Leaders and Leadership

Most of what is written about leadership has been written by western scholars and practitioners—mostly from the United States. Thus, what we have studied

in this module so far reflects western assumptions and values about how to improve leadership performance.
But leadership quality, we know, is mostly about perception. If the followers perceive that a person is a leader, that person will be treated with respect

and the followers will grant him the power and authority to guide their actions. These perceptions can vary across cultures, and successful global leaders

know that leadership is viewed differently in different cultures and modify their behaviors to align with culturally diverse expectations. This is what is

called Cultural Intelligence.
(If this is a topic that particularly interests you and you would like to increase your capacity for cultural intelligence, you are encouraged to enroll in

LED520: Cross-Cultural Communication and Leadership. This course can serve as an elective in several degree programs.)
Required Reading
The following reading discusses the importance of cultural awareness in increasing organizational effectiveness:
O’Reilly, C. (2013). Why is cultural intelligence important? Retrieved from http://www.trainingzone.co.uk/topic/soft-skills/why-cultuiral-intelligence-

important/181942
Assignment
In this exercise, there are two sets of quizzes (A & B) that you will participate in.
A. Select either the Cross Cultural Work Scenarios or Working Globally Across Cultures quiz from http://www.commisceo-global.com/quizzes/cultural-

awareness-quizzes?view=qcategory&cat_id=39
B. Choose any one of the country quizzes at http://www.commisceo-global.com/quizzes/cultural-awareness-quizzes?view=qcategory&cat_id=41 that looks

interesting to you.
After completing the quizzes, address the following questions in a 2- to 3-page essay:
• Which quizzes did you take?
• Include your actual results in an Appendix at the end of your paper.
• Were you surprised at your score?
• What strengths do you think you have in the area of inter-cultural awareness?
• What weaknesses are you able to identify?
• If there were gaps between your assessment results and your own thoughts about your level of cultural awareness, why do these gaps exist?
• Create a plan of specific, concrete actions you can take to build on your strengths and improve areas of weakness so that you improve your cultural

awareness.
• Why is it important for managers to increase their levels of cultural awareness?
SLP Assignment Expectations
Your paper will be evaluated using the criteria as stated in the SLP rubric. The following is a review of the rubric criteria:
Assignment-Driven: Does the paper fully address all aspects of the assignment? Is the assignment addressed accurately and precisely using sound logic? Does

the paper meet minimum length requirements?
Critical Thinking: Does the paper demonstrate graduate-level analysis, in which information derived from multiple sources, expert opinions, and assumptions

has been critically evaluated and synthesized in the formulation of a logical set of conclusions? Does the paper address the topic with sufficient depth of

discussion and analysis?
Business Writing: Is the essay logical, well organized and well written? Are the grammar, spelling, and vocabulary appropriate for graduate-level work? Are

section headings included? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of responding, or is justification/support instead conveyed through

excessive use of direct quotations?
Effective Use of Information: Does the submission demonstrate that the student has read, understood and can apply the background materials for the module?

If required, has the student demonstrated effective research, as evidenced by student’s use of relevant and quality (library?) sources? Do additional

sources used provide strong support for conclusions drawn, and do they help in shaping the overall paper?
Citing Sources: Does the student demonstrate understanding of APA Style of referencing, by inclusion of proper citations (for paraphrased text and direct

quotations) as appropriate? Have all sources (e.g., references used from the Background page, the assignment readings, and outside research) been included,

and are these properly cited? Have all sources cited in the paper been included on the References page?