Impact of Leadership Strategies on the Performance of Cross-Cultural Teams in Small Expanding Educational Organizations

The significant problem explored in this study is the challenge of leadership strategies positively impacting the performance of cross-cultural teams within small but rapidly expanding educational organizations. Given global education services are projected to grow by 7.4% annually (Namchaidee et al., 2023), understanding leadership approaches enhancing team performance is critical for sustaining competitive advantages. This issue is particularly relevant in organizations such as Canadian education companies serving Chinese students, where differences in communication styles and work ethics create complexities. This study conducted a systematic review of the literature using databases such as Semantic Scholar, refining keywords to ensure relevance. Key themes uncovered included cultural intelligence, authentic and knowledge-oriented leadership, emotional intelligence, and inclusive leadership, all contributing to higher engagement and organizational success. These themes are crucial as they provide actionable leadership insights applicable to diverse teams in education and business. Future research can employ a quantitative survey-based study to measure leadership impact on performance and a qualitative in-depth interview approach to explore leadership adaptability in growing organizations. Addressing these gaps will enable leaders to create culturally competent, high-performing teams in an increasingly globalized education sector.