BLS2033 ACADEMIC WRITING

Reading Text 14

Cultural expectations and leadership

Gabriela worked for a multinational company as a successful project manager in Brazil and
was transferred to manage a team in Sweden. She was excited about her new role but soon realised
that managing her new team would be a challenge. Despite their friendliness, Gabriela didn’t feel
respected as a leader. Her new staff would question her proposals openly in meetings, and when she
gave them instructions on how to carry out a task, they would often go about it in their own way
without checking with her. When she announced her decisions on the project, they would continue
giving their opinions as if it was still up for discussion.

After weeks of frustration, Gabriela emailed her Swedish manager about the issues she was
facing with her team. Her manager simply asked her if she felt her team was still performing, and
what she thought would help her better collaborate with her team members. Gabriela found her
manager vague and didn’t feel as if he was managing the situation satisfactorily.

What Gabriela was experiencing was a cultural clash in expectations. She was used to a more
hierarchical framework where the team leader and manager took control and gave specific
instructions on how things were to be done. This more directive management style worked well for
her and her team in Brazil but did not transfer well to her new team in Sweden, who were more
used to a flatter hierarchy where decision making was more democratic. When Gabriela took the
issue to her Swedish manager, rather than stepping in with directions about what to do, her
manager took on the role of coach and focused on getting her to come up with her own solutions
instead.

Dutch social psychologist Geert Hofstede uses the concept of ‘power distance’ to describe
how power is distributed and how hierarchy is perceived in different cultures. In her previous work
environment, Gabriela was used to a high-power distance culture where power and authority are
respected and everyone has their rightful place. In such a culture, leaders make the big decisions and
are not often challenged. Her Swedish team, however, were used to working in a low power distance
culture where subordinates often work together with their bosses to find solutions and make
decisions. Here, leaders act as coaches or mentors who encourage independent thought and expect
to be challenged.

When Gabriela became aware of the cultural differences between her and her team, she
took the initiative to have an open conversation with them about their feelings about her leadership.
Pleased to be asked for their thoughts, Gabriela’s team openly expressed that they were not used to
being told what to do. They enjoyed having more room for initiative and creative freedom. When
she told her team exactly what she needed them to do, they felt that she didn’t trust them to do
their job well. They realised that Gabriela was taking it personally when they tried to challenge or
make changes to her decisions, and were able to explain that it was how they’d always worked.

With a better understanding of the underlying reasons behind each other’s behaviour,
Gabriela and her team were able to adapt their way of working. Gabriela was then able to make
adjustments to her management style so as to better fit the expectations of her team and more
effectively motivate her team to achieve their goals.
BLS2033 ACADEMIC WRITING

Task 1

Match the definitions (a–h) with the vocabulary (1–8)

Vocabulary Definition

1. …… vague a. to perform or complete a job or activity

2. …… to carry out a task b. unclear, not specific or definite
3. …… democratic c. a system where members are ranked
4. …… a hierarchy according to status
5. …… to come up with or authority
6. …… resentment d. based on the idea that everyone is equal and
7. …… to be perceived should be
8. …… to have initiative involved in making decisions
e. to think of something such as an idea or plan
f. to be seen or understood in a certain way
g. to have the ability to take action without
someone telling
you what to do next
h. dissatisfaction and bad feelings from being
treated unfairly

Task 2

Are the sentences true or false?

1. Gabriela’s management style worked well with her team in Brazil but not with her team in
Sweden.

2. Gabriela’s team questioned her proposals and her decisions because they didn’t trust or respect
her.

3. Gabriela was satisfied with her Swedish manager’s way of dealing with her problem.

4. Gabriela found it helpful to talk openly with her team about the differences in their expectations.

5. Gabriela faced a problem with her Swedish team because her management style was old-
fashioned and wrong for the modern world.

6. The author believes that people from high power distance cultures and low power distance
cultures should never work together.
BLS2033 ACADEMIC WRITING

Task 3

Write the sentences in the correct group.

1. The manager gives the team detailed instructions on what to do.

2. The manager makes the big decisions.

3. Team members do not usually challenge the manager.

4. The manager acts as a guide but encourages input from the team.

5. The manager gives specific advice to help solve problems.

6. The manager involves the team in making decisions together.

7. The manager has a lot of control over what happens.

8. Team members can take the initiative to do things their way.

9. The manager encourages the team to find their own solutions.

10. Team members can often challenge the manager.

Expectations in a high-power distance Expectations in a low power distance

culture culture

1. The manager gives the team detailed 4. The manager acts as a guide but
instructions on what to do. encourages input from the team.

2. The manager makes the big decisions. 6. The manager involves the team in making
decisions together.
3. Team members do not usually challenge the
manager. 8. Team members can take the initiative to do
things their way.
5. The manager gives specific advice to help
solve problems. 9. The manager encourages the team to find
their own solutions.
7. The manager has a lot of control over what
happens. 10. Team members can often challenge the
manager.
BLS2033 ACADEMIC WRITING

Task 4: Discussion

What do you think the role of a manager/leader should be?

The main role of a manager and leader is to lead people. There are many aspects to consider in
leading people such as the decision maker, problem solver, motivators, communicators, planner and
organizer. By following this criteria’s, a manager should be able to become a great leader and can
lead his/her followers brilliantly. The manager also responsible to lead the organization and set it to
the right direction towards its mission and vision.