what vs. how
"(Organizational) leadership today involves more than making the right decisions about WHAT should be done. In addition, executives must know HOW to orchestrate the human infrastructure to ensure there is enough support from the key people involved in a change effort to actually achieve the true purpose."
In western, democratic, non-authoritarian, individualistic nations (almost) everyone's opinion is valuable and important. Which is why the HOW becomes at least as important as WHAT. In more collectivist, less democratic, more authoritarian countries, a single individual matters less. Change can be imposed onto people so that WHAT becomes more important (while frequently being implemented suboptimally - because many smart people's opinions are not being considered). As a result (and also because they weren't consulted even on WHAT) people grow up thinking that WHAT is the most crucial aspect of getting anything done.
Many immigrants from the former Soviet Union don't appreciate the importance of HOW in the western society. This impairs their career success. Also, this is why they tend to go into professions in which WHAT is more important than HOW.
In western, democratic, non-authoritarian, individualistic nations (almost) everyone's opinion is valuable and important. Which is why the HOW becomes at least as important as WHAT. In more collectivist, less democratic, more authoritarian countries, a single individual matters less. Change can be imposed onto people so that WHAT becomes more important (while frequently being implemented suboptimally - because many smart people's opinions are not being considered). As a result (and also because they weren't consulted even on WHAT) people grow up thinking that WHAT is the most crucial aspect of getting anything done.
Many immigrants from the former Soviet Union don't appreciate the importance of HOW in the western society. This impairs their career success. Also, this is why they tend to go into professions in which WHAT is more important than HOW.