During my time abroad, I encountered countless forms of leadership. From college students navigating unfamiliar streets to managers of global industries navigating unfamiliar cultures, the word ‘leader’ could define all of us in certain situations. There are so many qualities that fall under the umbrella of leadership-humility, intelligence, influence, charisma, respect, loyalty, passion-it would be hard to not demonstrate any. Where do we draw the line? Between a leader and someone demonstrating leadership; between good and bad leadership; between a leader and a global leader? I asked these questions throughout my experience, and repeatedly I found one ubiquitous answer- it depends.
Global mindset |
Leadership philosophy |
Cross-cultural values |
Leadership is a universal language. Around the globe, leadership can be broken down into the same fundamental bits and pieces. The ideal combination of aspects that make up good leadership is dependent on the situation. A great leader in a small business in Malaysia could be a terrible leader in corporate England; there is no perfect formula for what constitutes good leadership. An understanding of the environment is important for all leaders, but global environments are rapidly changing and complex. When dealing with abstract problems, we have to provide equally fluid and complex solutions. Because of this, adaptability and a growth-mindset are key.
Leadership cannot be a plug and chug formula, but prior experiences and personal values form a basis for courses of action that consistently demonstrate positive results across different environments. In this way, global leadership is about the development of a personal philosophy rather than the memorization of set techniques and strategies. Using an individual yet methodical approach to management, decision-making, and reflection creates integrity through consistency. |
"Experience isn’t the best teacher, it’s the only teacher." ~Albert Schweitzer
With experiences in leadership in various settings around the globe, I have discovered firsthand that leadership cannot be taught. As many lessons as we learned in the classroom, as many or more were learned through the uncertainty, exploration, and vulnerability that comes with immersion into new cultures. The most fundamental lesson this experience has taught me is that leadership cannot be generalized to a culture or industry or style. Having open discussions with Czech and British entrepreneurship students, German business students, and leaders from around the globe, I found that everyone had something to teach as well as something to learn. Leadership is a habitual exercise of observation, analysis, experimentation, and reflection which I will continue to practice as I move forwards in my career. |
INTEGRITY- Leaders must establish integrity by constantly reinforcing, encouraging, and acting by and on shared personal and organizational values. Because leaders represent team members, a part of integrity and building trust is making sound decisions. The global industry is filled with unknowns and risks, but with enough consideration (of stakeholders needs, relevant data, creative ideas, future consequences, past examples, experts in the field, etc.) we become comfortable making decisions and confident even in the face of failure.
RESPECT- Regardless of differences, respect is a fundamental need across cultures and perspectives. Respect is demonstrated by respect for yourself and others as well as treating people with an equal amount of dignity, empathy and compassion no matter who they are. Having respect builds not only trust, but respect in return, and it facilitates communication across cultures. BALANCE- A leader must balance confidence in his or her own decisions with humility and a tempered ego. This draws from the foundation of flexibility and continuous growth and learning. Before leading a team, a leader must learn from and about the people and the purpose of that team in order to adapt and provide guidance tailored to the circumstances. |
THEORY TO PRACTICE
How did I build the capital of my global mindset?
How did I build the capital of my global mindset?
Self-awareness in my values and strengths (Social Capital)
Interactions with other cultures helped me examine the difference between personal values and cultural values, and which values were shared with students and leaders from Czechia, England, and Germany.
Various leadership evaluations such as: team roles, global mindset assessment, discussion of ethical case studies, MBTI, the Motivators Assessment, facilitation activities, and Adizes Management styles evaluation
Confidence in my decisions (Psychological Capital)
The study and practice of various leadership strategies such as negotiation and persuasion, Hofstede cultural analysis, and many methods and models for decision making.
Development of reflection techniques through guided sessions and activities
Opportunities to lead in a team environment and reflect with others on those experiences
Experience practicing different forms of leadership including facilitation in diverse environments, crucial conversations using STATE method, and multiple business simulations in a team setting
Flexibility of my mindset (Intellectual Capital)
Tools for self-reflection: Individual development plans, reflective papers,
Experiencing the formation of a team from beginning to end with extensive analysis.
Repeated opportunities to change and develop my mindset during class.
Papers throughout the process reflecting the growth I experienced through the journey to look back on
Adapting to three different cultures and five different classes in the span of nine weeks, keeping my mindset fluid and open.
What comes next?Unfortunately, my time abroad was cut short. However, this remains the most impactful experience of my lifetime. In order to incorporate the values I learned into my life at home, I will continue seeking opportunities for transformative growth. Currently, I am looking for a summer internship in 2021 with an international company that shares the same values of integrity, respect and balance. Looking to the future, I hope to find a career that allows me to continue traveling and expanding my global mindset. With the ability to recognize different needs of teams and organizations, address problems with creative solutions, and work effectively in all sorts of team environments, I feel ready for whatever challenges I might face in the workforce.
Contact me. |