Leadership Across Cultures: Attachment Style Influences

Abstract

As organizations are challenged to global leadership competence and to manage increasing diversity, it is critical to select and develop effective cross-cultural leaders. Technical competence and organizational experience are inadequate criteria; among the most crucial leadership characteristics are relationship competence and openness to new perspectives. These are difficult to train or develop in leaders because they derive from personal relationship tendencies called attachment styles, based on relatively enduring assumptions about self and others. Attachment styles affect work relationships and, thus, cross-cultural leadership effectiveness, and need to be considered by managers and their organizations in leadership selection and development programs.

Analysis of gender and leadership role competencies, perceptions and stereotypes in an organisational context

“…Functional competencies could be acquired through formal qualifications and skills acquired during targeted training. This competency is required for problem solving and notably include language and communication skills, multicultural skill, technological and globalisation skills (Manning, 2003;May, 1997;Jokinen, 2005;Suutari, 2002;Harris, 2001). While it is important for line or operational managers to possess technical expertise in order to achieve results, middle-level and top level managers require greater people management, conceptual and strategic competencies respectively (Robbins, Bradley & Spicer, 2001;Wallick & Stager, 2001).…”

Cross-cultural Leadership Effectiveness: Perspectives from Non-Western Leaders

“…In a study that predicts effectiveness of global leadership with 256 global leaders from 17 countries working in U.K. diversified firms, Caligiuri and Tarique (2009) find that high-contact, cross-cultural leadership development experiences and leaders' personality characteristics are predictors. Based on attachment style, Manning (2003) suggests that relationship competencies and openness to new perspectives are crucial leadership characteristics related to cross-cultural leadership effectiveness. More recently, Caligiuri and Tarique (2012) survey 420 global leaders from three large MNCs, finding that dynamic, cross-cultural competencies (i.e., tolerance of ambiguity, cultural flexibility, and reduced ethnocentrism) relate to global leadership effectiveness.…”

10.5937/industrija42-5263 = The quality of business communications depending on attachment style, social emotional competences and personality traits

“…It also turned out that emotional competencies, besides intellectual flexibility, are of the crucial importance for the success of managers (Kummel, 1999) and leaders (Manning, 2003), as well as for the development of the capacity for leading (Berson & Yammarino, 2006;Popper & Amit, 2009). …”