7 Lessons I Learned About Influencing With Care Across Cultures (After 30 Years of Experience)

Описание: 7 Lessons I Learned About Influencing With Care Across Cultures (After 30 Years of Experience)

Like and Follow for more like this.
Follow me on LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/mattgillis

Here’s the hard truth I learned the long way.
Influence doesn’t fail because people lack authority. It fails because they don’t understand people.

Early in my career, I led the same way everywhere. Same words. Same pace. Same expectations. And it worked, until it didn’t. What I thought was clarity often landed as pressure. What I meant as urgency felt like disrespect. That tension cost trust, engagement, and results.

So I changed my approach.

Over the last three decades working with teams across different cultures, industries, and leadership levels, I’ve learned this: real influence starts with care, not control.

Here are 7 practical lessons that changed everything for me.

1. Listen for meaning, not just words
In some cultures, “yes” means agreement. In others, it means respect. If you don’t know the difference, you’ll misread commitment every time.

2. Slow down before you scale up
I now spend the first 30–60 days learning how decisions are made, how conflict is handled, and who really holds influence. That patience pays dividends for years.

3. Respect time differently
Deadlines matter everywhere, but how they’re approached varies. Flexibility in process builds buy-in without sacrificing outcomes.

4. Earn trust before offering change
People don’t resist change. They resist being changed by someone who hasn’t earned their confidence.

5. Adapt your communication style, not your values
Your principles stay firm. Your delivery flexes. That distinction builds credibility across cultures.

6. Ask better questions
Instead of pushing solutions, I ask, “What would success look like here?” That one question has opened doors I couldn’t force open.

7. Measure influence by follow-through, not applause
True influence shows up in behavior long after the meeting ends.

Why does this matter?
Because leadership without cultural awareness creates compliance at best and resistance at worst. Leadership with care builds commitment.

If you lead global teams, diverse organizations, or even cross-functional groups, this approach isn’t optional anymore. It’s essential.

Here’s what to do:
This week, choose one conversation and lead it with curiosity instead of certainty. Listen first. Adjust second. Influence will follow.

If this resonates, I share more practical leadership lessons like this focused on trust, influence, and long-term impact. Follow along and share this with someone who leads across cultures.

#GlobalLeadership #CrossCulturalLeadership #CulturalIntelligence #InclusiveLeadership

leadership skills, leadership development, cultural intelligence, cross cultural leadership