Leading Across Cultures: What Every Manager Should Know

What miso soup, silence, and smiles can teach you about leading global teams.

What happens when you ask for something to be done by Monday… and Monday comes, but it’s not done?

Is it poor communication? A missed deadline? Or just a cultural misunderstanding?

It’s not always obvious where the friction comes from. Sometimes it’s language. Other times, it’s hierarchy, indirect communication, or how different cultures view time.

In this conversation, we sat down with Jorge Vargas, Chief Revenue Officer at RW3 Culture Wizard, to unpack the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways culture shapes how we work. He shared brilliant stories, a simple framework for building a global mindset, and a reminder we all need: cross-cultural skills start with self-awareness.

If you manage international teams, work across borders, or simply want to get better at navigating cultural nuance, this one’s for you.

The Hidden Layers of Culture

Culture isn’t just what you see. Some parts are easy to spot –what people wear, the language they speak, the food they eat, or how they greet each other. These are the visible layers. And because we can see them, they often feel more comfortable to navigate. But the real complexity lives below the surface.

What’s not visible is often what causes the biggest challenges at work:

• How direct or indirect people are when they speak

• How much value they place on hierarchy or formality

• How they understand time, deadlines, and urgency

• What silence means in a conversation

These are the invisible layers –the beliefs, values, and communication norms that shape behavior. And they don’t just influence individuals. They shape how teams collaborate, how managers lead, and how decisions are made.

To explain this, Jorge Vargas offers a fresh take on the classic Cultural Iceberg model: the tree analogy. What’s visible (your actions, clothing, and language) is like the branches and leaves. But it’s the roots beneath the soil that determine how the tree grows. These roots are things like how you perceive respect, how you interpret silence, or how comfortable you are with uncertainty. And just like real trees, cultural roots run deep.

Understanding that not everything is visible, and being curious about what’s underground, is the first step toward building stronger, more inclusive global teams.

Why Managers Struggle in Cross-Cultural Settings

Working across cultures can be incredibly rewarding, but also frustrating, especially for managers. Not because people mean to miscommunicate, but because so much goes unspoken. Here’s where things often break down:

1. Communication styles clash

Some people say exactly what they mean. Others wrap their message in context, tone, or silence. Direct vs. indirect communication is one of the biggest sources of tension. A “yes” might mean agreement in one culture, or just “I heard you” in another.

2. Hierarchy isn’t always obvious

In some cultures, the most senior person leads the conversation. In others, they sit silently while someone else speaks for them. If you don’t know who holds the real decision-making power, you risk pitching to the wrong person or misreading the room entirely.

3. Silence gets misinterpreted

To some, silence means “I disagree” or “This is awkward.” To others, it’s a sign of respect, deep thinking, or simply the norm. If you’re used to filling every gap with words, silence from a client or team member can feel like a red flag, even when it isn’t.

🎧 Access Culture Bite: Managing Silence in Conversations

4. Time isn’t perceived the same way everywhere

Fixed-time cultures stick to deadlines and schedules. Flexible-time cultures may treat them more as guidelines. When someone agrees to deliver something “by Monday,” that could mean early Monday, late Monday, or next week, depending on the cultural lens.

Storytime: The miso soup moment

An American teacher had just arrived in Japan. At lunch, she was handed rice, meat, hot water, and a mysterious packet. Unsure what to do, she guessed it was seasoning and mixed it into her rice. The students copied her, day after day. But the truth? The packet the teacher received with her lunch actually contained miso soup powder. In Japan, it’s common to mix that powder into a bowl of hot water to make instant miso soup.

The cafeteria staff tried to help, subtly moving the packet closer to the water bowl each day, but she didn’t pick up on the nonverbal cue. No one corrected her directly. Why?

• Indirect communication

• Respect for authority (she was a teacher)

• High-context culture (assumptions based on shared understanding)

Eventually, another teacher –German and rather direct– told her, “What are you doing? That’s disgusting.” It was blunt, but it helped her realize her mistake.

The story might be funny in hindsight, but the lesson is serious: even small cultural cues can create big misunderstandings. And in a business setting, those misunderstandings can cost trust, time, and money.

Cultural Bias: Why We All Have It (And What to Do About It)

Let’s get one thing out of the way: we all have biases. It’s not a flaw. It’s how our brains make sense of the world. We’re wired to compare new information to what we already know. The problem? What we know is shaped by our culture: our upbringing, our norms, our unspoken “rules.”

So when someone behaves in a way that feels “off,” our instinct might be to judge it:

• “That’s unprofessional.”

• “They didn’t follow through.”

• “They’re not being respectful.”

But often, what we’re really saying is: “They’re not doing it my way.”

Cultural bias doesn’t make you a bad person. It makes you human. The goal isn’t to erase it completely (good luck with that). It’s to become aware of it and manage it, especially when you’re working across cultures.

The Pause-Reflect Model

Here's a simple tool that helps you check your assumptions in the moment:

• Pause. When something annoys you or surprises you, stop. Don’t react right away.

• Reflect. Ask yourself: Why am I reacting like this? Is it about the actual situation… or how I expected things to go?

• Evaluate. Replay the interaction. Did the other person really say what I think they said? Could it have meant something different in their context?

• Act. Now that you’ve stepped back, how can you respond with more clarity and less assumption? What can you ask or clarify to move forward?

This tool works because it slows down your automatic judgment and replaces it with curiosity. It helps you shift from “They’re doing it wrong” to “What’s going on here?”

And in cross-cultural settings, that one shift makes all the difference.

Why Self-Awareness Is Non-Negotiable

You can’t navigate cultural differences if you don’t understand your own defaults first.

We all carry a “communication style” shaped by our upbringing, country, education, and personality. But here’s the thing: your style only makes sense in context. What feels clear and polite to you might come across as vague, cold, or even rude to someone else.

Jorge shared a great example from his own life. He moved from Peru to the U.S. when he was seven. On his first day of school in New York, the teacher called his name, and he immediately stood up. Why? Because back in Peru, that was the respectful thing to do. If you didn’t stand when the teacher called on you, you’d get your ear pulled. But in the U.S., standing up looked odd. Some kids laughed. And Jorge was left feeling confused and out of place.

That moment was a crash course in code-switching –the ability to shift behavior based on cultural context. Over time, he learned when to be more formal, when to relax, and how to adjust without losing who he was.

The key takeaway? Culture is relative. You might think you’re “direct” or “relaxed” or “respectful,” but those labels only make sense when compared to another culture.

So how do you apply this at work?

• Notice your instincts, especially in meetings, emails, or conflicts.

• Pay attention to how others respond.

• Adjust when needed, but don’t fake it. You can adapt without pretending.

Self-awareness isn’t just step one, it’s the foundation. The more you understand your own cultural lens, the better you’ll be at navigating others’.

Rethinking Trust in Global Teams

Trust is essential on any team. But what builds trust? That depends on where you are.

In some cultures, trust is transactional. It’s built through your title, your experience, and how quickly you deliver. You don’t need to “click” with someone, you just need to prove you’re competent.

In other cultures, trust is relational. It’s built over time, through small talk, shared meals, or personal stories. People want to know who you are before they trust what you bring to the table. Understanding that difference can save you a lot of frustration.

Take small talk, for example. It might feel like a waste of time if you’re used to fast-paced meetings. But in relationship-based cultures, skipping over the “how are you?” can seem cold, or even disrespectful.

Even the phrase “how are you?” doesn’t always mean the same thing.

• In the U.S., it’s often just a greeting. You’re not expected to share much.

• In many parts of Europe, people will answer sincerely.

• In some parts of Asia, like Vietnam or Hong Kong, someone might ask if you’ve eaten today –it’s their version of a warm hello.

Miss these subtle cues, and you risk coming across as fake, rushed, or uninterested, even if your intentions are good.

So if you manage global teams:

• Don’t assume trust works the same everywhere.

• Learn what makes your team feel seen and respected.

• And don’t underestimate the power of a little chit-chat—it might be doing more work than you think.

Examples of Real Business Impact of Cultural Missteps

Cultural misunderstandings aren’t just awkward, they’re expensive.

One of the clearest examples? Walmart’s failure in Germany. When the U.S. retail giant expanded into the German market, they trained their employees to follow American customer service norms: greet every shopper with a big smile and a cheery “hello.” In the U.S., this kind of warm, casual interaction is seen as good service.

But in Germany? It didn’t land the same way. Smiling at strangers, especially in a retail setting, felt unnatural and even uncomfortable to many German customers. Some women found the smiles intrusive or flirtatious. Others simply didn’t expect small talk or over-the-top friendliness from cashiers. Employees pushed back, too. The forced cheerfulness didn’t match their idea of professionalism and authenticity.

While smiling may not have been the only issue, it was a clear symbol of a bigger problem: a cultural strategy copy-pasted from one country into another without adaptation. The mistake? Assuming what works at home will work everywhere. They translated a tactic, not the intention behind it.

The result? A mismatch in customer expectations, internal resistance, and ultimately Walmart exiting the market at a loss of over a billion dollars.

If the goal was to make customers feel welcome, the better question would’ve been: What does “welcoming” look like here?

That’s the lesson. Cultural missteps can lead to:

• Miscommunication between teams

• Failed partnerships

• Damaged brand reputation

• Lost revenue

Cultural adaptation isn’t optional. It’s strategic. When companies take time to understand how different cultures operate (how they build trust, give feedback, handle conflict, or express warmth) they make better decisions, avoid costly errors, and create stronger, more inclusive workplaces.

Final Takeaway: Adopt a Global Mindset

If there’s one message that came through loud and clear in this conversation with Jorge, it’s this: There’s no right way to communicate, only different ways.

Every culture brings its own strengths, quirks, and logic. What looks strange from the outside often makes perfect sense within its own context. The real danger isn’t in doing things differently, it’s in assuming your way is the “correct” one.

So what can you do? Start by mastering what Jorge calls the Global Mindset Model, a simple, five-step approach to leading across cultures:

• Know yourself. Understand your own communication style, values, and cultural defaults. You can’t adapt if you don’t know what you’re adapting from.

• Check your curiosity. Are you asking questions or making assumptions? Curiosity is a skill. Cultivate it.

• Understand how the other culture operates. Learn the norms, values, and workplace expectations of the culture you’re engaging with. Don’t guess, ask or research.

• Build relationships and ask with respect. Create space for what Jorge calls curiosity conversations. Learn how to ask questions in ways that feel thoughtful, not confrontational.

• Adapt your strategy. One-size-fits-all leadership doesn’t work across borders. Adjust your communication, expectations, and approach based on the context.

And a bonus step: Repeat. Every new team, client, or country may require a fresh round of reflection, relationship-building, and adaptation.

Cross-cultural skills don’t mean becoming an expert in every culture. They mean being aware of your own lens, noticing your assumptions, and choosing to lead with empathy, flexibility, and respect.

That mindset shift is what builds trust, deepens collaboration, and helps you, and your team, thrive across borders.

Keep Building Your Cross-Cultural Skills with Talaera

At Talaera, we help international professionals and teams improve their communication across cultures. Whether you're managing global teams, navigating international meetings, or just want to feel more confident in English, we’re here to support you with real-world training that works. Contact us to learn more

👤 About Jorge Vargas

Jorge Vargas is the Chief Revenue Officer at RW3 Culture Wizard, where he leads cross-cultural and global inclusion training for companies around the world. Born in Peru and raised in the U.S., Jorge brings both personal experience and deep expertise to every conversation on cultural intelligence, leadership, and communication in international environments.