"The problem is not that Chinese teams resist change. The problem is that leaders arrive with a fixed model of what leadership looks like — and mistake cultural difference for underperformance."

Cross-border executive placements rarely fail because someone lacks the skill. They fail in the integration — how authority is read, how conflict is handled, how feedback lands, and what alignment really means across cultures.

In this episode, Kevin Hong speaks with Jie, a trilingual executive coach working across English, French, and Chinese, with lived experience across China, North America, and Europe. Drawing on Hofstede's cultural dimensions, real cases of Chinese companies acquiring French teams, and the daily frictions of multinational leadership, they break down why cultural integration is a core execution risk — especially in the first 90 days.

Five threads: why the "soft skills" framing keeps companies underprepared, how power distance shapes leadership perception across China, France, and Nordic markets, the role of face in real-time feedback loops, the conversation no cross-border leader ever has but should, and the practical pivots that actually close the gap.

In this episode:

• Why "yes" in a Beijing meeting doesn't mean what it means in Paris — and how to surface the real answer

• The power distance gap between China, France, and Nordic countries — and what it means for your leadership style on arrival

• Why the most important onboarding conversation is never about strategy — and what to ask instead

• How "connection before correction" changes both team integration and leadership credibility in a new market

If you lead into China, sit on a board that covers China, or are placing senior leaders across borders — this one is for you.

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If the topics discussed resonate with your own leadership challenges or the conversations happening in your organization - assessing international leaders, aligning global and local teams, building capabilities across regions. You can reach us at LYC Partners to set up a consultation.

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Produced by Bonjour Podcast (Melanie Hong), Leaders in Motion blends storytelling, strategy, and data-driven insight, giving today’s leaders a roadmap to anticipate tomorrow’s challenges and lead with intention.

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