Organizations in Brazil:
- Can be quite hierarchical.
- Managers tend to be directive, or even authoritarian.
- Decisions are made as a top-down process.
- Junior employees are rarely included in the decision-making process.
- Managers can be paternalistic, which builds employee loyalty and commitment.
- Employees are supervised closely – in a formal yet friendly manner.
- Small talk is important in establishing relationships.
- There is very little competition between employees.
- People tend to be more group oriented.
- Timelines and punctuality are not closely followed.
Organizations in Mexico:
- Power is centralized with a rigid hierarchy.
- Employees are highly group oriented.
- Loyalty to the group is valued over individual effort.
- Employees are not usually rewarded for initiative.
- Group harmony is highly regarded.
- There is strong interdependence between employees and the employer.
- Communication is rather formal between managers and employees.
- Managers need to give clear directions/orders (with no need for explanation).
- Time is flexible, with work being focused on the present.
Cultural Snapshot
Personal relationships play a large role in Mexican organizational culture. Family networks are important and third-party introductions can be helpful, as Mexicans prefer to work with those whom they (or their networks) know and trust. Verbal agreements are generally adhered to and trusted once a relationship has been established.
Mexicans invest much time and effort into their relationships and getting to know colleagues. There is an eagerness to get to know others – which may include questions about family and personal life.
A person’s charisma can have a large influence on how much they are liked or trusted by others. The impression that a person makes can have a huge impact on decision making. Feelings can override objective information.
Self-reflection/group discussion:
- Do you think charisma should be taken as a credible characteristic when meeting someone?
- How do ‘first impressions’ guide your feelings about others?
Organizations in the US:
- Both low-power and high-power distance cultures exist.
- Decisions are taken at different levels of management by the people or superiors operating at these levels.
- People are more career conscious and are honest about prioritizing their own goals over those of the organization.
- Advancement is based on individual performance – personal achievement is valued.
- Employees expect to be consulted on decisions that affect them and the organization.
- Managers are transparent when discussing failure or errors with employees.
- Change is seen as difficult but a necessary part of improvement and success.
- Employees are expected to take responsibility and to provide input.
- Communication is generally informal and direct at all levels of the organization – small talk is encouraged.
- Punctuality and time management are valued and expected.
Cultural Snapshot
The wide range of business practices in the US reflects its diverse workforce. Depending on the industry, region or company history, company culture can vary greatly. As examples:
- Views on hierarchy can differ across organizations, and while employees may need to pay close attention to and respect titles and roles in one organization, they may be on a first-name basis with senior managers in another.
- It is generally accepted that within the US organizations, decisions are made quickly by a person with senior authority. When looking more closely, the process leading up to the final decisions might only involve senior managers, or those with a stake in the decision, or in very low-power distance settings, anyone who would like to express their opinions, no matter their age or position in the organization.
End of Module Assignment: presentation
Research
- Choose a county that wasn’t included in this module, and is not your home country.
- Research country statistics (e.g., population, GDP, age demographics, etc.)
- Research the general tendencies for management practice.
- Look also for factors that may have an influence on the management practices (e.g., history, politics)
Presentation (five minutes)
- Provide background and your reasons for your chosen country.
- As presented in this module, list some of the behaviors and styles that a person might expect if working within this setting.
- Offer suggestions on leadership styles that may work within this setting.
- Highlight an interesting or unique cultural aspect (like the Cultural Snapshots in the module).
- Host a Q&A session following the presentation.
End of Module Summary
- Self-leadership is made up of two main elements:
- Self-Awareness - concerns knowing our internal states, preferences, resources, and intuitions.
- Self-Management - refers to managing our internal states, impulses, and resources.
- Leadership requires the constant shifting of perspectives and adapting to different situations with the support of different styles.
- Leadership styles are meant to complement one another rather than work in isolation.
- Visionary, Coaching, Affiliative, and Democratic leadership styles are transformational models, in that they look for change, improvement, and stakeholder support. While being considered positive models, each has limitations.
- Pacesetting and Commanding leadership styles are transactional models. While considered to have negative attributes, they are sometimes elements of organizational processes.
- Management styles differ around the world. Understanding some of the tendencies of these styles can provide greater insight into how to interact within and across different cultural settings.
References and further reading on concepts in this module:
Check out the following links and references.
Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R. E., & McKee, A. (2013). Primal leadership: Realizing the power of emotional intelligence. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business School Press.
- Ubuntu
- management practices in Nigeria
- management practices in South Africa
- guanxi in Chinese culture
- Indian management style
- role of managers in Indonesia
- Ringi system in Japan
- Saudi Arabia cross-cultural management
- Turkish business culture
- Czech management style
- Brazil leadership styles
- relationships in Mexican organizations
- American management style