Leadership in Action: Getting the Message: How to Feel Your Way with Other Cultures

New World, New Lenses

Managers can no longer afford to view the world—an increasingly connected world—through a single cultural lens. Instead, an expanded cultural horizon is becoming increasingly essential to effective leadership. Teams, work groups, communities, and organizations become more diverse every day. Adding new lenses to your cultural viewpoint not only increases your awareness of other cultures and your effectiveness in working with people from other cultures but also develops your understanding of your own cultural conditioning.

There are many personal and leadership benefits of an expanded cultural horizon, and their effects are powerful. You can appreciate different ways—perhaps better ways—of accomplishing goals. You can gain ...