On October 14, 2010, AmCham Belgium, vMA - De Management Associatie and the Institute of Directors jointly organized the event Cultural Differences in Leadership - Lessons to be Learned. John R. Ryan, President, Center for Creative Leadership, graciously accepted to make his presentation available to our members and interested parties.

1. Leadership & Cultural Differences:
Five Practical Keys to Success
Brussels, Belgium
14 October 2010
John Ryan, CCL President & CEO

2. yields to vision.
yields to agility.
yields to clarity.
yields to understanding.
AAmbiguity
VVolatility
UUncertainty
CComplexity
©2010 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

3. InBev swallows Anheuser-Busch
in $52bln takeover
Tata Acquires Jaguar and
Land Rover from Ford

4. NEW CCL®
RESOURCES
©2010 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

5. IBM’s PC Unit Acquired
by Lenovo
©2010 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

6. 1,500 Americans joining 9,000
primarily Chinese employees.
Two distinct organizational
cultures.
Two distinct societal cultures.
©2010 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.
Lenovo-IBM Merger
The Challenge

7. Businesses that transform cultural differences
into organizational strengths, that focus
intensely on building a unified global team
and that make their culture their top priority
at every level have the best chance to succeed
and build an enduring, winning company.
Kenneth DiPietro
Senior VP, HR
Lenovo
Lenovo-IBM Merger
The Stakes
©2010 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.
“
”

8. Create new global identity.
Establish core set of organizational
values.
Define a “New World Culture.”
Lenovo-IBM Merger
The Solution
©2010 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

9. Higher goals create common ground.
Common ground means different
things in different industries.
Visions, professional identities,
competition all serve as basis for
common ground.
Leadership and Cultural Difference
Step 1: Set a Goal
©2010 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

10. A goal points groups in a common direction;
shared values help foster the beliefs needed
to get there.
Not all groups need to value same things for
same reasons.
Effective identities make room for an array
of values, create focus for collective action.
Leadership & Cultural Difference
Step 2: Build Identity
©2010 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

11. A well-built culture includes room
for everyone.
Culture starts with senior leadership.
Top leaders must model the culture
they want.
Leadership & Cultural Difference
Step 3: Focus on Culture
©2010 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

12. Symbols help make change concrete.
Symbols can be a double-edged sword.
Values and interests of varying groups
must be kept in mind.
Leadership & Cultural Difference
Step 4: Change Symbols
©2010 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

13. Narrative complements analysis.
Stories invite disparate groups into
shared conversation.
Stories point the way to new and
alternative futures.
Leadership & Cultural Difference
Step 5: Tell Stories
©2010 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

14. Questions & Answers
©2010 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.