The best leaders:

Are friends with their subordinates but make decisions on their own Compete with their own direct reports and make sure they are better than others Speak honestly, but take into account others’ status Use indirect language and metaphors rather than get straight to the point Avoid taking risks

American readers are probably scratching their heads: what kind of a leadership profile is this? How can a leader ignore his direct reports when making key decisions? What happens to credibility when you’re constantly massaging the message?

The brief profile above came from a survey of Chinese managers as part of the research program called the GLOBE project. Of course, there are also parts of the Chinese ideal leadership profile that are similar to the American profile, but it’s usually the differences that get managers in trouble.

In a recent survey of senior executives in 100 global corporations, conducted by Worldwide ERC, 95% of the respondents reported that national cultures of the places they do business in play an important or very important role in the success of their business mission. So much for a “flat world.”

In any part of the world, leadership is about influence. There are many ways to influence others: Directing them, rewarding them, inspiring them, or giving them ownership of the decision are but a few examples. The leader’s task in a multicultural world is to influence direct reports, project teams, supply chain partners, client organizations, and regulatory agencies that have different cultural, political, and institutional backgrounds.

But there’s a disconnect.

In most societies, ordinary citizens are socialized to learn how to work with people who are like them. They develop a unicultural lens that helps them understand and interpret their surroundings.

This formula has worked for many