Growing up in American society, we have a very rigid and high operational work tempo with the many different projects and high customer demands around the world. We learn to work hard and play hard all week long. We learn to strive to reach the top echelons of leadership in our chosen profession by out-performing co-workers. I have been in the United States Army for 20 years and many deployments around the world, working as a leader in different cultures can be very challenging and met with a variety of exchanges.
On one very demanding deployment, I found that men in higher job positions were better received by the culture and treated with great respect. Now, we take many classes to understand the area and culture we will be living in, so this action did not present as a surprise. The gender egalitarianism is very narrow as women in this culture are to stay at home and tend to household duties. As a woman leader, I would not be allowed into the meetings or allowed to visit with the men as this was seen a very disrespectful even if I have the knowledge to help the plan or meet the final goal. As a team, we would work through answers for questions and matters that had the potential to be raise during the meeting, so my male teammate could give the information. If there were questions, the teammates would bring them back and we would discuss at length to provide the best solutions.
The same would be true for meetings with the women. From their cultural values and norms, only our women could meet with their women as it was very disrespectful for our men to interact with their women. Our women leaders would also tend to the elderly and children in medical situations as this was a role identified by the host nation as a woman’s type of work or role. The lines were very distinct and very clear as to which gender could visit or work with the other gender or in the various situations. In America, our society is working through the leadership labyrinth with women working in many leadership roles, so working in a culture where this is forbidden can be confusing and frustrating (Northouse, 2016, p. 406).
Another very interesting dynamic took place as well during the meetings with the country’s leadership. Each meeting had a set agenda. First the Gentlemen would discuss family matters with the preliminary questions of “How are you”, “How is your family”, How are your children”, and normal daily living discussion. Next, the Gentlemen would discuss information from the previous meeting to ensure that each past matter needed any further attention or if the problem had been resolved. Then they would discuss today’s business without setting a schedule or budget. These matters were brand new and needed to be digested and thought through with a set of solutions presented at the next meeting. Then they would finish the meeting with tea and discussing world affairs and daily life matters.
To discuss anything out of sequence would be ignored and the conversation with continue in the very same sequence. If the matter was pressed by my team, the Gentlemen would become greatly irritated and end the meeting without resolution or discussion of anything further until the next meeting. This sequence of events took us a very long time to learn and adjust to as American we are direct and go right to the point quickly about all manners of subjects.
Applying the information from Mr. Northouse’s chapter on Culture and Leadership, understanding how gender egalitarianism and future orientation affected meetings with our host nation could have help smooth out our flow of information as a group (2016, p. 433). Using any assertiveness in this culture is met with conflict and meetings set at another time. Studying the host nation culture and values is critical to building trust and cohesion to get the groups working together even if it means one gender must stay in the other room due to society norms.
Reference:
Northouse, Peter G. (2016). Chapter 15: Gender and Leadership and Chapter 16: Culture and Leadership. Leadership: Theory and Practice (7th ed.). Los Angeles: SAGE Publications, Inc. Pages 397-466.
bdl15 says
Debra,
After reading this week’s lesson readings and your post, as sad as it may make me to see it still happening, I have to be tolerant and knowledgeable about the differences regarding gender and culture we in the United States face when in other countries. I’m very much a progressive-minded person, always looking at situations to find ways to implement change for the better, for improvement. I know for many of us in the United States, particularly those of us who are civilians and are not exposed to the traditions and belief systems of other countries such as this country you mention in your post, it is difficult for us. Many would be stubborn, expecting our way to be the best way and wanting the traditions and beliefs of the country you mentioned to change and to be like us.
Northouse (2016) notes that it is important for us to understand the differences in traditions, ideas, beliefs, and preferences of other countries so that we might best have the opportunity to effectively communicate our needs, and they their needs when leaders come together. Having the ability to be tolerant and adaptive, the United States Army has clearly shown that they respect these cultural differences between ‘us’ and ‘them’ in order to be sure the work intended is completed successfully. Thank you for giving us a glimpse into the inner workings of what you have experienced!
Though I’m sure it was frustrating, I’m very thankful to hear that you remained safe during your deployment and that you were able to still have your perspective and information you’d worked hard to present conveyed—even if it had to be passed on through your male co-workers. Learning about the extreme gender differences regarding these types of communications between our country and theirs made me very thankful to be living in the United States. Though here we might still be facing inequalities regarding gender (among other things such as race, sexuality, age, socioeconomic status, etc.), having the opportunity to speak freely about ways to implement change in our workforce as women and being taken seriously enough to have decades of research to help us determine ways to make these changes, we often don’t consider how lucky we are to have these abilities and supports. One of the papers I read and used for my post this week speaks about women seeking equality of “…access, treatment, rights, opportunity, and freedom in all realms of society” (Diehl & Dzubinski, 2016; as cited in Dzubinski & Diehl, 2018, p.59), that likely in a place similar to that which you speak of in your post, Northouse (2016) notes women would be killed for asking for the same in their country. We in the United States are very future-oriented while those in countries in the Middle-East (as I’m assuming this country you speak of was there?) are past-oriented, focused on traditions and old patriarchic belief systems (Northouse, 2016). These countries will likely not come around to our progressive ways any time in the near future and though it’s different, though it creates barriers and we wish they would change, the tolerance and adaptability the Army has shown these countries (as mentioned above) is admirable. Without learning how to do so in order to communicate and work with their leaders, I’m afraid of how soon the next World War could/would be at our doorstep if we were disrespectful or intolerant. Thank you for your commitment to protecting us. Thank you for your service!
Brandie
References:
Diehl, A. B. , & Dzubinski, L. B. M. (2016). Making the invisible visible: A cross‐sector analysis of gender‐based leadership barriers. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 27(2), 181–206. https://doi-org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/10.1002/hrdq.21248
Dzubinski, L.M., & Diehl, A.B. (2018). The problem of gender essentialism and its implications for women in leadership. Journal of Leadership Studies, Vol. 12 (1), 56-61. Accessed November 19, 2018, from https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/doi/full/10.1002/jls.21565
Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership theory and practice, (7th ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE.
dgs5155 says
After reading your blog I now have a more in-depth understanding of other cultures views on male/female relations. During your deployments I am sure you have seen many things that other will probably never, and that give you a step in front of other as it relates to life experience. “Culture is defined as the learned beliefs, values, rules, norms, symbols, and traditions that are common to a group of people” (Northhouse, 2016, p.428). You identified many behaviors associated with men and women and the differences between American culture and the foreign culture. Men seemed to have control not only of business matters, but maintaining customs and courtesies.
This is a great example how foreign countries contribute to gender and culture differences throughout the world.
Resources
Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice. (7thed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, Inc