A recent study conducted at IESE Business School and Copenhagen Business School examines nationality as a source of inequality (differences that do suggest hierarchies or unequal status).
While we empathize more with our fellow countrymen, we don’t necessarily consider them better leaders. Our beliefs about competence are steeped in bias.
Most of us work in multicultural teams where people from different countries—and even continents—strive for a common goal. Unfortunately, when it comes to promoting a team member, some people will be considered more competent than others, and not necessarily because of their lack of experience or ability.
Imagine a team of professionals of Vietnamese, Indian, American, German, and Greek origin. Who do you think, all things being equal, would be more likely to advance to a management position?
If you answered American or German, you already have an inkling of some of the findings of the recent study by Yih-Teen Lee, professor at IESE, together with Gouri Mohan (IESEG School of Management) and Minna Paunova (Copenhagen Business School), which analyzes the effects of nationality on the perception of warmth and competence of members of a multicultural team.
Your nationality shapes you
Nationality, like sex and race, can subtly influence who we consider or perceive as leaders. In many work environments, people tend to group together with those who share their nationality, origin, or cultural background. This tendency can affect our perception and confidence when evaluating people of other nationalities, creating unconscious biases that impact team dynamics and leadership opportunities.
The research examines nationality as a source of diversity (differences between people that do not imply hierarchies) and as a source of inequality (differences that do suggest hierarchies or unequal status). Two mechanisms by which nationality influences the perception of who is suitable for leadership roles were studied: warmth and competence.
Cultural affinity can influence perception
While people tend to perceive more warmth from their compatriots, they do not necessarily consider them better leaders. To understand the impact of country of origin on team dynamics, it is useful to examine people who share the same nationality.
There is a natural tendency to experience greater affinity toward others with the same general characteristics as ourselves, seeing them as “part of our group.” Research shows that people also tend to value the opinions of members of that group more highly, so much so that they are more likely to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Lee and his co-authors hypothesized that cultural affinity might influence perceptions of leadership abilities, favoring those who share the same cultural background. However, there was no correlation between being from the same country and perceiving someone to be more competent. Instead, people were more likely to perceive rivalry with their fellow countrymen for top positions, rather than solidarity.
This result occurred despite the fact that we perceive our fellow countrymen as warmer, a concept that encompasses the ideas of morality, reliability, sincerity, and kindness. When we see others as warm, we trust their motives, tend to like them more, and feel empathy toward them.
But while employees may appreciate their fellow Indian or Greek, when it comes to endorsing someone as a leader they are likely to view other nationalities as more competent.
Country of origin status affects who we think should be leaders
This perception appears to be influenced by the status of the country of origin, which was assessed using the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI). This tool measures a country’s progress in three important areas: health (life expectancy), education (years of schooling) and standard of living (income), allowing for comparison of the development of different countries.
People from countries with higher status were more likely to be seen as potential leaders, even when the country’s level of development was not relevant to the job in question. These results suggest that every professional is, in some way, influenced by their nationality, which significantly impacts our identity and perspective on the world. It also affects how we relate to each other as a team, influencing organizational performance, equity in promotions, and the distribution of power within the company.
Since nationality plays an important role during the early stages of forming a multicultural team, when members are just getting to know each other, managers must be especially careful to ensure that prejudices do not condition the development of relationships. Each member of the team must be able to identify with the team and the team members. Every team member, regardless of country of origin, must be seen as having leadership potential. Otherwise, initial judgments and biases can become entrenched and difficult to overcome.
Article written by Carlos Cámara, CFR Global Executive Search Spain
Photo source: Freepik