The Japanese emphasize the need for information flow from the bottom of the company to the top: Senior management is largely a supervisory rather than hands-on approach. Policy is often originated at the middle-levels of a company before being passed upwards for ratification. The strength of this approach is obviously that those tasked with implementation of decisions have been actively involved in the shaping of policy. The higher a Japanese manager rises within an organization, the more important it is that he appears unassuming and not ambitious. Individual personality and forcefulness are not seen as prerequisites for effective leadership. The key task for a Japanese manager is to provide an environment in which the group can flourish. In order to achieve this, he must be accessible at all times and willing to share knowledge within the group. Seen as a type of parental figure who expects and receives loyalty and obedience from colleagues, and in return, the manager is expected to take a holistic interest in the well-being of those colleagues. It is a mutually beneficial two-way relationship.

Of course it’s important to remember every style has its own characteristics, strong points, shortcomings, and methods for getting work done. But perhaps by recognizing the differences you can gain an important insight into what it takes to succeed as a global leader.