Leadership: Unrecognized Variables to Success

Abstract

This article presents variables not commonly considered in presenting leadership theory. Effective leadership requires more than a list of attributes of the leader; it requires the potential leader's ability to understand specific nuances of those expected to follow. In a culturally diverse organization, significant behavioral norms, part of each individual's cultural heritage, are uniquely present and potentially different in each workplace subordinate. A leader's understanding of these cultural variances can significantly reduce communication mishaps and avoid many nonproductive leadership challenges. The variables discussed are the cultural differences in the concept of time, allowable social and workplace expressiveness, oculesic and kinesetic (paralinguistic) variances, counseling dynamics and forgiveness in the organizational culture, and the groupthink phenomenon.