Adapt to lead from the front in Middle East

Books on business leadership in the UAE and the Arabian Gulf have multiplied as the market matures and tries to find a balance between expat and local leadership.

However, while most primarily focus on expat leaders adapting to the diverse local talent pool the region offers, the speaker, adviser and author Tommy Weir offers something a little different.

In his new book 10 Tips for Leading in the Middle East, he reveals how western expat leaders need to change the management practices they have successfully implemented elsewhere when they come to the Gulf. Perhaps what makes this book stand out from the pack is its acknowledgement that adaption of western leadership styles needs a grounding in anthropology and sociology, elements not typically taught in business schools, to help leaders understand employees' perspectives and expectations.

That said, the references to Phoenician, Pharaonic or Bedouin cultures and their effect on leadership styles is based on the author’s own first-hand work experiences in the Middle East, rather than academic research. This, however, adds a personal touch to the subject, bringing the book to life even more.

Among Weir’s region-specific tips is to help the team succeed in a first-generation corporate environment. The author also focuses on how to nurture local talent for the private sector, a top agenda for Gulf governments. And he talks about the need to “unfreeze employees’ attitudes and values”. In such a scenario, the leader needs to transform into mentor, intellectually stimulating the employees to learn the benefits of the routines of private sector business.

Given the region’s growing young population, ways to engage the youth are naturally a major talking point for businesses today. The author suggests becoming a “fatherly role model”, taking on the responsibility to build future leaders by providing guidance, exposure and support without being a micromanager.

Personal anecdotes such as the author’s recollection of childhood conversations with his father about the executive work life, and with his grandfather, from the perspective of a factory worker, add further sentiment to Weir’s take on leadership and management styles in the region.