Deliverable 4 - Global Leadership

Global Leadership Differences

Global leadership is very complex. These leaders typically need all of the skills and competencies necessary to lead effectively domestically, along with many more they probably didn’t know they would need. However, companies often send high-performing executives overseas with the assumption that what made them successful in their home country will get similar results in a new culture. This is a risky assumption that can lead to damaged reputations, employee frustrations, and lost business. Leaders who have proven successful domestically discover that, abroad, they must be equipped with additional competencies, including; increased self-awareness, authenticity, a global mindset, open-mindedness, flexibility, resilience, and the ability to build trust and collaboration.

Global leaders must complete tasks similar to those of leaders in any location, yet they have the added burden of constant strategy changes, unique business processes, and unfamiliar personality styles because of a broader range of employee demographic differences, motivations, and experiences.

Cultural Awareness

The first thing that global leaders must understand is that of cultural awareness. In a solely domestic business setting, leadership plays out only in the context of American cultural practices and beliefs. Global business leaders need to be well versed in the complexities and intricate details of the host countries cultures because other countries’ cultures, economies, and politics may be very different than those of the U.S.

Global Leadership Skills

It’s also important that global leaders start their assignment by building a foundation of strong relationships to help foster trust. In the global business world, relationships are nearly always the doorway to gaining buy-in and getting things done.

Global leaders must also be expert communicators. The ability to communicate ideas and initiatives effectively while still taking cultural differences into account can make or break a global leader. An effective leader must be flexible and adaptable to be able to adjust his or her tactics and approach while still guiding the business in the right direction. Acclimating to a wide range of business challenges quickly is important to successfully leading a global organization. A flexible leader who can remain patient and calm when tackling unforeseen circumstances is a requirement of the job.

Cultural Awareness & Sensitivity 

Global business leaders need to be both culturally aware and culturally sensitive. Cultural awareness is the understanding of other groups and being open to the idea of changing cultural attitudes. Cultural sensitivity is knowing that differences exist between cultures, but not assigning values to the differences (right or wrong, better or worse). 

Communication

The basic concept of communication is easy to understand; it's simply the transfer of information from one person to another. However, it's far more complex than it seems especially in a global environment. You must be aware of cultural differences in how, when, and why you communication. You must pay attention to and be aware of slight nuances between people and cultures or you'll miss the full message being conveyed. You must also make sure that everyone feels informed and included in the communication channels at all times. 

Open-minded 

Global business leaders need to lead without ego. They understand that their idea or belief might not always be best, and they are willing to consider ideas and opinions that are new or different than their own. 

Flexible 

Global business leaders must be flexible. Flexible leaders have a willingness to change or compromise. They can also modify their style or approach in response to uncertain or unpredictable situations. 

Resilient 

Resilience is the process of adapting and coping well when faced with adversity, threats, or a significant source of stress. Global business leaders are often faced with difficult situations and require the ability to be resilient to be successful. Resilient global business leaders use this resilience to bounce back from difficult experiences 

Diversity and Inclusion

Global leaders must also be able to foster an inclusive, collaborative environment. An inclusive leader embraces feedback and ideas from people of all backgrounds and experiences, especially from those who have viewpoints different from his or her own. This inclusive environment creates an environment that is culturally strong and also innovative. Inclusive leaders are more likely to welcome and encourage disruptive thinking and risk-taking. Their team members are more likely to say they’re not afraid to fail and more likely to get feedback that no one on their team is afraid to challenge how things are currently done. This has serious consequences for companies whose growth in new markets is predicated on innovative products and services, as research suggests that leaders who don’t just tolerate failure but celebrate it create ground-breaking innovation.

Global leaders will need a deep understanding and sensitivity to cultural diversity because a global leader is also responsible for leading their team in developing sensitivity to, and knowledge of, other cultures.

Cultural sensitivity is the willingness to acknowledge cultural differences without making value judgments about these differences. Culturally aware business organizations operate with the understanding that not every employee or customer will share the same culture or beliefs. In addition, these organizations prioritize positive relationships with employees, vendors and customers by acknowledging and respecting cultural differences. As organizations expand and become more global, it’s critical that all organizations develop these skills in their local workforce so that they can work effectively across cultures whether the organization is global or not.