Dimensions of Self-Leadership in a Cross-Cultural Context

Abstract

In today's age of globalization, self-leadership skills are absolutely essential to improve the chances of successful goal achievement. This paper attempts to explore the need for culturally sensitive studies relating to self-leadership development in the light of existing differences between cultures. Until now most of the research on national cultures was limited to the West, particularly the USA. Hofstede's seminal work in this area is a major reference point for all researchers in this field. Globalization has made it imperative for organizations to conduct business beyond their national boundaries. The recent global economic crisis has taught us many lessons. Self -leadership strategies at the individual and team levels have varied dimensions. The intercultural and international aspects of self-leadership have not yet been fully explored. Given our interest in integrating self-leadership and culture, we discuss the levels of analysis of these concepts and explore ways to integrate them. Examining cross-level implications of self-leadership provides perhaps the most interesting and useful avenues for future research efforts.