Two Key Competencies for Global Leadership
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Featured Image Courtesy of Bikson et al., 2003, p. xxii, Table S.2
Cross-Cultural Competence (Bikson et al., 2003): the ability to interact with individuals from cultures other than one’s own effectively (as per their customs, values, and circumstances). It encompasses multicultural sensitivity, which is not acquired through study but through life experiences and living/working in another culture, and ideally, learning a second language. According to Gough (2022, p. 2, para. 1), diversity among multicultural teams contributes to increased creativity and serves as a “basis for synergy.”
Global Scope of Practice (Bikson et al., 2003): Leaders must see the big picture that situates their organization in an international context. This may involve considerations related to what it actually means to work in different locales and what it means to tackle international markets, politics, and cultural practices. In a global marketplace, adaptation and mastery of the learning curve are of utmost necessity to remain efficient and effective as leaders managing “task and relationship processes” (Gough, 2022, p. 3).
How Competencies Serve Global Leaders
Working in the world as it is - where cultural, political, and economic differences can undermine collaboration, is a central challenge addressed by Cross-Cultural Competence (Bikson et al., 2003). It provides leaders with the ability to establish trust, facilitate effective communication, and create inclusive work environments that tap into diverse perspectives - becoming ever more critical for fostering innovation and problem-solving within global teams.
Strategic international understanding prepares leaders to anticipate and respond to global trends, align their organizational goals and imperatives with international opportunities, and manage the risks of a dynamic environment (Bikson et al., 2003). This competency enables leaders to make decisions grounded in knowledge of and appreciation for global and local factors and prepare their organization to compete more effectively or be better prepared to adapt.
Taken together, these skills enable leaders to transcend the complexities of globalization, forge effective partnerships across borders, and lead their organizations toward a sustainable future in an increasingly interconnected world. For instance, my time as Customer Service Manager for Graham Packaging Co., L.P. (NYSE: GRM) from January 2008 through June 2009 involved helping over 100+ employees as well as managing the production lines for the oil and gas industry 24 hours per day, seven days per week. The shipping department was primarily African-American and was not privy to technological upgrades in the automation processes, and I volunteered my time to help them navigate the new shipping computer system by writing out step-by-step, click-by-click instructions while generating bills of lading for loading/transporting plastic bottles to customers such as Valvoline and Chevron/Texaco – all while remaining respectful and grateful of their trust and faith in sharing my knowledge despite the cultural divide. In doing so, respect was demonstrated through constant encouragement and offering my time to walk them through the new system (if needed). Additionally, I would walk the warehouse, climb the racks in heels, or drive to the other warehouse to help them find bottles/labels for the production line to keep operating. All of them, to this day, would say “she was nothing short of a team player to ensure the customers and plant were always happy.”
References
Bikson, T., Treverton, G., Moini, J., & Lindstrom, G. (2003). New challenges for international leadership: Lessons from organizations with global missions. RAND. http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/monograph_reports/2005/MR1670.pdf
Gough, S. (2022). Developing the next generation of global leaders [White paper]. Society for Industrial & Organizational Psychology (SOIP). https://www.siop.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/global-leaders.pdf
For additional insight, please see the following: https://j2rrinc.org/blog/preparation-for-science-technology-amp-education-growth-2023-2033-blatt-2022
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