Q & A Table of Contents
Can An Arabic Person Be A Good Manager?
From: Amal, Coventry, UK
Question: How can an Arabic manager be a good manager in his company?
Response: The question worries me; the qualities of leadership required of any manager are human traits that are not the monopoly of people from any particular cultural group. While managers have to do more than negotiate, a listing of some qualities a good negotiator should have may reveal how -- and why -- a person of Arabic or any other background can be an excellent manager:
A good negotiator needs to be able to ask good questions, listen well to the answers, and respond appropriately to the interests of himself/herself, the company, and the people supplying the answers.
A good negotiator needs to prepare, to consider the needs and interests of the various stakeholders who will be affected by any particular decision, and to be flexible and creative in responding to those stakeholders' concerns.
Someone who can do these things can be an excellent manager.
This is a very short list -- but perhaps it can lead you to understand my surprise there would even be a question about the capacity of an Arabic person to be a good manager. There is no reason to assume that an Arabic person is any less likely than anyone from a different background to have these personal characteristics.
Good luck,
Steve
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