Cross-cultural communication barriers and leadership styles of nurse managers towards a transcultural management model

Abstract

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Cultural diversity provides opportunities and challenges. Diversity in the workplace requires efficient communication to deliver effective leadership. Hamad Medical Corporation's expatriate population is one of its strengths. However, communication between cultures remains an issue. The aim of the study is to correlate relationships between the cross-cultural communication barriers and the leadership styles of nurse managers; it sought to answer the following: (1) What cross-cultural communication barriers are perceived in the Nursing Department of Hamad General Hospital? (2) What are the leadership styles of the nurse managers as rated by the staff nurses and the nurse managers themselves? (3) Is there a significant relationship between cross-cultural communication barriers and the leadership styles of nurse managers? (4) Based on the findings of the study, what transcultural management model can be proposed? METHODS: The study employed the descriptive-correlational design with convenient sampling as a technique. A sample size of one hundred forty-one (n-141) participants was utilized. Validated survey questionnaires using Cronbach's alpha coefficients were used. There were two questionnaires on leadership styles and one questionnaire on cross-cultural communication barriers. In finding the relationship of the cross-cultural communication barriers and the leadership styles, the correlation coefficient 'Pearson r' was utilized. RESULTS: - Stereotype has negative high correlation (-0.71) in Autocratic Leadership Style. - Different Expectations (0.96), Language Differences (0.94), and Misinterpretation of Communication (0.93) have very high correlations in Democratic Leadership Style. - Different Expectations (0.98), Language Differences (0.96) and Distrust (-0.91) have high positive and high negative correlations in Laissez-Faire Leadership Style, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: (1) Both the nurse managers and staff nurses believe that Different Expectations and Language Differences are top cross-cultural communication barriers. (2) Both the nurse managers and staff nurses believe that democratic leadership style is most evident in the workplace. (3) Cross-cultural communication programs should be considered to address Different Expectations, Language Differences, Stereotypes and Distrust. (4) Adopt a transcultural management model such as the M.D. Santos Transcultural Management Model.