8.2 Discussion: Class of End: Standouts and Next Steps
This class has helped me realize that a leader must develop a richer understanding and sensitivity to other cultures to provide the bridge between cultural diversity and the achievement of business goals. Leaders must also adjust to diverse environments quickly and work with employees and partners from different cultures (Bonsu, & Twum-Danso, 2018). A common mistake a leader can make is assuming that if they are successful in one country or cultural setting, they will succeed in another.
For a leader to become an effective cross-cultural leader, they require cultural awareness and cultural sensitivity. It is important to understand the differences and similarities in cultural norms and values of the employees to predict and resolve miscommunications and misconceptions which might arise when dealing with people from different cultures (Northouse, 2021).
Further, an effective cross-cultural leader must be flexible and open-minded. This is needed to succeed in addressing the needs of the ever-changing markets and workers. Being open-minded makes one more empathetic to cultural differences in addition to finding creative ways to resolve problems.
This class has provided me with more knowledge on the importance of becoming a culturally-intelligent leader. With cultural competence, a leader gains the skills and confidence to effectively lead diverse teams. With that comes the need for collaboration since today’s business problems cannot be solved by a single person, culture, community, or sector. Solving complex problems requires bringing different people together and building networks that challenge the leader’s thinking, something that requires high cultural competence (Bonsu, & Twum-Danso, 2018).
Another takeaway from the class is that leadership is a continuous process that requires networking and negotiating with people from different cultures. An application of the concepts learned from this class can transform one into an extraordinary leader who can dominate even in conflicting situations (Northouse, 2021). As such, applying leadership characteristics can be useful components for creating a personal plan of action which can help me become a more effective leader in mental healthcare practice.
I will, therefore, apply the lessons from this class to further my leadership qualities and capabilities as a mental health specialist. I will cultivate a growth mindset to change myself into an effective leader who believes in both my capabilities as well as those of my teams. This will require developing characteristics, for example, honesty, vision, and inspiration, as well as becoming a systems thinker who can develop a global view of the organization through cultural articulation. Using the concepts learned in this class, I will be able to create confidence in members of my teams from diverse cultural backgrounds.
The steps I will take to continue my leadership development will include planning the leadership development goals I require to lead teams in the mental health practice. This will involve demonstrating personal responsibility by owning my actions and their consequences. This will also require having the right mindset to develop my leadership abilities and build up confidence that I can become an effective cross-cultural leader. The next step will involve practicing self-discipline to make decision that benefit my teams and the organization. This will involve developing integrity and shedding bias (Northouse, 2021).
I will then come up with a method of development that I will apply, for example, creating a culture of mentorship, task forces, and altering the ways responsibilities are taken in my workplace. I believe that a leader’s role is to foster leadership in others. I will do so by coaching others, and giving them constructive feedback. I think it will be important to measure and analyze the results of the leadership development program to assess its success. This will involve communicating with my team members to get their feedback and setting timeframes and reviewing results often.
References
Bonsu, S., & Twum-Danso, E. (2018). Leadership style in the global economy: A focus on cross- cultural and transformational leadership. Journal of Marketing and Management, 9(2), 37-52.
Northouse, P. G. (2021). Leadership: Theory and practice (9th ed.). Sage Publications.
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