relationships, sharing

Ambition, assertiveness, control

Assertiveness

Assertive, confrontational, and aggressive in social relationships

Timid, submissive, and tender in social relationships

Future orientation

Planning, investing, and delays of individual or collective gratification

Spontaneity, enjoying the present

Performance orientation

Encourages and rewards group performance and excellence

No rewards and encouragement for goals;

more relaxed in terms of achievement

 

Adapted from House et al. (2002) The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

The study also highlighted the perceptions of cultures related to universally desirable and undesirable attributes in leaders. The desirable attributes were viewed as characteristics that were valued and that facilitated the leadership processes. Undesirable attributes were viewed as obstacles and challenges to effective leadership. Table 3.9 illustrates the positive and negative attributes of effective leadership.

Table 3.5 GLOBE Clusters of Societies

Cluster

Countries

Anglo

Canada, United States, Australia, Ireland, England, South Africa (White sample), New

Zealand

Confucian Asia

Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, South Korea, Japan

Eastern Europe

Greece, Hungary, Albania, Slovenia, Poland, Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan

Germanic Europe

Austria, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany-East, Germany-West

Latin America

Ecuador, El Salvador, Colombia, Bolivia, Brazil, Guatemala, Argentina, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Mexico

Latin Europe

Israel, Italy, Switzerland (French-speaking), Spain, Portugal, France

Middle East

Turkey, Kuwait, Egypt, Morocco, Qatar

Nordic Europe

Denmark, Finland, Sweden

Southern Asia

Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Iran

Sub-Saharan

Africa

Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia, Nigeria, South Africa (Black sample)

 

Adapted from House et al. (2002) The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage

Table 3.6 Clusters of Societies and their Cultural Value Dimensions

Cultural Dimension

High-Score Cluster

Low-Score Cluster

Uncertainty avoidance

Germanic Europe

Eastern Europe, Latin America

Nordic Europe

Middle East

Power/hierarchy

No Clusters

Nordic Europe

Institutional collectivism

Nordic Europe

Germanic Europe, Latin America

Confucian Asia

Latin Europe

In-Group collectivism

Confucian Asian, Eastern Europe

Anglo, Germanic Europe

Latin America, Middle East Southern Asia

Nordic Europe

Gender

Eastern Europe

Middle East

Nordic Europe

 

Adapted from House et al. (2002) The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage

Table 3.7 GLOBE Study of Key Leadership Behaviors

Dimension

Behaviors

Charismatic/value-based leadership

Inspires others, motivates, expect high performance; visionary, self-sacrificing, trustworthy, decisive

Team-oriented leadership

Team-building, common purpose, collaborative, integrative, diplomatic, not malevolent

Participative leadership

Participative and not autocratic; inclusive of others

Humane-oriented leadership

Supportive, considerate, compassionate and generous; modesty and sensitivity

Autonomous leadership

Independent and individualistic; autonomous and unique

Self-protective leadership

Ensures the safety and security of the leader and the group; self-centered, status conscious, face-saving, conflict-inducing

 

Adapted from House et al. (2002) The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage

Business leaders have tremendous power to change the organizational culture by utilizing several methods that address the underlying assumptions, beliefs, and values of its members; however, this is not an easy task. Culture, as explained, is oftentimes manifest in unconscious behaviors, values, and assumptions that develop over time and change as new employees enter an organization. The significance of the GLOBE study is that it helps leaders to understand the role of culture in leadership. By understanding one’s culture, as well as that of others, it brings you to awareness of different perceptions of leadership and how cultures come to understand leaders. Recognizing the elements in leadership and culture enables you to leverage the differences that cultures create and to use that to create positive intercultural growth.

Table 3.8 Leadership Behavior Profiles for Clusters

Cluster

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

Eastern

Europe

Autonomous

Self- protective

Charismatic

Team

Oriented

Humane

Participative

Latin America

Charismatic

Team

Self- protective

Participative

Humane

Autonomous

Latin Europe

Charismatic

Team

Participative

Self- protective

Humane

Autonomous

Confucian Asia

Self- protective

Team

Humane

Charismatic

Autonomous

Participative

Nordic Europe

Charismatic

Participative

Team

Autonomous

Humane

Self- protective

Anglo

Charismatic

Participative

Humane

Team

Autonomous

Self- protective

Sub-Sahara

Africa

Humane

Charismatic

Team

Participative

Self- protective

Autonomous

Southern Asia

Self- protective

Charismatic

Humane

Team

Autonomous

Participative

Germanic

Europe

Autonomous

Charismatic

Participative

Humane

Team

Self- protective

Middle East

Self- protective

Humane

Autonomous

Charismatic

Team

Participative

 

Adapted from House et al. (2002) The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage

Table 3.9 List of Desirable and Undesirable Leadership Attributes from the GLOBE Research

Desirable Leadership Attributes

Undesirable Leadership Attributes

Trustworthy

Loner

Just

Asocial

Honest

Noncooperative

Foresight

Irritable

Plans ahead

Nonexplicit

Encouraging

Egocentric

Positive

Ruthless

Dynamic

Dictatorial

Motivational

 

Builds confidence

 

Intelligent

 

Dependable

 

Team builder

 

Communicator

 
 

Adapted from House et al. (2002) The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage