Cultural Agility in High-Stakes Leadership: Earning Trust in Qatar and Guyana

Dhiva Krishanan
17 hours ago
6 min read

Khoo shares his story with the eager audience during his segment of the "Global Minds, Malaysian Roots: Cultural Agility for the Future of Work" panel talk held at the University of Nottingham Malaysia.

At our recent University of Nottingham event, Cultural Agility for the Future of Work, we invited four contributors from our published book, Global Minds, Malaysian Roots: Thriving in Multinational Corporations, to share their perspectives on navigating culture in real workplace settings.

One of them, Khoo Ching-Thye, kindly agreed to share his talk story with us for our blog. His sharing was tailored for university students and fresh graduates, but we feel the heart of it speaks to anyone working across cultures or preparing to do so.

Please enjoy, and thank you to Khoo for kicking off our Cultural Agility Story Series.

A Malaysian on the Global Stage

What if I told you that working overseas and cultural agility are not about becoming more Western or trying to be someone you’re not? What if I said it’s actually about being who you already are, and learning how to use your Malaysian roots to engage with the world?

Let me share a bit of my story, and you can decide for yourselves. Part 1: Where It All Started, Malaysia and My First Cross-Cultural Lessons

I joined Exxon in 1982. My first 16 years were in Malaysia. I held numerous jobs and learned a lot about the company, the oil and gas industry, and working with people from other countries. We had a large group of expats at the time, mostly from the West. That was my first taste of working across cultures. Part 2: The Hidden Assignment in America, Your Family Moves Too

In 1998, our family of four moved to the United States. It was my first expatriate assignment, the beginning of 20 years overseas. Overall, it was an incredible experience. We all benefited greatly, and we grew closer as a family.

But I also learned something important early on. My wife and children were thrust into a new assignment, too. They had to deal with changes and had to learn to adapt and to thrive in a new and foreign environment. That taught me that cultural agility isn’t just for the office. It shows up at home, at school, and in the community. Lesson one.

During my time in the U.S., I held a range of global management roles. I learned to collaborate, manage, and lead alongside dozens of nationalities. It was like my cultural sensitivity meter was always switched to “ON”. Excellent preparation for what came next. Part 3: Qatar at Full Scale, Where Respect and Trust Decide Everything

In 2005, we moved to Qatar. I was Chief Operating Officer for a massive LNG expansion. Qatar was rapidly transforming from a small Gulf state into the world’s largest LNG producer in just a few years. Those were exciting times.

Our worksite had 25,000 people from over 40 nationalities. Every day brought something new, and the cultural intricacies were huge. Here’s a bit of trivia. Our workforce consumed a million eggs a month. That gives you a sense of the scale.

But the biggest challenge on this major undertaking was about earning credibility and trust, particularly with senior Qatari leadership. There was so much to learn on the fly about Arab culture. In Qatar, you show respect in every interaction, every minute, otherwise you are lost to them.

That was lesson two. Thriving abroad isn’t about fitting in. It’s about being credible, respectful, and trustworthy as a company and as an individual. Qatar was intense, but deeply fulfilling, for me. A once-in-a-lifetime assignment. After that, I thought nothing else would compare. Part 4: Striking Oil and a Nation’s Hope Then, in 2015, ExxonMobil made a surprise deepwater discovery in Guyana, South America. The country had never produced oil before. The government was full of optimism, but quite nervous. They had no experience. Politically, the stakes were very high.

I remember my president’s instructions: “Drop everything. Form a team. Challenge all norms. Make this happen”. Four years of intense work followed. We had to quickly gain the confidence of the government. About a year in, I had the opportunity to present our plans to the Guyanese cabinet in their Cabinet room, a rare privilege for outsiders. The interest and anxiety levels were palpable.

I also remember the quiet dinners with the Energy Minister. He talked about his hopes and fears for the country, how oil could be a second chance for Guyana, after 60 years of what he perceived as missed opportunities.

As a Malaysian, I could relate to their history and aspirations. I shared my own experiences of rapid oil growth in Malaysia in the 1980s and in Qatar in the 2000s, and assured him we would deliver for them. Four years after discovery, we achieved first oil, a pace unprecedented in the industry. Guyana was the second-poorest country in South America in 2015. Today, it has the highest per-capita income in the region. Much has improved, including infrastructure, healthcare, education, and local capability. And they are still growing.

The names they chose for their first three production ships were Destiny, Unity, and Prosperity, which really speak to what all this meant to them. For my part, I’m just happy to have been part of their journey. So What Does This Mean for Your Future?

So why am I telling you these stories? What do they mean for you, as you think about your future?

Before I get to my takeaways, let me say this. When it comes to cultural agility, I believe Malaysians start with some advantages. You grow up in a multicultural environment. Most of you speak at least two languages. You know when to show deference and respect. You understand tone and non-verbal cues. You’re exposed to different ways of thinking from an early age. You can hold multiple perspectives at the same time, whether you’re aware of it or not. If you combine that natural foundation with knowledge, skills and hard work, you can succeed in most any cultural setting.

Three Lessons on Trust, Risk, and Real Cultural Agility

1) It is worth pursuing

The world is a very big place. From my stories, I hope you agree, it can be interesting, challenging, and exciting. My message to you is simple: it is absolutely worth pursuing.

Additional Insights from Cultural Impact (Based on the CIS©)

Caution vs Risk-Taking (How people deal with uncertainty)

Global careers are built through uncertainty. In Caution-leaning contexts, people build confidence by reducing risk and avoiding avoidable mistakes. In Risk-Taking-leaning contexts, people build confidence by moving early, testing fast, and learning by doing. Neither is better. The key is choosing a starting strategy that matches your instinct, while staying credible in the culture you are in.

Cultural agility is knowing what “responsible” looks like under uncertainty, then adjusting so you are seen as deliberate, not hesitant or reckless.

Practical cue:

If you lean Cautious, start with small experiments: short cross-border projects, shadowing, low-risk stretch roles, defined deliverables, and clear feedback loops.
If you lean towards Risk-Taking, start with smart bets: quick pilots, early stakeholder check-ins, clear success measures, and checkpoints that prevent fast moves from becoming messy ones.

2) Trust is the work

You don’t succeed overseas by just fitting in. You succeed by being credible and earning trust through integrity, respect, and delivering on promises. Also, competence travels well, so keep learning, keep improving. This, in essence, is what cultural agility means to me.

Particularism vs Universalism (How people apply rules)

This is where many cross-cultural misunderstandings happen. In Universalism-leaning contexts, trust comes from fairness and consistency. People expect the same rule to apply to everyone. In Particularism-leaning contexts, trust comes from judgement and responsibility. People expect you to interpret the rule with human context and relationship in mind.

Cultural agility is not “choosing a side”. It is showing people you understand what they mean by integrity in that setting.

Practical cue:

In Particularism settings, explain the context behind decisions, show you considered people and relationships, and avoid rigid rule-following that feels cold or careless.
In Universalism settings, be explicit about standards and transparency, and avoid exceptions that look like favouritism.

3) Your family is on assignment, too

When you go overseas, the family has to deal with the changes, and they have to adapt and thrive. Be sure to pay close attention to their well-being.

Diffuse vs Specific (How people communicate)

In Specific-leaning contexts, work and personal life are kept separate. Colleagues may be friendly, but private life stays private, and support systems are often outside the workplace. In Diffuse-leaning contexts, work and personal life blend more. Relationships can extend beyond the office, and families may be naturally pulled into social networks connected to work.

Cultural agility is recognising what kind of boundary is normal in that context, so your family does not feel isolated in a Specific environment, or overwhelmed in a Diffuse one.