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Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to show how cultural sensitivity plays a role in international social services organizational development. The American author applied an analytic framework to a 20-month change management project in a charity for the homeless in Ukraine; learnings may be useful to any leaders and managers working in a multicultural setting. Design/methodology/approach - Using one charity for the homeless as an example, the paper shows leadership and management tactics used to grow an international organization and manoeuvre cultural attributes to better understand and maximize the growth of both the staff and the population they served. Findings - Globalization means organizations face an increasing need for collaboration across cultures. It can also mean cultural gaps within nations exist, as individuals are raised or educated in more diverse settings. The analytic framework referenced can help leaders and mangers be more sensitive to the individuals they serve, including both employees and service users. Originality/value - This paper uses a first-hand account to illustrate how recognizing and leveraging cultural attributes, informed by anthropological insights, can lead to better collaboration, increased creativity, and sustainable change.