Learning from Adaptable Leaders – One-Size-Fits-All Doesn’t Work

The challenges we’ve faced economically have brought necessary change in businesses at every level. The larger the company, the greater the change. And the greater the change, the more that change is felt by everyone. We’ve seen everything from massive layoffs to corporate mergers. Corporate leaders have had to rethink how they do business to remain competitive – and profitable. Jobs that were once thought of as secure have become dispensable. The concept of being a “lifer” at a company has virtually become a distant memory.

As a corporate leader, it can be difficult to stay on top of all the changes and support your team members in navigating those changes so they can stay focused on business objectives while dealing with the uncertainty.

If my experience as an external consultant has taught me anything, it is that adaptability is the most crucial ability for any leader. Thousands of observations, interactions and interviews have shown me that those leaders who have advanced their careers and supported company growth through tumultuous times found a way to fit in, build trust and contribute quickly in any setting they are placed. The adaptable leader is a cross-cultural champion who can easily navigate and contribute in different environments—and that is their profound differentiator.

One of the most significant challenges I’ve experienced in working with so many companies is how to quickly adapt or acculturate to the different cultures within our client base. SVI has a culture and it is unique and different. Within SVI, as with any organization of any size, there are micro-cultures. Additionally, each one of our clients has their own behavioral standards and norms as well as many, many micro-cultures. When I’m called into work with one of our clients, I must effectively acculturate from my culture at SVI to my client’s culture to serve them well. In any given week, I may be immersed in ten different corporate cultures and who knows how many micro-cultures.

It is clear that I’ll be highly ineffective unless I can navigate well across many different work environments, structures, standards, expected behaviors, rules, routines, and norms. Having cross-cultural abilities means that I am capable of subconsciously or consciously processing social cues. Being adaptable to different cultures means that I am able to quickly pick up the unwritten rules of a group or community. Without cross-cultural abilities—the ability to adapt within various cultures—I can be perceived as a social klutz. By honing the skills necessary to adapt to different cultures, I am able to communicate powerfully so that they know I really “get” their needs and goals. It is only from that place that I can serve them and introduce programs, tools and the innovative thinking that will help them successfully reach their goals and grow.

That’s why I have significant empathy and admiration for the adaptive skills of professionals and leaders who are asked to lead in today’s cross-cultural business environment while faced with the demands of the shifting economy.

A champion doesn’t create culture at all, but rather, effectively navigates across many different cultures. The champion works with people where they are. From there, he can bring them and the organization to a place where they can collectively realize more of their full potential in their industry and as individual contributors.

Tags: behavior, behaviors, champion, communicating, corporate, cross-cultural, culture, office, people

1 Comment to Learning from Adaptable Leaders – One-Size-Fits-All Doesn’t Work

1. [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by thompsonOC, The Howitzer and CatherineWright, Erick Taft, SPHR. Erick Taft, SPHR said: How effective are you at navigating across multiple cultures? RT @thompsonOC New blog post: http://tinyurl.com/yjray34 [...]
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