TODAY’S
challenges demand global leaders. But what does “global’’ really mean?
The old mantra “think global, act local’’ is woefully inadequate to
describe the complex realities leaders face. Truly global leaders act as
bridge builders, connecting resources and talent across cultural and
political boundaries as they relentlessly seek new ways of creating
value.
Arizona’s Thunderbird
School of Global Management, where I serve as president, has conducted a
broad study to find out how best to develop global leaders. My
colleagues have conducted surveys of thousands of managers around the
world and interviewed dozens of successful leaders. These efforts have
helped us identify three critical skill sets for effective global
leadership: global mindset, global entrepreneurship and global
citizenship.
A
global mindset allows leaders to connect with individuals and
organizations across boundaries; an entrepreneurial spirit equips them
to create value through those connections; and their citizenship drives
them to make positive contributions to the communities with which they
engage.
Leaders
who possess a global mindset are able to interpret and decode situations
from multiple, even competing points of view. They have an insatiable
interest to learn about other cultures. They are knowledgeable about
global economic and political issues and can grasp the complexity of
international affairs. They’re also able to nurture relationships with
friends and associates from around the world and have a unique ability
to cultivate trust across cultural barriers.
Global
leaders utilize these connections and their understanding of cultural
nuance to connect people and resources in novel ways, whether their goal
is to create a better or cheaper product, access a new pool of
resources or serve a new market.
But,
true global leaders are defined not only by their knowledge and
connections, or the global opportunities they seize, but by how they
contribute to the improvement of the multiple contexts in which they
operate. True global leaders don’t exploit one community to benefit
another. They don’t see business as a zero-sum game, but as a mechanism
to bring about prosperity for everyone.
Globalization
has brought unprecedented benefits to many—but not all. Hundreds of
millions have escaped the dehumanizing effects of hunger and poverty.
But hundreds of millions more remain trapped. Our ability to build a
sustainable and inclusive world economy will depend on how well we train
a new generation of global leaders.
Angel
Cabrera is president of the Thunderbird School of Global Management,
and president-elect of George Mason University. He is co-author, with
Gregory Unruh, of Being Global: How to Think, Act, and Lead in a
Transformed World.
No comments:
Post a Comment