Becoming a Global Leader
Olusanya Oyeyemi
Walden University
MMSL 6130
Dr. Cherif Sidialicherif
16 August, 2015
Executive Summary
The scopes of global leadership nowadays require certain competencies in addition to the usual leadership trait. This project examines requirements for global leadership to lead a successful business beyond geographical boundaries that demarcate culture across the globe. Competencies in global leadership requires bilingual for better understand of different culture and smooth collaboration. Eight characteristics were recommended to be an effective global leaders; over sea knowledge, personal character to accommodate others, sensitive to cultural diversity. Skills and ability, ambitious to learn new culture, global strategic thinking of foresight and sharing ideas over networking, Inspirational skills for better understanding of employee to give an appropriate coaching and mentoring, eloquent communication of convincing voice coupled with enhancement of information technology. Advent of Internet is the prime mover for global business in this era. Nelson mandala was cited as a good example of 19th centuries global leader while Obama epitomize global leader in this era.
Development program is recommended for global leaders to be successful, in which Mendenhall et al. recommended four foundational programs for global leadership. I referred to these foundation as 4Ts; Training, Transfer, Teamwork, and Travel, from which I deduced my basic standard development program. In-house training is recommended to equip leaders for international adventure, know about weather condition, currency exchange, crime rate and many more. Transfer the employees around the company’s branches to mixed and mingle with diverse people from different background. Assign task that will challenge them from their comfort zone. Encourage and equip them with facilities that will enhance teambuilding. These 4Ts will foster collaboration beyond boundary. Finally, move the staff across the globe to experience different culture from their own country, to enables them to evaluate their decision beyond general perceptions.
Annotated bibliography of five articles ; Crucible of Leadership by Bennis, W. G. & Thomas, R.J. 2002. Article, Switching Cultural Codes, by Molingsky A. 2009. Article, Poverty and the Multiple Stakeholder Challenge for Global Leaders, by Reade et al., 2008. Article, Beyond Sophisticated Stereotyping: Cultural sense-making in context, by Osland, J. S. and Bird, A. 2000, Article, and Successor Attributes in Indian and Canadian Family Firms: A comparative Study, by Sharma, P. and RAO, S.A. 2000, Article, expatiate the importance of cultural affiliation to global market management. Leaders were advised to be in control, hardworking, inventive and seek common ground in dispute resolution. Bennis and Thomas suggested four essentials of global leaders as having convincing voice, personal integrity in setting precedence, and adaptation to diverse culture. Likewise, Molingsky advised global leaders to understand code-switching process; mingle with local people to familiarize themselves with their culture, practice what they learn, reflect on their own and seek feedback from the indigene for better performance. Reade et al. take a different dimension by explaining how some countries’ poverty level affects global business and suggested ways of managing them. Shama and rao conclude it by showing the reasons for having respect for cultural heritage. All these article corroborate each other by showing business etiquette as mention above.
In my transformational project, I found the importance of inclusiveness in understanding cultural differences in global business relationship. Listening to Mr. Pauls’ experience on black and white segregation in America, I felt passionate for his personal ordeal of been black and restricted from certain public store and schools. Their experience through the era to this days when we have first black president confirm the saying that “only thing that cannot change is change itself” anonymous. This encounter shows that global leader should engage themselves in survivability program that will easy their staying abroad.
I preferred Mumbai in Indian as the location that is most unlike my current culture and past. My pre-planning for survivability will involve strategic planning of searching for cultural differences and implement innovation to shortcomings that I found from my research. In Mumbai as my case study, my targeted innovation will start from encouraging female participation in family business. I will empower their female with adult education likewise encourage their company’s successor in an online classes to upgrade themselves so that both of us can move to highly competent and authentic in global market.
Becoming a Global Leader
Analysis Global Leadership Competencies
Unlike centuries ago when all leadership focus was concentrated within their local communities, today’s leader focus on international scope in a global market because international business and partnership determines this era’s organizational success. What makes global leaders? A global leader should be able to work in a team made up of diverse people from different cultural background and language. Supervise both external and internal clients from various countries in the world. It is of great benefit for a global leader to be able to speak more than one language, but in case he/she is not bilingual, good understanding of their host’s culture is not debatable. Cultural understanding of any society will help global leaders to supervise employees of different nationalities, develop strategic business plan, and manage a budget on a worldwide basis for their organization. Global leader negotiate on behalf of their organization with foreign investor, manage foreign suppliers or clients and at the same time manage risk involved in a global business. Global business faces many unforeseeable challenges that can ruin an organization such as unstable political rules and incessant government policies.
For leaders to excel in all these set goals in a global market there are certain characteristics that he/she must posses. Necessary characteristics for effective global leaders to possess in today’s current global landscape are:
- Oversea knowledge
- Personal characteristics
- Sensitive to cultural diversity
- Skill and Ability
- Ambitious
- Global strategic Thinking
- Inspirational Skills
- Communication Skills
Oversea knowledge is a must skill that global leader must strive to acquire in other to become a successful international leader, and able to go beyond their cultural orientation on how to do business differently is plus. Understanding the differences in culture helps, how well the leader understand a particular country’s culture determines his/her level of success and it will enhance self-awareness which foster how to handle others perspectives and belief. It will help leaders to be flexible with their opinion and assumptions.
Personal characteristics help leaders to understand and accept that other culture or land have their own different way of doing things successfully. Humility in leadership on a global perspective helps to interact with people from different countries effectively, agreeableness in alliance, and able to be committed and cope with stresses that comes with global business.
Sensitive to Cultural Diversity enhance leaders’ ability to work with local executive routine and patterns without any grievance. Understanding that one’s ways of doing things is not superior to others in global business arena is a necessity skill that differentiates global from any other leaders.
Skill and Ability, training and coaching in preparation for global leader is useful, more of which are developed over years of practice in a global market. Caligiuri pointed out that “Skills are mutable as they can increase over time to the limits of one’s nature ability, intelligence, or personality” (2006). Required skills in a global setting are coalition management, negotiating, and conflict resolutions among people of different nationality. Implementation of one’s skill over the years transform into ability. Caligiuri added that, “ability are mutable but may be limited by individuals’ success on global success activities” (2006).
Ambitious; global leaders must be ambitious to learn local culture and language of his/her host community. Open to learning new opportunities requires humility and friendly, since global operation will always require high level of cultural and emotional intelligence.
Global strategic Thinking; In addition, critical think in managing business using the best people from around the planet is mandatory. Global leader must be skill in networking, connecting with experience people in the same field. Sharing ideas from others is of great value to learn how to operate in an international market.
Inspirational; global leader must be comfortable in relating with people of various culture and background across the globe and better understand of their employee for an appropriate mentorship.
Communication Skills is a necessity for global leaders. For leaders to successfully make known their organizational goal, vision, and mission with speculated budget one needs good communication skill to pass across their intention. In this Internet age, leaders need to stay connected at all time via email, v-mail, and face-to-face meetings.
In comparing these characteristics with early 19 century when there were no Internet, business network were tough as face-to-face meeting has to take place before partnering or collaborating could be established. Unlike nowadays where expatriate can be search on various website and business meeting can be host on teleconferencing. Early 19 century and beyond lack the fast and more access to resources that increase both production and profit that this era enjoy.
Nelson Mandela is a good example of global leader in early 19 century why Obama is an exemplary global leader in this era. Nelson Mandela was imprison in 1964 for 27 years and eventually became South African first black president in Nelson Mandela was a global leader who laid example of forgiveness by forgiving his jailer. He put an end to apartheid in South Africa by established the coexistence of both black and white. He conquered the fear of guilt of vengeance and set pace of how to love our enemy as a good quality of leadership. Obama is setting another global history by honoring the Iranian’s interest even with their questionable character to allow Nuclear Weapon in Iran. As a global leader, flexibility is a paramount quality and ability to see thing from others’ perspective by respecting the identities and affiliations of others. Countries around the globe still sees Gay marriage in America as Obama thing meanwhile it was through his share flexibility to allow freedom of sexual orientation. Been the first black president in America, Obamacare is growing to take care of the medical care for the poor which is mostly black community.
Recognizing and Training for Global Leadership Competencies
In a video clip by CNN on July 14, 2015 Obama display a global leader competency of transparency by analyzing the reason behind the negotiating with foes on nuclear weapon. In his attempt on lifting sanction on Iran, explained his intention to stop the spread of building nuclear weapon by putting Iran under international supervision, - a deal that is not built on trust but on verification. This step show Obama competencies to see things from others perspective not selfish interest, making an historic change that put all the international leaders at work of vigilance. He discover from experience that sanction over the years has not make any difference on Iran terrorist act, taking a different perspective may yield a better solution. Global leader are risk taker and should be skill in foresight, which is exact skills Obama has put into action, confirmed by ex. President Clinton.
To create a global leadership development program that will enhance individual representing our company in understanding the basic competencies necessary to confidently interact with diverse people on a global market. I would set up what Mendenhall et al called “ foundation for global leadership development … in the form of training, transfer, teamwork, and travel.” (2013). These 4Ts will form my basic standard development program for our company global leaders. First, conduct in-house training that will prepare them for international adventure. In the training, they would learn the different in the weather condition of their various targeted location, currency exchange, crime level and basic tradition of greeting and gesture. I will also gives some clues on government public law and orders both on traffic and social life. For instance, countries policy differs on alcohol drinking age and female maturity age. Dressing code and selection of word in conversation will be taught because a joke in America may mean different thing in another country. For instance, raising middle finger in America is “Fuck You” an abusive language while in Nigeria during the civil war means ‘One Nation’. Pre-knowledge of basic differences will give them an awareness to be more vigilant to more that they would have to deal with on the field and build internal stamina to combat it.
Secondly, Staff will be transfer around the company’s branches both local and international more frequently to meet and mingle with diverse people of varied culture and background. This will enhance their ability to see things from others’ perspective, understand that they do not have permanent solution to all problems because they are from developed nation or because of their color. Here they will be giving task related to what they have learnt in the class to showcase their skill of competencies. They will be assign project to work on with foreigners with a limited time which will challenge them and move them from their comfort zone.
Thirdly, assign them to different team to build and work within team to enhance collaboration within organization. Building relationship within a working team has never been so easy likewise to maintain it. I will give them opportunities to establish both social and working networking and encourage relationship that will foster respect for individual dignity and cultural belief. In doing these, it will help them to build trust among themselves so that when not together they can still make reference to individual expertise and dedication to work. At the same time, team spirit will enhance chain of friendship that will extend beyond the organization to old student forum where solution and innovation can be sought.
The fourth and the last one is Travel, travel is part of education as an adage says. Moving global leaders across the countries cannot be exchange with anything, because traveling to a new land different from their country of birth gives new orientation and that is where the real experience lies. Experience differs from country to country most especially in negotiation therefore to have a wealth of experience I will organize their traveling and changing of duty station often across the globe, so that when not physically with them you can still feel compassionate about them.
My training fits into Global Leadership Expertise development (GLED) in that it aligns with its level from antecedents to transformational process and levels of global leader expertise. Following the training process step by step will enhance all GLED’s individual characteristics, cultural exposure, global education, and project/job novelty. In like manner, my training fits into GLED by influencing their experience, encounters, decisions, and challenges. In all, my training will raise their level of GL expertise, increase their global knowledge, intercultural competence and global organizing expertise by open them to more experience and make them more flexible to diverse culture and ability to tolerate people of varies background.
Analysis of Cultural Intelligence
Bennis, Warren G. & Thomas, Robert J. Crucible of Leadership. HBR, 2002. Article,
enumerates misfortune experience that global leaders should be expecting in their
career, such preparation will help them to handle it and learn from it. They
identified the challenges that remold leaders’ behavior as “crucible” and defined it
as “transformative experience through which an individual comes to a new or an
altered sense of identity” (2002). This is to enables leaders to confidently face
difficulties, defeats those problems and learn from it. Various case studies were analyzed to devise solutions to challenges that global leaders faced before they succeed. At the end of their research, their inference drew out suggestions that will guide aspiring leaders to a successful global management. First, suggested that global leader should refrain from jumping into conclusion based on cultural assumptions and perceptions that may not be true when verified. Evaluate their decisions with available facts and reach a consensus. Second, whatever challenges global leaders face in the course of their carrier should be embraced as learning process that will make them a better leader. See every incident as a learning process and a plus to their skills. Third, Leaders should employ all catalyst of adaptation to ensure their survival so that system will not define them, but to see happiness as a function of our circumstances; a function of their outlook on life (2002). Compose themselves to be in control and at the same time be flexible to reason along with subordinates and always seek common ground. Fourth one are the four essentials of leadership; as ability to engage others, a convincing voice, integrity and able to adapt to situation and different culture. Leaders engage others by their ability to assign role and define individual subordinate responsibilities. A convincing voice is the one that proved that a leader knows what he/she is doing, understand his duty and full knowledge of their business. Integrity in leadership is their ability to remain truthful to their promises and follow their precedence among their followers, using the same modality to judge both majority and minority, all these lies in their flexibility to adapt to diverse culture.
Molingsky Andy. Switching Cultural Codes, Biz Ed, 2009. Article expatiate the
necessities of flexibility in cultural adaptation for global leaders. To manage
business beyond cultural boundaries, Molingsky caution global leader to be
mindful of differences in cultural heritages, in that, a norm in one’s own culture
may not be accepted in another. He suggested four code switching process that
global leader can learn to succeed in any culture. 1. Leader should diagnose the
local rule by working with a team of local people and learn their way of life, to
know what is obtainable within their operating environment. 2. To put into
practice what they have learned about their new environment. For instance, eating
habit, mode of dressing/greeting, business negotiation and many more are unique
to every culture. 3. To reflect on their actions by weighing their new cultural style
compare to their home country style and document their success and learning
experiences. 4. To receive feedback from local observer how they are performing
in blending into their new culture and environment. Situation report of this kind
will reveal where adjustment is necessary for better performance in future. He
rounded up that ‘cultural fluency’ is of paramount importance for leaders that are
aspiring to succeed in this era global market.
Reade, Carol. Todd, Anne Marie. Osland, Asbjorn and Osland, Joyce. Poverty and the
Multiple Stakeholder Challenge for Global Leaders, San Jose State University.
Journal of Management Education, Volume 32, No.6. 2008. Article. Addresses
how poverty adds to global leaders Challenges in business transactions across the
globe. Reade et al. suggested that leaders should consider ‘poverty related social
problems’ during the initial planning of their investment abroad – a must food for
thought for every global leader. They advised that business analyst should remember to consider communities, governments, and NGOs in their business planning. Since NGOs advocates for community or people they thought were marginalized, and could go any length to fight for their client interest therefore, they have to be considered in business planning. Poverty has resulted into many land disputes in many organization sites. In Nigeria for example, we called them ‘omo onile’ (land owner), most of these people claimed that because of crude oil exploration in their land they could not do any fishing which was their original occupation before the discovery of crude oil on their land in Niger-Delta part of Nigeria. For a case related issue, one of Euroflow Designs Ltd expatriate was shot by an angry villagers in 2010 on their job site while I was still working for the company. Land related issue is a major concern in Nigeria market because families and communities still own the land even when allocated by government they claim title, companies in Nigeria has been ruined due to land dispute issue. Finally, Reade et al. suggested another areas global business operation etiquettes which are; respectful communication, try o seek common ground with their host, evaluate their assumption, and ability to emerge naturally from their unanimous suggestions. This will enhance their collaboration with better experience, such scenario brought Euroflow to employ an indigenous middlemen to negotiate business before they start operation in their chevron offshore maintenance contract.
Osland, Joyce S. and Bird, Allan. Beyond Sophisticated Stereotyping: Cultural sense-
making in context, Academy of Management Executive. Vol. 14. No. 1. 2000,
Article, explained why we’re limited about our knowledge of cultural differences;
homegrown perception, cultural learning, western dualism, and features of cross-
culture that encourage simplicity over complexity (2000) are covering our face
from cultural realities. They further added cultural behaviors that are
contradictory; confusing individual with group values, unresolved cultural issues,
inaccurate dimension of culture, chameleon nature of human being, and holistic
view of nature where someone’s belief is strange to his/her experience. Cultural learning is how global organizations and leaders can apply sense-making to succeed in global market. Learning a new culture, seek knowledge from local people, evaluate stereotype to identify true cultural value, understand cultural variance while multinational organizations are encouraged to be selective in choosing their expatriate by choosing people with flexible heart to accommodate other culture, provide training for their expatriate, evaluate their expatriate knowledge of diverse in culture, and finally, make sure their expatriate display knowledge of their host communities’ culture.
Sharma, P. and RAO, S.A. Successor Attributes in Idian and Canadian Family Firms: A
comparative Study, Sege Journal, Family Business Review, 2000, Article, reviews
and compare business operation in both Canada and Indian for a successful cross-
cultural global leadership in an organization that know no boundary in their
business. Their findings show that Indian and Canada differs in their attributes to
family own business. Indian has more priority for bloodline to successor, more
respect to elders which limit selfish interest and at the same time reduce extensive
risk taking, aggressiveness, and independence in business transactions (Dutta,
1997), while Canada is vice versa. Unlike Canada where educational qualification
is highly of importance to lead an organization, Indian has more respect for on the
job experience of the family member that has shares in the business. They believe
that such person perform better and still have the love of the family at heart, and
take good care of all the beneficiaries. Even though the appointment of family
business successor depends on the decision of the family elders yet employees’
respect of their candidature is highly a determinant. The annotation above all
summarizes the place cultural understanding occupied in global management.
They all pointed out the importance of pre-global training necessities to global
leaders and resulted in emphasizing real practical experience to all global leaders.
These annotations does not pin point a particular best method that global leaders
should memorize but inferred that hands on experience in organization targeted
culture is helpful because of uniqueness of every culture – as in no two culture is
hundred percent the same in cultural heritage.
Segregation of Black & White in America in 60s
It was a great moment and lasting experience with Mr. Paul a 54 years old military officer revealing his personal experience when segregation was famous in United State in 60s. He attended an elementary school of only black pupil from first grade, to grade three, but from grade four it was mixture of both white and Black, which made their school a battleground racist related issues. He grew up in the south, Alabama to be precise where changes from segregation were slow compared to other states in America.
Another personal incident he recalled was that, when they (black) were still restricted from shopping at certain stores reserved for white people alone they forced themselves into one of those store one day and they were severely dealt with by law. He added that their parents were deprived of education, they were limited to farming and housemaid jobs.
I asked him to compare his past experience with the present day when we have black as president. He started from when he joined military, that black were marginalized and limited to certain profession in military because minority had limited space as quotas, once filled no more space for them. Finally he added that, when he was growing up, people were cautioned of what to say about president of united state which could be amount to criminal offence most especially people in military. Since we have black president, more freedom of speech where people can make any comments about president and no one will accuse them of committing any crime.
Ordinarily, I have seen several movies on slavery both American and Nigerian version of the slave trade history but not feel inclusive as it was when I was with Mr. Paul shearing his personal encounter. It gives me more understanding and made me to agree that leadership is more than making quarterly numbers… it is the combination of hardiness and ability to grasp context. Above all, it allows individual not only to survive an ordeal, but to learn from it and to emerge stronger, be more engaged, and more committed than ever (Bennis &Thomas, 2002).
This experience teaches global leaders to evaluate their assumption and general perceptions about any culture, critically in a reflex manner to have the true picture of the people they are dealing with for better relationship. As a student of global leadership, I realized that no matter how much you learn about any culture one would still learn more when you are within the society, eating, living, and working together. Facing a similar challenge to solve marginalized minority problem in the future as a leader, my experience with Mr Paul thought me to be more patient and attentive to have a listening hear and better understanding of minority agitation. It is obvious that any leaders that are not exposed beyond their culture are limited in experience, thinking, and management of cultural diversity. Even though leadership is not a profession, yet everybody that climbs the ladder of progress in his/her career must lead certain number of people. Therefore, it makes it a necessary skill to every aspiring leader to equip themselves on how to be a good leader.
Developing Cultural Intelligence
Sequel to what I have learned from the past weeks on cultural diversities in this course, I would prefer to accept a leadership position in Mumbai India because is totally different from my usual Africa and America experience and will give me opportunity to learn about a new culture – a plus to my career skills. To ensure my survival, I would do my pre-familiarization with their culture by searching for their currency exchange, made of greetings, religious setting with acceptable dressing styles. More also, I will try to learn simple common language of my host community or general language in the country.
Then I would proceed to search for their weather condition, which may determines our traveling time. Kind of foods they eat and their recipe so that when I order for food I will have a little clue of what I am ordering and eating. In like manner, I would discuss my findings with my family if they were to follow me in preparation for our new settlement. Then, make some necessity shopping, things that we would need immediately we enter the country. For instance, if their weather is cold at the time we will arrive, we would need some clothes that will match their weather at that particular time. Political situation is also equally important, in that political riot/violence may post a threat or gave us bad impression at start and hinder our operation if not put into consideration.
Business wise, my research shows that Mumbai society has high respect for their family - elders in particular, and at the same time value the respect of their employee. Studies shows that they scarcely take high risk in business, less aggressive and opinionate (Dutta, 1997 as cited in ….) due to the family involvement and family member successor policy, which does not give credence to their education standard and priority in male superiority in family business.
To lead a successful business in this kind of environment with my prior-knowledge of Indian community I would introduce innovation with caution. I will encourage educational empowerment for female child and their involvement in family business, more support for their tradition of respect for elders but their family dominance in decision-making would be addressed to encourage risk taking. Since studies shows that “cultures that value past and tradition are more resistant to change because historic precedents received more attention than innovations” ( Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck, 1961 as cited in …) I will focus more attentions on educational enlightenment and equality in sex for equal qualification. Introduce adult education of online classes that will not tampered with their schedule for business successor that have no academic qualifications. These processes may take a while to mature (Osland 2004) but it will be a continuous process that I will handover to my successor if I have to leave before its maturity. These ideas will be of necessity if my organization partners or have to transact smoothly with any of these local family own organization. I heard of a similar scenario in a neighboring company while I was working in Nigeria, the company was sharing same building with our company then. When the son of the retired CEO took over after his graduation from university, he sacked many of their employees, the reason best known to him but observer amount his action to lack of practical experience on the job because good hand were sacked as well. This implies that, on the job experience is as valuable as book knowledge, both has to complement each other to be a good leader. Upgrading local business leaders’ education will also help their inferiority complex and move both of us from noxious to feel highly competent and authentic in global business relationship.
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