Managing people from different countries

Should a manager interact differently with direct reports if they are foreign? Leadership is about building a rapport with people from different backgrounds, whether they are engineers, salespeople, introvert, extrovert, Indian, Japanese or French. New theories of leadership talk about “situational leadership” to highlight the need of a manager to adapt to different situations and different people to get things done. Ultimately, it is about building rapport, communicating and motivating people based on their background. Building rapport is typically more difficult if the person is from a different country. For instance, Americans are typically very friendly, outgoing and loud. On the contrary, Indians are typically quieter and more reserved. The leader should know how to adapt to the different culture and identify how they can build rapport. They should reflect the other persons behavior. Motivating people from different backgrounds can also prove to be challenging. Some cultures value team spirit and community, while other cultures value individualism and personal rewards. You should be mindful of your direct reports preferences when it comes to giving credit and handing out rewards.