Leading Across Cultures: Turning Tension into Leadership Advantage
Brooke Wachtel, IWF UK Member, Managing Director, Head of Corporate Banking Switzerland, Zurich Branch Manager, Banking Designee for Bank of America Europe DAC
In today’s global organisations, teams rarely sit within one culture, country or time zone. Leading across cultures is no longer optional. It’s the very core to effective leadership. And it isn’t learned from theory, but through experience: listening closely, adapting consciously, and recognising that expectations differ.
After twenty-five years living and working across the US, UK, Sweden and Switzerland, one thing stands out: the best global leaders don’t eliminate tension but rather they learn to navigate it.
One of the most noticeable tensions lies in communication. What feels natural and clear in one culture can feel abrupt or ambiguous in another. The UK taught me that messages often carry meaning between the lines. Sweden taught me that silence is not a void but a space for reflection. Switzerland taught me to slow down, choose words deliberately, and communicate with precision. Without awareness, these differences create friction. Directness can feel abrasive; nuance can feel unclear. Effective leaders flex their style, make intent explicit, and ensure every voice is understood.
Hierarchy adds another layer. Some cultures thrive on clearly defined structure; others deliberately flatten it. My instinct has always been toward agile, low-hierarchy teams. Yet in the German-speaking world, I saw how much clarity of roles and authority matters. In contrast, Nordic environments rely on consensus and collective ownership. The role of the leader is not to choose one model, but to translate between them, setting clear expectations, enabling challenge, and respecting different norms.
Decision-making is another source of tension. In the US, decision-making typically moves forward rapidly, with the flexibility to adjust along the way. In contrast, the UK favours a more measured approach, involving numerous meetings and comprehensive reports before committing to a path. Both approaches work. Both can frustrate. Strong leaders are explicit about pace: when speed matters, and when broader input leads to better outcomes.
Perhaps the most important balance is between diversity and cohesion. Multicultural teams bring sharper thinking and broader perspectives but only thrive with a shared foundation. That means clear norms, aligned goals, and intentional trust-building. At the heart of this is psychological safety. What feels safe to one person may feel risky to another. One of the most effective levers is leader vulnerability, admitting uncertainty, acknowledging mistakes, and inviting challenge. When leaders model this, teams contribute more openly.
Finally, authenticity matters. Teams connect best with leaders who understand local expectations while still being unmistakably themselves. My personal style is to celebrate wins with enthusiasm, invite quieter voices into the conversation, and encourage people to stretch beyond the limits they’ve set for themselves. When expressed with sensitivity, authenticity becomes a powerful force for connection.
Ultimately, leading across cultures is not about eliminating differences, but about guiding teams through the natural tensions diversity brings. Every culture I’ve encountered has taught me something valuable - about leadership, about teams, and about myself. Those learnings, and the people who shared them, have been the most meaningful part of my career.
