I have assignment in leadership class

LDR 160: Leadership Around the World

 Northern Geography

 Six Time Zones

 Mountains, Prairies, and Frozen land

 Three Founding Cultures

 English

 French

 First Nations (Native Peoples)

 Complex Constitutional Democracy

 Large country, which if often inhospitable  Touches on three oceans  Challenging to live within its geographical

borers  Fur traders crossed much of the land

historically with the help from the First Nations peoples

 It is important to have good transformation since the land is so vast and the communities so isolated

 Myths of the settlers  Both the British and the French were settlers  Multiple cultures led the way to diversity appreciation

in the country  Varies cultural pockets throughout the country

 Myths of the natives  There are dozens of First Nations peoples  Communities are centered around connection to the

land- fishing in the west, hunting in the plains  Also Inuit (Artic culture) people in Canada- these are

most isolated and also struggle to maintain identity  Native peoples (like in US) often overlooked

 Myths in art, song, and story  Reflect the challenges of the land, transportation, and

cultural traditions

 The importance of the creation of the railway- particularly the role of Chinese workers

 Canadian Broadcast Corporation links the cultures in their news and multi-language broadcasts

 Myths of winter and sport  Importance of winter sports, particularly hockey

 Curling- embraced Canadian self-discipline, persistence, and cooperation

 One of the oldest constitutions  Despite differences there has been limited civil strife

or violent occurrences  Known as a peaceful and peacekeeping nation  Canada, though is still known for its cultural and

geographic divisions- balancing act between country and regions

 Canadians are individualists, but with a collective nature- therefore focus on the importance of quality of life for each and all

 Belief that all should be involved in governing  Based on this, how is Canada different than the US?

 Canadian leaders are complex in their definitions, but the following categories have emerged

 Contingent Leadership  Cooperation and accommodation

▪ Accommodation: Two separate languages and school systems ▪ Cooperation: Development of communication and trade

 Pragmatism: Working toward common-sense solutions to problems- Blackberry communications

 Socialized Power  Focus on a positive influence on others and making a

difference in the world  Examples: Universal healthcare and Canadians as

peacekeepers

 Transformational Leadership  Inspiring and empowering followers

 Pragmatic and nurturing nature tends to be more transformational

 Canadian culture includes transformational characteristics like: ▪ Inspirational motivation- free trade with US

▪ Idealized influence- preventing domestic terrorism

▪ Intellectual stimulation- better educated and ethics of Canadian auto workers

▪ Individual consideration- flexible work schedules

 Participative Leadership  Pluralist (diverse) society ensures leadership for and

with diverse peoples  Respect of followers in important  Maintain individual motivations, but still also

prioritize the importance of the group  Canadian leaders are often non-heroic

 How do the leadership traditions of Canada

differ from those of America? What in the mythology of Canada might contribute to those differences?

 Common practices in Canadian Leadership:  Emphasis on inclusion  Good process skills- teamwork, negotiation, etc.  Strong sense of principles, values, professionalism,

diversity, and peace through integration  These practices enable Canadians leaders to:

 Lead complex situations  Lead with humility  Be adaptable and have an open mind  Be useful in international situations- especially

women

 Common misperceptions of Canadian leaders:  They are not aggressive, confident, or strong enough to be

effective

 They are simplistic and unable to handle difficult situations because the country has never had internal conflict

 Blind spots for Canadian leaders include:  Inability to lead those who want a directive leader

 Lack of preparedness for the cruelty or the world  Based on these global implications, in what types of

situations might Canadian leaders be beneficial? In what types of situations might they struggle?

 Canadians leaders are:  Fairly easy to work with because they are unassuming,

moderate, and able to deal well with diverse peoples and perspectives

 Focused on compromise, cooperation, and accommodation

 Humble and believe in empowerment  Intellectual motivators  Team players, but still maintain their identity  Often focused on moral and ethical issues

 An example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJ4GBpN2PCs

 How does Mike Pratt epitomize Canadian leadership?

 This section focuses on those countries:  Settled by the British  That speak English

 Some points are applicable to the French, Dutch, and Spanish speaking and settled islands

 Important to understand  Island History  Myth of African magical and Christian beliefs  Myth behind African Anancy stories  Connection of these to leadership

 While there are varying cultural differences between the islands, there are many similarities

 Majority of residents are descendants of African slaves,

 Minority of residents are:  Descendants of European colonizers

 Descendants of Indian or Chinese indentured servants  Indigenous peoples were wiped out during

colonization  Culture comes from African traditions

suppressed under European control not from the indigenous cultures

 Main industry was the sugar plantation, the labor for these plantations came from:  Slavery until abolished  Indentured servants from India and Chinese

 Despite ending of forced forms of labor class system remains in place with whites having more power

 These power struggles led to a movement away from colonization and independence beginning in the 1950s

 Currently there is a good deal of intermarriage and cultural mixing and the standard of living is fairly good

 Current challenge includes how small islands can compete with larger nations in the globalized world

 African Traditional Magical Beliefs  African slaves brought religious traditions with them

that still have power today (despite colonizers trying to outlaw them) ▪ Voodoo- Primarily in Haiti

▪ Obeah- Primarily in the English speaking islands

 Based on magic and power in the supernatural ▪ Headed by an individual with access to the magical world ▪ Can work for good or evil for those who seek their help

▪ Operate through keeping their knowledge secret

 Are often now combined with Christian practices

 African Traditional Magical Beliefs

 Lessons related to Leadership

▪ Based on these traditional systems, leadership would appear to be based on the power of the boss and the reliance of them by followers

▪ Similar to the colonization system where the power only lies with the elite or those “in the know”

▪ Reflective of a typical hierarchical approach

 Mythical Stories of Anancy

 Stories brought from West African and passed through the generations

 About a spider who was known as a trickster who could change forms but everyone liked him (similar to American stories of the Brer Rabbit and Fox)

 Leadership lesson: Ingenuity and trickery can provide success against those in power

 An Anancy story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFnOCCq0y-w

 Theory X Leadership

 Authoritarian and hierarchical

 Could be seen as benevolent- the leader is supposed to care for their subordinates in exchange for their loyalty and obedience

 Reliance on someone at the top for decision- making and power

 Cultural Values (Hofstede and Purnett)  High on individualism and collectivism- likes both

individual and group interactions

 Low on hierarchy- prefers equity in power ▪ Surprising given traditional norms and leadership

tendencies

▪ This does play true with the notions on Anancy though

▪ Perhaps leaders should be aware of the trickster and become more participative

 Prefers certainty and thinking things through

 Collectivism/Individualism  People of the Caribbean should be able to work in a

wide variety of contexts  They can be individuals, but also work well in teams  It is important to know these differences as a leader,

but also be aware of the trickster among your followers

 Uncertainty Avoidance  People like to be certain of things and appreciate

security and stability  Leaders should let followers know their expectations

but expect a bit of uncertainty with the trickster

 Power Distance  People would like to be included in decision making and value

open communication and trust  Leaders should delegate and seek input from their followers but

be aware of those who may be trying for their own gain  There is a disconnect between what is desired in Caribbean

leaders and typical leadership practices ▪ The hierarchical style is actually against cultural norms and desires (a

throw back to colonization) ▪ Poor leadership and poor workers are symptoms of each other and

create a vicious cycle ▪ A challenge would be to break this cycle and establish new methods of

a leader/follower dynamic  Overall, leaders must consider change in the power

distance dynamic and how this might materialize