Rethinking GCC Leadership Series (7)- Translating India to the World

Cultural translation should never mean assimilation.
It should mean mutual respect.

Despite being the world’s most populous country, and home to a rapidly growing base of professionals, still needs translation within many organizations.

That reality saddens me. Because everything I say about India comes from a loving heart. If you've followed the previous posts, I hope that care has come through.

Too often, the burden of cultural adaptation falls heavily on Indian teams. They learn how to work in global environments, flex their communication styles, and meet the expectations of counterparts across the world. But real partnership can’t be one-sided.

For GCCs to thrive, the senior-most Indian leaders must also become advocates for India, not just operationally, but culturally. That means influencing peers and HQ counterparts to invest the same energy in understanding how India works:

- In how we communicate
- In how we build trust
- In how we lead and collaborate

When both sides, India and the rest of the world, invest equally in cultural understanding, we lay the foundation for shared ownership of the future.  Because shouldn't mean assimilation. It should mean connection, respect, and hashtag#collaboration.