Leadership & Management

Blog As Podcast

We now live in a Global village. There was never a time more opportune than today for cultivating a thought of Global Mindset. In my journey as a Coach, I met some remarkable Leaders who nurtured this idea, and I also met some who were okay being positioned locally as heads in an organization. So I wondered what creates a Global mindset and started researching as to what such Leaders do. There were some fascinating insights, which I will list below.

Leaders with global aspirations in their ideal image of self; wished a social identity that transcended the geographical boundaries. Now, this is thick stuff because it is a trigger that is a DNA of an individual. However, this quest for a global identity has no specific logical explanation; It is just a whim. So my first insight, Global mindset happens when one profoundly desires an International Social Identity.
These leaders invested a lot in improving their personal capabilities as they knew they would share the stage with the best amongst the best. These leaders were in a perpetual mode of learning in the quest for personal mastery. Personal mastery was thus their theme of life. The second insight I derived was they indeed invested in becoming thought leaders.
Empathy was a high value. Global Leaders knew they had to operate across cultural diversity. The only way they dealt with this issue was they consistently met people across continents and understood their cultural norms. They thus became adaptable to different cultures. My third insight they had developed a vast repertoire through varied tasks and interactions with people.
They loved to travel. Travel is not a natural phenomenon for many. But the mere excitement of living out of a suitcase and hopping through airports was a fun element for them. My insight here, these folks are driven by mobility. They just enjoy being at different places and soak themselves in that experience. My assessment thus, travel is easy when it is aligned with your Ideal Social Identity.
Technology savvy was the next big forte. These leaders were on the top of all the latest technologies, which would make them productive and transcend the realm of space and time. They were on the constant lookout for improving productivity through technology. My insight here they know the boundaries of human dynamics, space and time and they were on a quest to surmount it.
Global mindset requires dealing with ambiguity. There are uncertainties associated with each country. They had the tenacity to win in all markets. My insight they applied their learning’s to surmount all challenges. Tenacity is a virtue for them.
They are best at co-creation through empowerment. Global leaders know they need the best people around them to create success because they cannot be at all locations at one time. Shared leadership is what they believe in. My insight their trust in themselves is so high that it is easy for them to trust others, once they choose them as a part of their team. Global leaders are exceptional people managers.

As economies join hands and become liberal, global opportunities will be on the rise. With enterprises becoming more aspirational the want for Global Leaders will only increase rapidly. If you ask me the safest job today is that of the Global Leader because there are not too many of them.If you do carry the Social Identity of a being a Global Leader, you must go for it.