Cultural Differences at Work

cultural differencesat work

today's topic

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• Why did Gabriela feel that her team in Sweden didn't respect her as a leader?

• What was the difference between Gabriela's style and the team's style?

• What was the main cultural clash that Gabriela experienced in her new role?

• Do you think a leader should be strict or laidback?

• Do you think a boss can make friends with employees? Why or why not?

Where in the world would you like to work?

Do you think moving to a first-world country will always be a good decision? Why or why not?

Have you ever worked with a foreigner? How was your experience?

Do you think managerial positions should be reserved for people from the same country as the company?

How can working abroad benefit you?

Do you think work-personal life balance is better in other countries? Why or why not?

Would you prefer a short-term assignment or a permanent position abroad? Why?

What industries do you think offer the most opportunities for working abroad?

great job!

cultural differences

Gabriela was a project manager for a multinational company in Brazil and then she was transferred to manage a team in Sweden. She was excited about her new role but soon realized that managing her new team would be a challenge. Despite their friendliness, Gabriela didn't feel respected as a leader. Her new staff would question her proposals openly in meetings, and when she gave them instructions on how to carry out a task, they would often go about it in their own way without checking with her. After weeks of frustration, Gabriela emailed her Swedish manager about the issues she was facing with her team. Gabriela found her manager vague and didn't feel as if he was managing the situation satisfactorily.What Gabriela was experiencing was a cultural clash in expectations. She was used to a more hierarchical framework where the team leader and manager took control and gave specific instructions on how things were to be done. This more directive management style worked well for her and her team in Brazil but did not transfer well to her new team in Sweden, who were more used to a flatter hierarchy where decision making was more democratic.