Cultivating multicultural leaders – London Business School BSR

CULTIVATINGMULTICULTURAL

LEADERSFARID MUNA

© Copyright 2012 London Business School

BUSINESS STRATEGY REVIEW 1

But what are the characteristicsof a successful

multicultural leader?


Most outstanding multiculturalleaders go through three

distinct stages of development.

1 2 3


Potential leaders, people who have acquired some orall of the early ingredients for leadership successstarting from childhood.

These people then become aspiring leaders, those whoduring their careers have taken some or all of thepaths that are part of the journey to success.

After a time, some of them develop into outstandingleaders.

1

2

3


Potential leaders acquired some or allof the following five ingredients forleadership success during their

childhood, adolescence, educationalyears and very early in their careers:

1 2 3 4 5


1 Self-development Theyexhibit an insatiable thirst andhunger for more knowledgeand self-improvement.


2 Taking responsibility Theyhave assumed responsibilityearly in life (from childhood totheir early 20s)


3 Ethics and values They havelearned (from early in theirlives) to believe in integrity,honesty, hard work, respect fortime and social responsibility.


4 High-quality education They havestrong analytical skills and arecreative thinkers; they also havestrong social, team and leadershipskills, which are learned mainlythrough extra-curricular activities.


5 Exposure and role models Theyare open to learning fromothers, from experience, fromother cultures and from rolemodels.


Aspiring leaders also need special development;the key is to look for individuals who work hard,smart and focused; implement training and careerdevelopment plans; engage in self-developmentactivities; develop cultural sensitivity; havesharpened emotional intelligence; and learn fromexperience and adversity.


Outstanding leaders are special. When it comes tofinding these more experienced leaders (eitherfrom within or outside the organisation), it isimportant to look for those who have already shownpotential for growth and more responsibility.


When seeking candidates, the task is difficult forinterviewers because, although these leaders havehad years of experience, past behaviour is notalways a significant indicator of future success forthree reasons:

1 2 3


1 It is difficult to measure competencies andleadership potential. Candidates for leadershippositions must be asked probing questionsabout actual (not hypothetical)accomplishments, behaviour and situations. Inaddition, references (other than those suppliedby the candidate) need to be pursued.


2 Strengths and weaknesses in one context maynot be the same in a different context, cultureor situation. (E.g., Scott McNealy’s high-minded resolve became obstinacy at SunMicrosystems.)


3 A person being assessed for a leadershipposition invariably wears a mask (or severalmasks) when being interviewed. The task ofthe interviewer is to discover what that maskmay be hiding.


Farid Muna holds a PhD from London Business School andis Chairman of Meirc Training & Consulting. His latest book,co-authored with Ziad A Zennie, is Developing MulticulturalLeaders: The Journey to Leadership Success (PalgraveMacmillan, 2011). This report was part of Business Strategy Review, Volume22 Issue 2 date 2011

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Cultivating multicultural leaders – London Business School BSR