Page 76 - Harnessing the Strengths

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DILEMMA 2:

RULES VERSUS EXCEPTIONS

Challenge
Peter Webber holds his head in his hands. What does glo-
balization mean exactly for a region like EMEA where his
company is active? There is a huge difference in markets,
local traditions, and culture between northern and south-
ern Europe, let alone the Middle East, Africa, and India.
How can you have a uniform management style, or is this
even desirable? Should he focus on his team’s responsibil-
ity for the entire EMEA area or for the local markets? Is
it realistic to use northern Europe as a standard to mea-
sure other regions and countries? Or is there something in
the arguments of Giovanni and Arun, that Italy and India
have unique characteristics that Peter needs to deal with
separately? Peter Webber wrestles with the same dilemma
that international companies face: the dilemma between
rules and exceptions. He has been interested in servant-
leadership for years. The theory made sense to him, but
translating that theory into daily practice is still a quest. In
this specifi c case, what would be a typical servant-leader
solution?

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