May 26, 2008“I think one of the basics of transcultural leadership is empathy,” says Carlos Ghosn, the man who is credited with turning around major Japanese carmaker Nissan.
“I would say even though the term today is not very popular, love the country and love the culture in which you are in. And try to learn about its strengths, don’t focus on the weaknesses, and make sure that all the people you are transferring with you are of the same opinion.”
The CEO of Renault and Nissan, and the 2008 recipient of the INSEAD Transcultural Leadership Award, Ghosn told INSEAD Knowledge that the fact he had the experience of being raised in different countries – not by choice, but by coincidence because of his family circumstances – had helped him in life a lot.
Ghosn was born in Brazil to Lebanese parents in 1954. Later he moved to Beirut where he completed his studies in a Jesuit school. He then graduated with engineering degrees from the Ecole Polytechnique and the Ecole des Mines de Paris and is a French citizen.
He stresses the importance of cultivating a certain mindset or character that truly enjoys the challenge of living in new environments:
“If you have to work and particularly do something significant in a country it is much easier if somehow you connected with the country and you like the country and you respect the people and you are curious about the culture.”
He maintains it makes a big difference because people in the country working around you may notice whether or not you are connected to the country and are happy to be there, that you are curious and are listening. “Well, they’re going to forgive you a lot of things,” he says.
When Ghosn went to Japan, he had some ideas about the culture, he says, such as the language and the food. But he found there were some concepts that were totally new to him – such as walking into an elevator before a woman. He says that while it would be considered “very gross” in a Western country, not to do so could be deemed to violate the code of Japanese culture.
While his task was to help revive an icon of the Japanese car industry, he says, the experience wasn’t simply about performing a job – it was about discovering a new culture and it was very rewarding.
“When you have a very diverse team – people of different backgrounds, different culture, different gender, different age, you are going to get a more creative team – probably getting better solutions, and enforcing them in a very innovative way and with a very limited number of preconceived ideas.”
Read the above excerpt from the article and prepare your answers to these questions - they are for discussion, not to hand in, but please prepare well.
1. According to the article, Ghosn is a transcultural leader. What is a transcultural leader and what makes Carlos Ghosn one?
2. He says that one key to being a transcultural leader is having empathy (being empathetic). According to the article, what does he mean?
3. What does he think about diversity? What do a lot of Japanese think about diversity?
4. Besides being a transcultural leader, what do you think makes Carlos Ghosn a good leader?
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