Leading Across Cultures: Navigating Cross-Cultural Leadership Challenges in Indonesia

Abstract

This case study examines how cultural differences between the United Kingdom, India, and Indonesia affect leadership effectiveness and talent development within a multinational organization. After ten years in the Indian branch, Raj, newly appointed Managing Director of ABC's Indonesian subsidiary, faced difficulties promoting local managers due to low participation and motivation. Using frameworks from Hofstede, Erin Meyer, and Lewin, the paper identifies key cultural barriers—collectivism, high power distance, and low masculinity—that inhibit initiative, feedback, and ambition. It contrasts these with the more individualistic, performance-oriented expectations of the British headquarters. Recommendations include adopting a nurturant-task leadership style suited to collectivist contexts, improving work–life balance for senior managers, and introducing anonymous feedback mechanisms to preserve group harmony. The analysis highlights the importance of cultural intelligence and adaptation in developing effective, context-sensitive leadership strategies across global teams.

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