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I am supervising a team of engineers in India and am noticing that no one is taking any leadership roles on initiatives. I encourage them to do so, but it doesn’t seem to bring any results. Do you have any advice on this?

Sincerely,

U.S. Tech in India

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Dear U.S. Tech in India,

It can be very challenging to try and establish what are fundamentally American based business behaviors – like taking individual initiative – in a country such as India. The culture in the United States promotes these kinds of values from a very early age both at home and in school. India is a society that is highly organized according to castes, or social classes. Although the caste system is outlawed in modern India, is roots are ancient, dating back thousands of years, and its philosophy is deeply ingrained in the culture. Indians bring their attitudes toward caste in the workplace and will follow this sense of hierarchy, which is what you are experiencing. You are in a leadership role, and consequently your direct reports look toward you for direction. With you in the ‘superior’ position, you are expected to introduce new ideas and come up with solutions. It would be considered rude or disrespectful for anyone in the team to show initiative, and the Indian tech team would also disapprove of such behavior among their colleagues. If you want to promote initiative within your group of engineers, you will need coaching on how to work within the Indian cultural norms and encourage the desired behaviors. These will look different from what you are accustomed to in the USA. In addition, a group training for your team on USA business practices will help the Indians better understand you and your cultural norms.

Good luck,

The Culture Coach