12 August 2024
Empowering our Future Leaders
By Dr. Sandy Geyer
#Leadership #CulturalIntelligence #InclusiveLeadership #ContextualIntelligence
#FutureLeaders #EducationalLeadership #Diversity #GlobalLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment#SchoolLeadership #AdolescentDevelopment #CulturalDiversity#LeadershipIdentity#LeadershipInEducation#Empowerment
When we talk about nurturing the leaders of tomorrow, culture is a crucial factor to consider. Our culture reflects our values, how we stereotype others, those we include in our “In-group”, our norms and expectations of others, our social practices around class structures, hierarchies and family structures, our creative expressions, our consumption patterns and our religious and spiritual practices. For a developing adolescent, culture plays an integral part in their self – identity, influences how they perceive leadership by example, and translates to how they practice it. Figure 1 illustrates how a personal – leadership identity, that is consciously developed alongside cultural and self -identity can empower future leaders to be inclusive, adaptive, and practice contextual intelligence in their leadership roles. Contextual intelligence in simple terms means “fit to context” which for any effective leader will include an awareness of the diverse cultural influences within their team.
Figure 1 (Authors own): A representation of how self-identity, cultural identity and personal leadership identity can combine to create contextual intelligence and empower inclusive and adaptive leadership in our future leaders.
Introduction
In my experience of working with schools in both South Africa and New Zealand, the term "leadership" often evokes a Westernised framing of the concept, typically associated with the more autocratic styles. At EnQPractice, we aim to broaden this understanding to include diverse perspectives for future leaders as they build their own personal leadership identities.
Cultural Perspectives on Leadership
Different cultures have unique views on leadership. Authors Chamorro-Premuzic (2016) suggest that universal, non-culture specific leadership traits include good judgment, integrity, people skills, and the ability to adapt to different cultural contexts. However, let’s explore the more culture-specific traits before we discuss how to develop the universal ones.
Categorising Culturally Influenced Leadership Styles
Chamorro-Premuzic categorise culturally influenced leadership styles into six broad types based on regions. This is a helpful overview of where certain leadership styles originate and are still practiced.
1. Synchronised Leaders - Found in Northeast Asia and parts of Latin America, these leaders focus on building agreement and following structured processes, while being careful and aware of potential risks.
2. Opportunistic Leaders - Common in Germanic, Nordic Europe, the UK, and countries influenced by British culture, these leaders are flexible, ambitious, and thrive in environments of uncertainty.
3. Straight-Shooting Leaders - Preferred in Northeast Asia and the Netherlands, these are task-oriented leaders who emphasise direct communication over interpersonal relationships.
4. Diplomatic Leaders - Seen in New Zealand, Sweden, Canada, and Latin America, these leaders maintain an empathetic, pleasant, and positive tone.
5. Kiss Up/Kick Down Leaders - Noted in Western Asia, Serbia, Greece, and Kenya, these leaders are known for their hierarchical and sometimes harsh approach to leadership.
6. Passive-Aggressive Leaders - Common in Indonesia and Malaysia, these leaders avoid conflict, often leading to more issues.
Challenging Westernised Leadership Perceptions
While these styles are geographically influenced, their differences also highlight the importance of adaptive leaders who can adjust their habits and communication styles to fit the culture of their followers. Contrary to the perception of a singular “Westernised” authoritarian form of leadership, deeper research suggests that Westernised leadership is in fact inclusive, encouraging dialogue and active participation. This approach encourages a more comprehensive understanding and implementation of leadership practices that respects and leverage cultural diversity. I have placed URL links to four insightful articles if you would like to read more about this point.
So, where does the misconception of Westernised leadership as authoritarian and non-inclusive come from? It could stem from early experiences of leadership in school environments. Many currently successful entrepreneurs who participated in my research, confirmed that for them, this perception was born from their experiences of leadership practices at school.
The Role of School Culture in Leadership Development
What is key to consider is that an organisation's culture (in this context, a school's culture) mirrors that of its leaders. Those leaders would likely have adopted the culture of their leaders and so this cultural influence on leadership practice passes from one generation of school students to the next.
At Leadership Literacy for Life, we believe leadership evolves alongside education. To change the cycle of leadership experience and practice as described above, we need to expand their understanding to include personal, contextual, and cultural influences on leadership as they progress through their education.
Conclusion: Blending Cultural and Contextual Intelligence
Culture plays two roles in the development of leadership. The first is the cultural influence on the individual from their formative years within their own community. The second is the culture of their educational environment. These influences shape their perception of leadership.
Effective future leaders must blend personal adjustment with leadership skills to move towards shared goals. "Contextual intelligence," which involves understanding the cultural context of those being led, is crucial. This awareness, including emotional intelligence and positive self-leadership, is essential for culturally responsive leadership.
Call to Action: We Need Your Help.
School leaders should strive to create an inclusive environment that embraces diverse cultural perspectives. By fostering contextual and cultural intelligence, we can nurture a generation of leaders equipped to navigate a globalised world with the universal leadership traits noted at the beginning of this article. These were good judgment, integrity, people skills, and the ability to adapt to different cultural contexts. Together we can work to address culture specific awareness in our future leaders, so that they are empowered to develop these universal leadership traits. Visit us at https://allcopypublishers.co.za/ll4l to read more about how we can help, and please get in touch directly to start a conversation. We all have a vested interest in preparing our collective future leaders as well as we can. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sources for this article and further reading.
What leadership looks like in different cultures
Inclusive Leadership and why it’s important
Inclusive leadership – a comprehensive guide.
Inclusive Leadership is an increasingly diversified world.
