A leader motivates people, takes decision for the organization, creates and implements plans, and provides direction to achieve the goals. Depending on the type of leader, various leadership styles are defined. Some common forms of leadership styles are Autocratic leadership, Bureaucratic leadership, Charismatic leadership, and Laissez-Faire leadership to name a few. The leadership styles that work in one country may not work in other country due to diversity in culture. Every leader must practice a leadership style suited according to their nature. In general there are older professionals who are used to authoritative leadership style of a new generation (Bonnici 2011). The leaders are expected to adhere to a range of management styles and implement them when needed. My goal in this paper is to provide information on the appropriateness of using the same leadership style across all European Union countries.
Brodbeck notified that (as cited in Gill 2006, p.164) a sub-study of over 6,000 managers in Europe countries revealed that leadership concepts vary by culture within Europe. Most of the European Union countries do not follow the same leadership style. A leader who is a manager in one part of Europe can just be a team member in other part of the continent. It is clear from the modern leadership theory that the similar leadership style does not work in all situations. Even if the culture is same the leaders have shown variations in the leadership styles in such circumstances. A skillful international manager cannot develop a suitable strategic plan or consider an investment abroad without first accessing the environment, political, economic, legal, and technological in which the company will operate (Deresky 2006).
European Union (EU) has about 27 countries listed under it that serves millions of people. This union includes countries with diverse backgrounds that differ in culture, language, ethnicity, and education system. The leadership style followed across these EU countries is different. In Europe, for example, significant differences in business cultures and e-business technologies have slowed e-business progress (Deresky 2006). Many organizations in France follow an Autocratic leadership style whereas the leadership style in Germany is focused on the quality and export. Germans are product oriented and mutually respectful as they are committed towards long term deliverables.
A few leadership strategies of the EU are: they have a vision for long term focus, and they set apart the products and services. The Leaders in Europe responsible for international management must be aware of the cultures and traditions of the countries in which they do business and must work towards maintaining a flexible leadership style. Leaders are not only accountable for the team and team members’ relationship, but also to the decisions that impact the company as a whole. Leaders scattered globally may have the same wants and desires, but on the job it is portrayed differently. The multinational organizations that have their operations spread globally have found difficulties in managing and fulfilling the needs of the local employees as it becomes a difficult task to recognize the work if a manager takes care of the remote employees.
The civil laws of the European countries are a challenge for the leaders to apply the similar leadership style. The European management itself has much dissimilarity. The governance codes are completely different within the EU as some countries work towards building relationships and some work towards running in the race for the global competition. These differences in the laws have created lot of difficulties for the European managers to work in an international environment. The leadership style in the middle and eastern European countries is difficult to identify as they never followed any styles from the western countries. This diversity in leadership style is the strength and weakness for the international managers.
References
Bonnici, Charles A.,(2011). Creating a Successful Leadership Style: Principles of Personal Strategic Planning. R&L Education.
Deresky, Helen., (2006). International Management: Managing Across Borders and Cultures, 5th Edition. Pearson Education India.
Gill, Roger. (2006). Theory and Practice of Leadership. Pine Forge Press
