On the afternoon of Friday, November 22 2013, the IMBA office organized a workshop on how to lead a multinational team aimed at RBS international students interested in how to effectively lead and coordinate a diverse group of people and appropriate management methods in a cross cultural environment.

Olivier Jaubert, an IMBA student from France, first shared his experiences. He spoke first about the philosophy of “Zhong Yong” and “Holistic Thinking” and related them to general principles about management in China. As well, he discussed his own work experiences in a cross cultural team in terms of management differences from the western world with a number of useful tips for international students. As Chinese management is often distinguished by a paternalistic style at odds with common western styles of management, leading a diverse, multinational team can require a tactical approach, with actions only taken after considerable deliberation.

Experience Sharing by Olivier Jaubert 

The administrative staff from both the International Affairs Office and the IMBA Office of RBS also attended this workshop and shared their points of view with the international students. After a lively discussion, students learned a great deal from the workshop. One of the students commented that “it was so important to know all these differences at the very start of school to better guide them in their future study”.