Page 87 - Harnessing the Strengths

70 ■ Servant-Leadership in the Intercultural Practice

times of apartheid. These managers not only do not know
other cultures but also have no idea about their own. They
lack experience with differences, which is essential in order
to gain an insight into your own situation.
The second ethnocentric phase is that of Defensiveness.
Here, the world is divided into “us” against “them,” and
this “other” is always inferior. In this case, we are talking
about the internationalizing managers who are convinced
that their organization (and the knowledge they have) is
superior. Local differences are not really valued.
When the threat of the Defensive phase is diminished
through the understanding that all people are intrinsically
the same, then you enter the third phase, that of Minimiz-
ing. This is the point you are at when talking about the
so-called global organization. In such an organization, it is
generally recognized that there are cultural differences, and
these are also tolerated, but a strong organizational culture
(such as that at IBM, Exxon, HP, and GE) ensures that there
is movement in the direction of conformity. Similar compa-
nies are known for the old “power culture.” It is “my way or
the highway” when operating in a global organization.
The fi rst phase of ethnorelativism is Acceptance.
Through long-lasting international contact, leaders under-
stand that they have their own cultural context, which, to
some extent, determines their behavior and that there are
other cultures that ascribe different meanings to their lives.
These organizations see the value in cultural diversity and
give serious attention to attracting employees from different
cultures. Top management is rarely made up only of individ-
uals from the country where the head offi ce is located. This
results in international organizations such as Walt Disney.
The culture of the corporate headquarters is clearly central-