Leading Cross-Cultural Teams Through Resistance
Image Credit: Furkan Elveren
To any expatriate leaders in the U.S. who have ever been baffled by things your American team members say or do . . . you’re not alone! Leading across cultures is challenging. You may think you were clear in presenting a direction, targets and perhaps even the path for execution. And yet you may encounter your new team stalled and seemingly unable to produce the outcome you expect.
Why does this happen? In many cultures, direct instructions from leadership are expected and followed without question. However, American workplace culture often values collaborative input, context for decisions, and room to disagree or ask clarifying questions. What feels like clear direction to you may sound like incomplete information to your team—they might be waiting for you to invite their input or provide more context before they feel empowered to act. If you’re a new leader, they may also be testing your authority to see if you’re serious about the request and will hold firm.
What's your response in this scenario?
Options you may find yourself exhibiting or contemplating could be:
Repeating yourself—maybe they just didn't hear you clearly the first few times
Retreating in frustration or despair—perhaps you sit back for a day or two
Remarking that the work isn't getting done and that something needs to change
Re-evaluating your options for creating the shift you need to see
Requesting input from your team—asking for clarification on what they understood
The key is balancing accountability with genuine care. When your team feels like you're invested in them as individuals and as a unit, even as you hold them to high standards, they'll be more willing to raise their performance to meet your expectations.
How to move forward:
It may be helpful to give yourself a break to manage the disappointment you feel and then consider your next move. Take a moment to consider whether the goals you set are realistic. If they weren't, make a note of it for next time and reframe what's possible, given the timeframe as well as the capability of the team. If the initial goals were reasonable, ask yourself what you need to reset with an optimistic perspective, then approach your team with an open mind that's still committed to producing results in a timely fashion.
Don't pause too long or the team may lose momentum or begin to think you won't hold them accountable.
Address the situation with your team leads first. Approaching people individually and with true curiosity may produce more information than raising the matter in a team meeting. Try asking questions like:
"Walk me through what happened when you started working on this."
"What obstacles are you facing that I might not be aware of?"
"What information or resources would help you move forward?"
This approach lets the team know you're serious about the deadlines while also demonstrating that you care about what's getting in the way for them. Reiterate that the goals still stand and you want to understand their perspective.
If broader resource needs emerge from your individual conversations, convene a team meeting quickly—even an impromptu one signals urgency. Offer specific support while making it clear the deadlines stand. This combination shows you're both reliable in holding standards and committed to helping them succeed.
The payoff: Although this recalibration takes effort and patience, it’s worth it. When the team achieves the goal and recognizes that your standards are consistent and fair, you'll have built the foundation for a culture where work gets done effectively the first time you request it, to the benefit of everyone involved.