Leadership in Multinational, Cross-Cultural Teams

This course is part of Management of Multinational and Cross-Cultural Teams Specialization

Instructors: Daniel Student

3,692 already enrolled

Included with

Learn more

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

30 reviews

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

30 reviews

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Explore different models of leadership and understand how the cultural differences in what is expected of leaders affect team performance.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

6 assignments

Taught in English

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

logos of Petrobras, TATA, Danone, Capgemini, P&G and L'Oreal

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Management of Multinational and Cross-Cultural Teams Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

Whether you are currently a manager or not, you should now be ready to learn to play a leadership role in a multinational team. Leadership is more than management, and culture greatly affects what is expected of leaders. For instance, some cultures expect their leaders to give directives; others expect them to facilitate so that everyone on the team has a chance for their voice to be heard. No matter which way they lean, you are likely to hear “that’s just the way it’s done” if you try to shake things up. Leadership requires adapting your style to build comfort from team members with different backgrounds than yours while also helping change the narrative for people who don’t want to adapt to your strengths. You need to help others find the levers to pull that work for them to adjust to a cross-cultural environment. As leaders you also need to be constantly learning to prepare for the inevitable changes of the future? By looking into the future, how will different cultures grow, and how will climate change and technology fundamentally alter the line between physical and virtual space. What will all this mean for multinational team leadership in the future?

In this module, you will be able to define how leadership can show up on a team and distinguish between leadership and management. You'll be able to name acts of leadership that can have influence without any formal authority. You will also be able to identify when one should lead and when to follow and you will be able to recognize the different leadership styles.

What's included

5 videos10 readings2 assignments6 discussion prompts

5 videosTotal 29 minutes

Course Introduction8 minutes
Module Introduction2 minutes
Definition of Leadership5 minutes
Adaptive Leadership7 minutes
Styles Of Leadership6 minutes

10 readingsTotal 60 minutes

A Note From UC Davis10 minutes
Professional Panelist: Anneli Adams5 minutes
Professional Panelist: Manisha Gupta5 minutes
Professional Panelist: Donald James5 minutes
Professional Panelist: Maheedharan Thiagarajan5 minutes
Professional Panelist: Pankaj Mehta5 minutes
Professional Panelist: Renato Junqueira Santos Pereira5 minutes
Professional Panelist: Karine Salanon5 minutes
Professional Panelist: Yu-Chao (Justin) Wang5 minutes
Leadership10 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 60 minutes

Leadership vs. Management Practice Quiz30 minutes
Module 1 Quiz30 minutes

6 discussion promptsTotal 65 minutes

Learning Goals10 minutes
Define Leadership10 minutes
Adaptive Challenges10 minutes
Leadership Styles15 minutes
Followers15 minutes
Reflection5 minutes

In this module, you will be able to discuss how culture and bias affects your vision of a leader and differentiate between hierarchical and flat leadership and the cultural expectations of those styles. You'll be able to recognize how power is demonstrated across cultures and identify the challenges of other sub-cultures within your team. You will be able to discuss how decisions are made in various cultures and be able to differentiate how leaders are viewed in various cultures.

What's included

5 videos2 readings2 assignments5 discussion prompts

5 videosTotal 36 minutes

Module Introduction4 minutes
Culture and Leadership10 minutes
Gender and Culture7 minutes
Egalitarian vs. Hierarchical Cultures10 minutes
Consensual vs. Top-Down Decision Making Cultures6 minutes

2 readingsTotal 20 minutes

Sources of Intelligence (Activity)10 minutes
Cross-Cultural Awareness10 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 60 minutes

Egalitarian or Hierarchical in Practice30 minutes
Module 2 Quiz30 minutes

5 discussion promptsTotal 55 minutes

What Does a Leader Look Like?10 minutes
Gender and Leadership15 minutes
Egalitarian/Hierarchical Scale10 minutes
Culture Map10 minutes
Consensual Decision Making10 minutes

In this module, you will be able to adapt your cultural style to build comfort and familiarity within your teams. You'll be able to recognize and change the narrative for cultural dissenters and be able to help others find the levers that work for them for cultural exchange. You will also be able to use strategies to create decision making norms for your team.

What's included

4 videos1 assignment6 discussion prompts

4 videosTotal 26 minutes

Module Introduction4 minutes
Cultural Competencies - Part 18 minutes
Cultural Competencies - Part 27 minutes
Handling Dissent7 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Module 3 Quiz30 minutes

6 discussion promptsTotal 125 minutes

Intrinsic Motivation10 minutes
Podcast and Discussion50 minutes
Increasing Cultural Awareness25 minutes
Bringing It All Together20 minutes
Scenario - Daisuke and Massimo10 minutes
Reflection10 minutes

In this module, you will be able to envision what a multinational, cross-cultural team will look like in the next 20+ years. You will be able to consider the factors on generational influence like age, global matters, climate, etc. in the future of multinational, cross-cultural teams and leadership. You will be able to anticipate how globalization, technology, economies, and environmental change can impact teamwork. You'll also be able to identify opportunities and challenges these changes will bring for the multinational, cross-cultural team leaders building this new future.

What's included

5 videos1 assignment7 discussion prompts

5 videosTotal 28 minutes

Module Introduction3 minutes
Future of Multinational Teams9 minutes
Environment, Economy, Technology5 minutes
Future of Leading Multinational, Cross-Cultural Teams8 minutes
Course Summary4 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Module 4 Quiz30 minutes

7 discussion promptsTotal 90 minutes

Leading Generational Differences10 minutes
Predicting the Future20 minutes
Predicting the Future10 minutes
Challenges and Opportunities10 minutes
Reflection10 minutes
Notable Nine20 minutes
Self-Reflection10 minutes

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.

Instructors

Instructor ratings

(6 ratings)

Daniel Student

University of California, Davis

4 Courses11,341 learners

Offered by

University of California, Davis

Explore more from Leadership and Management

Status: Free Trial
University of California, Davis
Introduction to Multinational and Cross-Cultural Teams
Course
Status: Free Trial
University of California, Davis
Management of Multinational and Cross-Cultural Teams
Specialization
University of California, Irvine
Leading Diverse Teams
Course
Status: Free Trial
University of California, Davis
Cross-Cultural Virtual Spaces and Teams
Course

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Learner since 2018

"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."

Jennifer J.

Learner since 2020

"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."

Larry W.

Learner since 2021

"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."

Chaitanya A.

"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."

Unlock access to 10,000+ courses with a subscription
Advance your career with an online degree
Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online
Join over 4,700 global companies that choose Coursera for Business

Frequently asked questions

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.