We recommend these books on intercultural leadership and communication. Our friend Craig Hendrickson helped prepare this list. We welcome your comments and recommendations.
Bordas, Juana. Salsa, Soul, and Spirit: Leadership for a Multicultural Age. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler, 2007. Draws on African American, Hispanic and Native American leadership values and practices to construct a theory of leadership for multicultural organizations.
Connerley, Mary L., and Paul B. Pedersen. Leading in a Diverse and Multicultural Environment. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage, 2005. Provides an effective three-stage model for developing multicultural leadership competencies centering on awareness, knowledge and skills.
Foster, Charles R. Embracing Diversity. Herndon, Va.: Alban Institute, 1997. Stresses the importance of leaders in multicultural congregations employing the linking practices of embracing, welcoming and hospitality to accept racial and cultural others.
Gudykunst, William, Stella Ting-Toomey and Tsukasa Nishida. Communication in Personal Relationships Across Cultures. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage, 1996. Provides valuable insights into the communication practices of non-Western cultures.
Hofstede, Geert, and Gert Jan Hofstede. Cultures and Organizations. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004. An extremely valuable text describing how national and cultural dimensions like power distance, social roles, individualism or collectivism, and uncertainty avoidance affect organizations.
Law, Eric. The Wolf Shall Dwell with the Lamb. Atlanta: Chalice, 1993. Analyzes the use and misuse of power while providing practical tools for transforming power relationships in multiethnic congregations. (Other books by Law are also recommended.)
Livermore, David. Cultural Intelligence. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2009. Important theoretical and practical materials for engaging in cross- or multicultural ministry; presents a praxis model for developing cultural competency.
Samovar, Larry A., Richard E. Porter and Edwin R. McDaniel. Intercultural Communication. Boston: Wadsworth, 2008. A large and valuablereader providing practical strategies for communicating effectively in various cultural and organizational contexts.
