Power Distance

that's part of your culture that's who you are. And understand that's not a bad thing.” (C-4,

personal communication, Feb 10, 2021)

I-1 put it this way, "So even within the (Asian) culture, there's variances to that, but

generally, they're non-confrontational, and they're non-directive, so when you get the westerners

put in that, then it really challenges them." (Feb 4, 2021)

There is one point I-1 made which is a good reminder for us who study culture, "Of even

what they thought was Asia, now I just say to them sometimes go to Singapore they're task-

orientated, they're straight; they're directive, they're like the west, but they're Asian. So we have

such a mix here in Asia that you just can't afford to pigeonhole people. Even within cultures,

there's differences there, and so that's the challenge of how do you bring a commonality so that

people can enjoy the difference."

Power Distance

When doing the interviews, the question was asked if the participant understood the

concept of power distance. Four of the participants could define it (three individualists and one

collectivist), while the other six needed a definition provided. All of the individualists spoke

about it in negative terms. I-4, who had an understanding of power distances, said, "Where

there's an underlying fear of leadership because of the power, that's what creates the distance. So

you don't feel like you can be close to a leader." (Feb. 23, 2021) He, later on, said when referring

to it in meetings, "So I think the tendency is those with perceived power distance can tend to

dominate, and then oftentimes, those without it can just kind of go with the flow." I-1, who also

understood the concept, said, "What I love about YWAM is that we try and bring that together so

that there isn't any power distance. And so that we're like this (making hand signals meaning all

at the same level). And to me, that's part of servant leadership - dismantling the power

distance." (Feb. 4, 2021). I-5 worded this way when sharing how to deal with power distance, "I

don't think it's a good thing at all... the way to combat it is to humble yourself as a leader.

Immediately it creates a closeness. You don't let people look for your faults; you tell them." (Feb.

4, 2021)

On the other hand, among the collectivists, there were mixed results. Two of them talked

about it in a positive light, two were negative, and the other had a hard time seeing it in their

context. The two that were negative made references to how YWAM positions can change and

how people do different kinds of work. With three collectivists, I questioned if they fully

understood the concept since it was their first time hearing about it. C-3 was the only one who

studied the concept from all the collectivists. She started out saying,

“I'm so glad I have learned that vocab of power distance because it really helps. When you

are with Loren Cunningham that I give him power distance and when the Aussie next to me

didn't give him power distance. I was about to hit her. There once again, I wanted to hit

somebody in the face because she was like, "I can have my food here, why should it be neat?

Why should it be tidy? It’s just Loren." and I'm like honoring your elders. But it's an Aussie.

Tall poppy cutting man. There goes his head.” (Feb. 10, (2021)

To give clarity to what C-3 said, Peeters (2004) wrote, “… there is an Australian saying:

‘‘You have to cut down the tall poppies.’’ In other words, anyone who dares to poke his head

above the crowd must be attacked, denigrated and brought down to the common level” (p. 74).

Later on, C-3 talked about how studying power distance has helped her in her leadership.

"So it really helps, but it also helps me to grow in leadership because as a third world or a

high-powered distant nation, oh my word, these places that I'm thinking, 'Don't give him

power.' I can actually find my voice because I don't give them power. I have a voice because

power distant people have been made voiceless."

To make it clear, C-3 does not see power distance as wrong. What she learned is that she

is the one who gives power distance to those she chooses. She says how American parents do not

teach their children how to honor and respect their elders. This also falls in line with C-5 when

he was talking about raising his kids in American culture. "When I brought my children to

(American location), all the teachers admire so much my children. "Wow. Your kids so respectful

of authority." That's what you call power distance part of it. But for American kids, they don't

have such respect to authority." (Feb 11, 2021)

It was intriguing how the individualists and two of the collectivists saw power distance as

a problem to be fixed. They see it as something that gets in the way for leaders to relate with

followers. However, two collectivists see that individualists could apply more power distance. In

this way, they give more honor and respect.

One other thing that some individualists brought up was that power distance could lead to

abuse of power. "Also, if you raise a leader, he might expect to have that power that he's kind of

elevated, and it's a bit dangerous because it's prone to abuse if you have such a high power

distance. Then you might reach a point where you don't have accountability anymore to anyone."

(I-3, personal communication, Feb 13 2021) However, when C-5 shared about an abusive

leadership situation, he said, "I would say there is a use and abuse of power instead of power

distance." Later he mentioned, "I guess if it has to do with the follower, it depends on their

background their upbringing; yeah, your attitude towards authority."