The Impact of Cultural Differences on Leadership Styles: A Systematic Literature Review

This study synthesizes the findings from a systematic literature review of 58 articles which then was curated into 18 articles, focusing on the relationship between personality traits and leadership effectiveness across different cultural contexts. The study aimed to explore how cultural differences influence the impact of personality traits on leadership outcomes. The literature review revealed that certain personality traits, such as extraversion, conscientiousness, and openness to experience, are generally associated with effective leadership across cultures. However, cultural differences can significantly impact how these traits are perceived and valued in leaders. The study also highlighted the importance of considering cultural dimensions such as performance orientation, assertiveness, future orientation, humane orientation, institutional collectivism, in-group collectivism, gender egalitarianism, power distance, and uncertainty avoidance in understanding leadership effectiveness across cultures. The GLOBE study, which examined leadership across 62 cultures, found that certain leadership styles, such as charismatic and group-oriented leadership, were generally effective across cultures, while others, like self-protective leadership, were less effective.Furthermore, the review emphasized the role of cultural variations in leadership styles, with different cultural clusters having distinct preferences for leadership communication styles. For example, the Middle Eastern cluster preferred a more traditional leadership profile that included attributes such as familial, humble, faithful, self-protective, and considerate. In conclusion, the study underscores the complex interplay between personality traits and cultural differences in shaping leadership effectiveness. Understanding these cultural variations is crucial for developing effective leadership strategies that can be applied globally.