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Into The Deep: Turbulent Times

November 5, 2010

As a business leader today, you have the unprecedented challenge not only of surviving, but accelerating through, the worldwide economic downturn. Credit is scarce, sales forecasts are depressing, unemployment is rampant, and the morale of remaining employees is sinking fast. To make matters worse, we are adrift at sea in a squall of epic proportions and no one seems to have a compass to navigate out of the eye of the storm. When we do eventually emerge, we have no idea where we will land or what the conditions will be. What we do know, is that this is a time of turbulent change worldwide – and with turbulent change comes both opportunity and risk. As people look to you for strength and guidance, you can be sure that you will be tested like never before. How you manage the ongoing crisis will have an enormous impact on your employees and your organization.

As the Captain of your ship, will you be the leader who seeks opportunity in chaos? Will you see the changes coming before others, put up the sails, and move faster than the competition? Will you ensure every business function, in every region, is aligned and coordinated so that everyone is in the same lifeboat, rowing in the same direction? Will you engage risk as a critical component of opportunity? Are you willing to rethink your strategy, so that you are financially agile and able to engage the opportunities the markets offer in times such as these? Or…not?

In recent times, the importance of holding cash has often been overlooked. However, as we struggle to stay afloat in rough seas, the best opportunities often reveal themselves when credit is tight and access to capital is limited. Cash allows access to hidden treasure – providing a mechanism to take advantage of market downturns when other investors are cash poor. The more cash is accessible, the better a company is able to gain access to capital and investment markets with a lower rate of borrowing for capital expenditures, acquisitions, or share repurchase.

Throughout the world, businesses are being forced to re-think how to operate in an environment where cash, once again, is king.  The ability to adapt to the changing tides remains a crucial competitive advantage – and for the foreseeable future, that competitive advantage is most accessible to those aggressively managing cash as a critical metric. Given today’s technology, there is no excuse for any leadership team not knowing the corporate cash position, across the organization, every day.

As you attempt to keep your eyes on the horizon, revenue growth is not the benchmark it once was. Now, every leader with financial responsibility must consider cash flow implications as part of the decision making process. That doesn’t mean savagely cutting all costs and hiding below decks until the storm has passed –  good investments should be made, however any cash expenditures should be carefully scrutinized and evaluated from three internal perspectives:  earnings from operations, working capital, and the sale of assets.  Sales should be weighed not so much by margin, but instead by how much inventory and receivables will be tied up and for how long. Projects previously evaluated on ROI, must now also be judged in terms of how much cash they consume vs. how much they can generate – and how soon they will actually bring in a return.

As leaders navigate their way through turbulent environments and confront the inability to secure capital due to increased credit restrictions, those who shift from a focus on the income statement to the balance sheet and cash reserves will triumph – coming out of the economic downturn much stronger, and more competitive, that ever before.  While top and bottom-line growth are important, the necessary condition to fuel growth is the availability of cash. As we are all well aware, even profitable companies can find themselves submerged in rough seas if they are not aggressively managing their cash. Although a critical success factor in its own right, profit is an accounting principle – bills and employees are paid with cash, not profit. With the ongoing financial crisis, companies that want to survive the storm had better hold onto cash as if were a life preserver, and declare credit dead weight. Those who ignore the need to refocus and neglect their cash flows may find themselves in Davy Jones Locker – as permanent residents!

How has your company changed the way it manages the financials in turbulent times?

Please engage the discussion and let us know how you stay afloat in rough seas. Please feel free to contact me at  Sheri.Mackey@LuminosityGlobal.com or by visiting our website at www.LuminosityGlobal.com. Check back next week for the next post on Leadership Across Boundaries and Borders.

Posted in Cash Management, Financial, Global, Into The Deep Series, Planning, Potential, Resources, Strategic Planning, Turbulent Times, Value Creation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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Mind The Gap: Cross-Cultural Interactions

September 23, 2010

Last week we began by discussing how “Mind The Gap”  is used as a warning by transit systems worldwide – just as “Mind The Gap” can also be used as a cautionary statement that could be critical to alerting leaders of  oncoming chasms that may derail the organization on its journey toward excellence. One aspect of organizational life that has great potential for derailment is  cross-cultural interactions – functional and interpersonal. In any cross-cultural interaction, customary evaluations and interpretations are more likely to be off-base, because there is less shared meaning and experience to draw on. People think differently, have different concepts of time, space, work, etc. –  if we are not careful to appreciate and value the contributions and knowledge that may be different from our own, we may never reach our destination!

In this era of globalization, many companies are expanding into multiple countries and cultures. However, no company should take a “one size fits all” approach to business management  and leadership styles. Because we are aware that many aspects of organizational behavior – such as teams, leadership, and conflict – vary by culture, it is important to understand that it is virtually impossible to fully understand all aspects, of all cultures, for any diverse group of people in our complex environments. At the same time, as a global leader, it is also absolutely critical to know and understand what you can do to ensure everyone feels validated, acknowledged, understood and valued.

Instead of focusing on individual cultures, it can be beneficial to focus on some key cultural orientations. Everyone has specific orientations, or ways of perceiving the world around them, primarily derived from our cultural background and the way we were raised.  These orientations, or world-views, combine to determine who we are and how we see the world around us. From that basis, we can observe several critical differentiators that specifically affect the way people view the world and the assumptions that are placed on interpretations in communication. Here are some orientations that are extremely helpful in working across multiple cultures simultaneously:

1.  Time Management:

A)  Scarce vs. Plentiful – Does an individual see time as scarce or plentiful?

B)  Monochronic/Polychronic – Does a person focus on one task at a time or do they concentrate simultaneously on multiple tasks?

2.    Identity & Purpose:

A)  Individual/Collectivist – Does someone emphasize individual attributes and accomplishments or focus on their affiliation or belonging to a group?

3.   Organization:

A)  Hierarchy/Equality – Does an individual  believe organizations need to be stratified for healthy functioning or that all people are equal and just happen to fill different roles?

B)  Universalist/Particularist – Does a person believe that common processes should be adopted for consistency and economies in scale or  favor tailoring to specific circumstances, decentralization, and custom solutions?

C)  Competitive/Collaborative – Does someone promote progress through competition or through  mutual support, sharing of best practices, and solidarity?

4.    Communications:

A)  High/Low Context – Does a person rely on implicit communication and appreciate the meaning of gestures, voice, and context or do they rely on explicit communication, preferring clear       instruction?

B)  Direct/Indirect – Does an individual favor clear and to the point communications or prefer not to address tough subjects directly?

C)  Affective/Neutral – Does someone display emotion and warmth when communicating or favor conciseness, precision, and detachment when communicating?

D)  Formal/Informal – Does a person observe strict protocols and rituals or familiarity and spontaneity?

5.   Modes of Thinking

A)  Analytical/Systemic – Does an individual separate the whole into its constituent parts or assemble the parts into a cohesive whole, focusing on the whole systems and it’s connections?

Although we have covered only a limited number of orientations, an understanding and use of cultural orientations communicates a sensitivity that will facilitate faster, more effective, results in a fraction of the time than a “one size fits all” approach can ever hope to achieve. If we can use orientations to better understand our own perceptions, as well as help us to understand the complex network of cultures surrounding us, we can then begin to leverage cultural orientations as a communication tool for discovering creative solutions to problems – increasing the human potential of everyone involved, from every culture, and achieving success on a journey toward high performance and fulfillment that will far exceed everyone’s expectations.

How can you leverage cultural orientations to discover new options, shift perspectives, and leverage differing worldviews as you move between and amongst different geographical locations and cultures?

Please engage the discussion and let us know how you mind the gaps in your organization. Please feel free to contact me at  Sheri.Mackey@LuminosityGlobal.com or by visiting our website at www.LuminosityGlobal.com. Check back next week for the next installment of Leadership Across Boundaries and Borders.

Posted in Communication, Cross-cultural, Cross-cultural Interactions, Global Leadership, Mind The Gap Series, Resources, Value Creation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

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Mind The Gap: Organization Culture

September 17, 2010

The phrase “Mind The Gap” was introduced in 1969 by the London Underground to warn passengers of the gap that exists between the train door and the station platform.  Today, it is used as a warning by transit systems worldwide. Just as it is important for passengers to “Mind The Gap” to prevent injury, it is equally important for organizations to “Mind The Gap” so they do not fall into the traps that will keep them from moving forward – organizational culture in a global organization is extremely complex and fraught with many potential chasms. It is very interesting that people think differently, have different concepts of time, space, work, etc. – however, if we are not careful to appreciate and value the contributions and knowledge that people bring, it is easy fall onto the tracks dead center of an oncoming train! This will cause waning business results, the degradation of important relationships, the sacrifice of your own success, and ultimately – almost certain death! Because globalization continues to gather momentum, the interactions between people from differing geographies and cultures is frequent, and intensifies the complexities of organizational culture. The more borders a company crosses, the greater the potential for misunderstanding and conflict amongst stakeholders, but also inherent is the potential for unimaginable reward. To succeed across both boundaries & borders, it is essential to break through the barriers of organizational culture and rigid patterns of thinking.

Today’s leaders are increasingly susceptible to a vicious cycle: repeatedly riding the bullet train of quick fixes. Consider the worst-case scenario in which this dangerous cycle gradually undermines an organization’s capacity to transform itself and remain competitive – after all, yesterdays solutions are often today’s challenges. Transforming an organization means fundamentally changing how all employees in an organization perceive, think, and behave—so that they can satisfy the diverse needs of disparate stakeholders. Because we operate in a constantly shifting global economy, renewing and transforming the organization remains at the forefront of senior leaders minds – without renewal and transformation a company can not sustain market share and market growth. Yet this incredibly complex problem is often addressed as if it were quite simple. Otherwise, why would senior leaders continually subject their organizations to quick-fix approaches that rarely, if ever, result in long-term survival and success?

Some common systemic barriers, or “gaps”, that are pervasive in organizations today (although not all-inclusive by any means):

  • Mistrust within & across functions, geographies, and cultures
  • Withholding of information & expertise
  • Unwillingness to change old habits & traditional practices
  • Defensive communication, finger pointing, and demeaning behavior
  • Reluctance to express true opinions and disagreements in group meetings
  • Little or no cooperation and teamwork across boundaries & borders
  • Strategic goals not deployed into clear tasks and objectives — making priorities vague and confusing, and accountability near impossible
  • Overlapping and virtual boundaries are treated as separate fiefdoms, empires, and silos
  • Reward systems ignore group performance, teamwork, and contributions to process improvement

If these systemic barriers are ingrained throughout an organization, what is the likelihood that employees from different functions, geographies, and cultures will effectively collaborate with one another in cross-functional teams to move the organization forward? I dare say – not very likely! Simply having heard about the quality program in the company newsletter, having received a mission statement on a calendar card/poster/coffee mug, or having learned some new skill in a half-day workshop are not enough to create significant improvements. And when these efforts fail—as they do about seventy-five percent of the time, leaders gravitate from one quick fix approach to another – searching for the promise of an even greater improvement. Since  the first change didn’t succeed, let’s now try another, better change! And the cycle continues…still with little success.

Transforming the way in which all employees perceive, think, and behave requires fundamental change in a variety of interrelated systems and processes throughout the organization—which is quite distinct from hoping to transform an organization by relying on a quick-fix approach. Implementing an ongoing series of singular approaches is also quite likely to fail (1) if the sequence does not address the order of operations, focusing on the change itself vs. what and how things must change  (2) if the interrelationships among these various approaches are ignored and (3) if the human component is neglected. In sharp contrast, a holistic program that addresses culture, skill acquisition, team alignment, strategy, and rewards will provide an integrated sequence of activities and cross-boundary teams that remove systemic barriers to success before proceeding to improving business processes, learning processes, and ego-defining processes. In reality, leaders often go about the order of operations backwards – trying to change processes before addressing the order, interrelationships, and human elements of change. Implementing a holistic program is no small challenge, but it does allow one to “Mind The Gap” and position the organization for unimaginable success.

What are you doing to “Mind The Gap” and ensure sustainable change in your organization?

I would love for you to engage the discussion and let us know how you mind the gaps in your organization. Please feel free to contact me at  Sheri.Mackey@LuminosityGlobal.com or by visiting our website at www.LuminosityGlobal.com. Check back next week for the next installment of Leadership Across Boundaries and Borders.

Posted in Communication, Culture, Global Leadership, Leadership, Mind The Gap Series, Organizational Culture, Potential, Resources, Value Creation | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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Leadership Lessons From Haiti

September 8, 2010

A few weeks ago my husband and I led a missions team to Haiti. As I was observing (and serving) in the poorest country in the western hemisphere,  I began to think about how there are some leadership lessons inherent in the environment in Haiti that most of us could stand to think about more often. You may think to yourself, “what can I learn from a country that has 90% unemployment and a 70% illiteracy rate?” These statistics are correct… and there are some important reminders (lessons) that impact how we interact with people as leaders and how far people are willing to go to serve you. Here are just a few of the things that come to mind:

  1. Understand, you can’t possibly understand…

Living and visiting third world countries on a regular basis throughout most of my life, I am more aware than most of cultural diversity and the impact it has within a single culture, much less a wider application. In Haiti, I was reminded that because I live within my own paradigms, I can never fully understand the plight of those outside of them. Despite seeing poverty in its most extreme, I have never been that poor….despite witnessing oppression at its worst, I have never really been oppressed…No matter how much, as global leaders we would like to think we understand, chances are we are just not equipped to comprehend the complexity and diversity that resides within our global organizations.  The myriad of cultural challenges our diverse global communities present, only serves to remind us that while we can certainly learn and understand general orientations and respect and value others worldviews, we can not fully understand individual people by observing from a physical or psychological level.  The diversity and complexity of those individuals is shaped not only by their culture, but by their life experiences and  the dozens of values, thousands of attitudes and tens of thousands of beliefs that continually evolve throughout a lifetime. As global leaders, where we can be effective is through active listening, understanding that there is more than one “best way”,  and having the capacity to facilitate the blending of the best of all cultural elements to make the whole more than the sum of the parts.

Read the rest of this entry ?

Posted in Communication, Cross-cultural, Development, Education, Global, Leadership, Leadership Lessons From Haiti, Leadership Lessons: Haiti, Lessons From Abroad Series, Potential, Resources, Team Building, Value Creation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

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School of Hard Knocks: Knockout Round

September 2, 2010

As you may have guessed, I have come to realize very clearly over time that there is a remarkable gap between what we learn in business school and what we need to be successful in the ever-evolving world of global business – as such over the past few weeks I have focused on some of the more critical items. Understand that I am the beneficiary of some of the finest universities and professors in the world (and respect and honor both greatly), but I am also a realist who has been out there long enough to know with certainty that there are certain skills just not taught in business school that are indeed critical to success, and often survival, in global business. I realize there are many I have not covered, but the goal is just to bring the challenge to the forefront so we can begin to proactively discuss the issues and identify ways to ensure the success of our global executives. Here is the last installment in this series with two final(for now) important aspects of global leadership that are not typically taught in business school:

1)   How to Acquire Talent That Drives Your Success

Why is it that leaders can not be instructed in business school as to how to hire to facilitate their own success? I come across more global leaders that were just not taught how to build strong teams through talent acquisition or development. Why aren’t leaders taught that it is actually detrimental to your success to hire people just like you? It would seem to be common sense that a leader would hire to fill his own gaps, thus making the leader, the team, and the organization much stronger…but it is not.

Here are a few high level tips:

  • Rule #1: Understand your own strengths and weaknesses – until you do, you will never build exceptional teams.
  • Rule #2: Have a vision. Set your goals. Know what you are trying to achieve. Then, and only then, hire for that impossible future – you will be far more likely to recruit those who will facilitate your success if you hire with the future in mind.
  • Rule # 3: Do not hire people just like you. If you hire good candidates that have the same strengths and weaknesses (yes, we all have them) you have, you will never fill in the gaps and create a sustainable model that drives your success. A well-rounded team that compliments your skills will take you much further, much faster.
  • Rule #4: Hire for diversity, not continuity . The more diverse the individuals, the bigger pool of knowledge and talent resides on the team and in the organization. Continuity will emerge naturally – through a much more interesting variety of people.
  • Rule #5: Hire for accountability & ability to execute. Make sure you have people who consistently deliver – great ideas and an enviable vision are useless if there is no accountability for results and an inability to execute.

2)   How To Incorporate Cultural Orientations

In today’s global marketplace, it is almost impossible to work within a single culture. The skill to work across cultures is such a critical need, yet it provokes little interest in a university setting. Because cultural orientations affect our assumptions and perspectives, it is important to understand what a cultural orientation is and how it affects worldviews. Everyone has specific orientations, or ways of perceiving the world around them, primarily derived from our cultural background and the way we were raised.  These orientations, or world-views, combine to determine who we are and how we see the world around us.

If global leaders were given the knowledge and opportunity to leverage orientations to better understand their own perceptions, as well as helping them to understand the complex network of cultures surrounding them, they could begin to leverage cultural orientations as a communication tool for discovering creative solutions to problems. This would highlight the unique potential of everyone involved, from every culture, and would provide significant leverage to achieve success on the journey toward high performance and fulfillment –  providing the opportunity to far exceed expectations.

If the concept of cultural orientation was taught in business school, leaders would have an enormous head start – allowing them to discover new options, shift perspectives, and quite possibly, to leverage differing orientations to move between and amongst different geographies, functions, and cultures to generate exceptional business results.

Those skills not taught in business schools are so deeply rooted in the day to day operations of global business, perhaps they are not well suited to traditional university teaching. If this is the case, where and how do we ensure our global leaders are learning these critical skills? We know that corporate training can often be ineffective and retention rates are low – especially for busy executives that make decisions and interact on various levels all day, every day. If we are to tool our executives with the skills to accelerate their organizations, we will need to better leverage non-traditional learning to provide reinforcement models so that learned skills become ingrained in everyday actions. We will need to look to effective, ongoing methods – often based in experience rather than theory – to facilitate organizational success on every level.

This week I would like to challenge you to get involved and make a difference in a young leader’s life – teach those skills, and develop those characteristics, that are not taught in business school. How are you going to engage in a young leaders life and make a difference on an ongoing basis?

I would love for you to engage the discussion, and let us know how you believe that current global business leaders can make a difference and fill the gaps that business school may leave. Please feel free to contact me at Sheri.Mackey@LuminosityGlobal.com or by visiting our website at www.LuminosityGlobal.com. Check back next week for the next installment of Leadership Across Boundaries and Borders.

Posted in Business School Final Round, Communication, Cross-cultural, Development, Education, Global, Knockout Round, Leadership, Potential, Resources, School of Hard Knocks Series, Uncategorized, Value Creation | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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Business School or School of Hard Knocks? part 2

August 27, 2010


High potential global leaders quickly realize that there are challenges and roadblocks that they were not prepared for and that had not previously been contemplated.  Topics such as politics, networking, accountability, challenging the status quo, mentoring/coaching, execution, big picture/small picture balance,  etc. are not necessarily taught in business school, but these obstacles can derail careers and cause people to question their commitment to global business. If we are to successfully evolve leadership on a global basis, it is vitally important that we understand these challenges and ensure they are addressed – if not in business school, then certainly within our organizations. Here is the second installment with two more important aspects of global leadership that are not typically taught in business school:

1)   How To Navigate Organizational Politics

The definition of organizational  politics, or (more importantly) how to navigate them, is simply not taught in business school, yet the ability to master the political chessboard is absolutely essential to every executive’s success. A critical component to organizational success is sponsorship and stakeholder engagement. If you engage support from above, laterally, and below, you are likely to succeed. This equates to political influence. To influence others requires building relationships of trust and persuading others to follow, thus leading to power within your domain. To ignore politics in your organization is to ignore those underlying forces that account for the difference between success and failure between equally talented people.  People who understand and use politics to their advantage are much more likely to succeed than their politically naïve counterparts.

Leaders need to quickly identify those likely to support them and build strong coalitions aligning individual needs with organizational goals. You must realize that in addition to power and influence, organizational politics is a function of culture – and that politics will always serve both individual and organizational agendas. In order to master the political chessboard, you must to take a strategic approach to politics and should employ the following tips, while recognizing this is not an exhaustive list:

 

 

 

  • Spend time with opponents: Most of us spend time with our allies, who we trust and who agree with us… when the people we have the most to learn from are our opponents.
  • Never take anything personally: If it’s not personal it is far easier to maintain focus on what we are trying to achieve. It is our choice whether or not we will personalize things that happen.
  • Constantly reframe: It is natural to assume that it is “all about us” – the alternative is to recognize that much of politics is about people working to get things done within a diverse community of interests.
  • Leverage power dynamics: Recognize that power comes in several forms: legitimate, referent, reward, expert, and coercive power. Much of politics is based on power – who’s got it and how you can use it to your advantage.
  • Build on mutually beneficial interlocking relationships: The better you are at networking, the better you will be at organizational politics.
  • Focus on interests, not positions: In the interest of finding common ground, care about people’s interests and ask more questions.

Leaders need to inspire people to act by creating clarity and unity of purpose – building synergies through organizational values. We can leverage political skills to manipulate others… or to influence them to achieve more than they ever thought possible. As a global leader, which do you believe will accomplish more and move the organization forward faster?

2)   How To Find A Strong Mentor / How To Be A Value-add Mentor

Seeking a qualified mentor is as difficult as becoming one – and business school does not prepare our leaders for either scenario. Early in a career, a mentor is invaluable, and having the necessary skills to seek out and convince a value-add leader to invest in you can expedite your career exponentially. It’s hard to overestimate the value of a confidant from whom you can seek feedback on your ideas, advice on strategy, or a little support when things are not going as well as expected. But cultivating a mentor can be difficult – it takes perseverance to find the right person (with the right skills, position and attitude) that is willing to invest significant time and energy into your success. Unfortunately, the knowledge and wisdom to engage a mentor or coach early in a leaders career is not something that is readily facilitated in business school,  nor once out in the workplace when it could be truly effective and meaningful. Do not make the mistake that so many executives do (at any stage in your career) – find an exceptional mentor or hire a phenomenal coach.

Here are just a few qualities to seek,  either as an individual trying to identify a mentor or as a mentor seeking to maximize your value:

 

 

  • Willingness to share skills, knowledge, and expertise – A good mentor teaches what s/he knows willingly, understanding that good mentoring requires time and commitment. S/he is willing to share information and their ongoing support.
  • Acts as a positive role model – A good mentor exhibits the personal attributes it takes to be successful. S/he continually demonstrates the specific behaviors and actions required to succeed.
  • Takes a personal interest – A good mentor does not take his/her responsibility as a mentor lightly. S/he feels invested in a protégés and is committed to helping them find success and gratification in their chosen profession. Overall good mentoring requires empowering a mentee to develop their own strengths, beliefs, and personal attributes.
  • Provides guidance and constructive feedback – One of the key responsibilities of a good mentor is to provide guidance and constructive feedback to their mentee.
  • Good Listening Skills – a good mentor will genuinely listen, know your interests and commitments, and be able to ask you, first hand, how things are going.
  • Engenders Respect at all levels of the organization – A good mentor is someone who is well respected and whose contributions are appreciated.

The question remains – Can we facilitate the success of high potential global leaders through the acquisition of critical skills not taught in business school?

Because this is supposed to be a blogpost and not a book, I have addressed just two additional critical skills not taught in business school – the remainder of the abbreviated list will appear as next weeks post. I would love for you to engage the discussion, and let me know what skills you believe are critical to global business that are not taught in business school. Please feel free to contact me at Sheri.Mackey@LuminosityGlobal.com or by visiting our website at www.LuminosityGlobal.com. Check back next week for the final (extended) installment of Business School or School of Hard Knocks?

Posted in Business School Part 2, Cross-cultural, Development, Education, Leadership, Resources, School of Hard Knocks Series, Value Creation | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

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Global Leaders: “Psyched” for Success?

August 5, 2010

 

Global business leaders are not born to lead effectively. They must actively and consciously develop a global mindset and the ability to lead across cultures, geographies and functions. Unfortunately, all data indicates global corporations today have a short supply of experienced global leaders who are able to successfully work across boundaries and borders. How can we effectively contribute to minimizing global leadership failures and maximizing the likelihood of global leadership success?  As economic and business globalization continues to accelerate exponentially, those individuals who successfully acquire the knowledge and skill to lead organizations into a more complex and competitive marketplace will become more and more critical to organizational success – organizations must support these linchpin leaders in order to facilitate strong, sustainable results.

As a reminder, a recent conservative study on global leadership failure rates indicate that 37% of leaders filling global leadership roles fail, while other studies on global leadership failure rates range from 41 -55% . We MUST take action to facilitate global leadership success.  After 20+ years of working in global business, and several more coaching global executives,  I can only communicate what I know to be effective in facilitating leadership success in global environments. It is complex and it is difficult –  there is no simple answer. However, by following some general guidelines as to what to look for and what to focus on, it is possible to provide global leaders with the tools, skills, and knowledge to be successful across boundaries and borders.

Last week I posted commentary on what I consider the “Intellectual Acumen” necessary for global leadership.  This week we will look at the second component: Psychological Acumen and it’s corresponding subsets:

2.  Psychological Acumen: Openness to new ideas/experiences.

  • Self-confidence: Is the executive willing to take calculated risks in context? Does the executive encompass critical mental and emotional behaviors, including self-assurance and empathy across multicultural environments? Is there an ability to thrive in complex and unpredictable environments? Does s/he have the ability to be energized, rather than drained, by operating in foreign environments?
  • Principled Mindset: Despite new ideas and experiences, is there a guiding set of core values, and the ability to remain authentic regardless of the situational and environmental challenges? Can the executive effectively communicate the corporation’s shared values and strategy without isolating diverse cultures and geographies?
  • Passion for diversity: Is there a passion for exploring the world? An appreciation for other cultures and what can be learned from them? A desire to try new, unconventional, and innovative things? Is there a high tolerance for the unpredictable? Is there a commitment to continuous learning despite environmental change?

These qualities are rare in most circles.  Just as importantly, it is rarely a simple matter to assess the right competencies for a global leader, and in almost every case it  is very situational.  From my experience, psychological acumen are critical competencies for global executives that can’t simply be applied through “traditional training” methods. These, similar to intellectual acumen, are longer term, personal integration issues, which if not incorporated through sustained, continual, coaching and reinforcement, will also ensure the failure rate of global executives will continue to soar – a key contributor to global organizations inability to achieve their potential.

What are you doing to contribute to the success of global business?

Next week I will cover the third of the core components that I believe are essential to global leadership success, Social Acumen,  followed by a discussion specifically on those competencies that are critial to global leadership success, but are not necessarily taught in business school.

Please feel free to contact me at Sheri.Mackey@LuminosityGlobal.com or by visiting our website at www.LuminosityGlobal.com. Check back next week for the next installation of Leadership Across Boundaries & Borders. FZP76BC9FG4Q

Posted in Communication, Cross-cultural, Global, Global Leader Series, Leadership, Potential, Psyched For Success?, Resources, Team Building, Value Creation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

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The Evolution of Leadership

June 26, 2010

The hallowed halls of The University of Cambridge, one of my Alma Maters and one of the oldest universities in the world, is believed to have been formed in 1209 by scholars who had left Oxford after a dispute with local townspeople, developed into one of the most respected universities in the world. Through the decades it has produced more than 80 Nobel prize winners and nurtured some of history’s greatest thinkers:  John Milton, Isaac Newton, Hans Blix, Ludvig Wittgenstein, CS Lewis, Francis Crick and James Watson (the structure of DNA), Sylvia Plath, Charles Darwin and Stephen Hawking – to mention just a few. As I attended Cambridge’s 800th anniversary last year, I was again honored by the intellect that surrounds me.  But, at the same time, I recognize very clearly that there is a remarkable gap between what we learn in business school and what we need to be successful in the ever-evolving world of global business. I am the beneficiary of some of the finest Professsors in the world, yet there are topics not necessarily taught in business school, that are indeed critical to survival in global business – some of my favorite challenges to discuss.

The Unspoken subject-matter emerges as you dive headlong into the unpredictable environment of global business and suddenly realize that there are challenges and roadblocks that you were not advised of and that you had not previously contemplated.  Topics such as politics, networking, challenging the status quo, the importance of rapid results, mentoring/coaching, execution, big picture/small picture balance , etc… These challenges and roadblocks often derail careers and cause people to question their commitment to global business. If we are to successfully evolve leadership on a global basis, it is vitally important that we understand these challenges and ensure they are addressed.

Because these topics are so deeply rooted in the day to day operations of global business, they are not well suited, in most instances, to academic institutions. In addition, we know that corporate training is often ineffective and retention rates are low. If we are to tool our executives with the skills to accelerate their organizations, we will need to better leverage non-traditional learning. We will need to look to effective, ongoing methods, often based in experience rather than theory, in order to facilitate organizational success on every level.

Gary Hamel‘s commentary on Leadership and how it has not fundamentally changed in over 100 years is accurate. We may move things around, make them look a little different, or phrase them in a different way – but there has been little actual innovation in leadership theory and practice in a very long time. It occurs to me how absolutely critical it is for academia and business to come together for the greater good – the future of global business and interculturism depend on it. If we are to evolve, we will need to look to Translational Science – essentially taking what is developed in the “lab” and deploying it effectively in real-world scenarios, and vice versa – taking what we know and understand to be real in global business and partnering with academia to make it more effective.

Please join me next week for a continuation of this discussion, detailing some potential ways to effectively deploy translational science into  both academic and business environments. You can contact me at Sheri.Mackey@LuminosityGlobal.com or by visiting our website at www.LuminosityGlobal.com. Check back next Thursday for the next installation  of Leadership Across Boundaries & Borders.

Posted in Communication, Cross-cultural, Development, Leadership, Potential, Resources, The Evolution of Leadership, Translational Science Series, Value Creation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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A Culture Called Execution

June 7, 2010

 

Becoming an Extreme Global Leader is more than just a title or buzzword – it is hard work.  It requires unprecedented levels of innovation and a commitment to the organization and its constituents across the globe, as well as the ability to continually inspire and motivate others to succeed. One key way to achieve ongoing innovation and global results is through the creation of an execution culture.

Every leader has an opportunity to accelerate progress in their global organization through the deployment of Rapid Result Initiatives (RRI’s), which can be used to:

  • Increase current performance
  • Strengthen collaboration
  • Facilitate innovation
  • Demonstrate success in the process of executing a winning game-plan

RRI’s are small, high leverage wins that build the capacity for large-scale change, as well as momentum toward the game-changing future. Extreme Global Leaders understand they must calculate their steps and fully understand what they have and how to use it most effectively to continually move forward. Radical innovators tend to view their organizations as portfolios of RRI’s leading to The Big Game. Sun Tzu, a great Chinese military general, was very insightful when he once said, “Opportunities multiply as they are seized.” – how accurate that statement is.

It is the role of the Extreme Global Leader to provide a structure that enables the creation of a culture of execution that drives unity of purpose, alignment of commitments, coordinated action, and the ability for the global team to lead creatively in their problem-solving methodologies. Having a clear purpose for breakthrough performance enables the team to produce results that not only represent a global win, but that are critical to the journey toward the collective and interpersonal game-changing future. The Extreme Global Leader leverages opportunities to create Rapid Result Initiatives in which culturally disparate team members can successfully step outside their familiar frameworks to create a culture of execution. In doing so, global team members gain the freedom to think in new ways and forge a new culture based on common goals and values. As they begin to understand success as a global unit, they start to believe and see the game-changing future as entirely possible – they are suddenly vested in winning the Big Game.

How game-changing futures come to be, and the challenges the leaders of these innovations face, create valuable lessons for the Extreme Global Leader willing to listen and learn. If astute, you will continually re-think what is possible in an ever-changing global environment. In so doing, the capability to deliver powerful, execution-driven global teams will emerge. Teams globally aligned around the accomplishment of unified impossible futures, as well as achieving specific breakthrough business results through RRI’s, are teams destined for unimaginable global success. After all, Extreme Global Leaders develop in the process of creating Extreme Global Results!

You can contact me at Sheri.Mackey@LuminosityGlobal.com or by visiting our website at www.LuminosityGlobal.com. Check back next Thursday for the next installation  of Leadership Across Boundaries & Borders.

Posted in Extreme Leaders: A Culture Called Execution, Extreme Leadership Series, Global, Leadership, Potential, Resources, Value Creation | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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Extreme Leaders: Mentor Your Mavericks

May 26, 2010

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

~ Mahatma Gandhi

Mentors represent knowledge, reflection, insight, and wisdom. They offer understanding, compassion, strategy, and good advice. They engender trust, issue challenges, provide encouragement, and offer positive reinforcement. It is the Extreme Global Leaders responsibility to mentor those brilliant mavericks that global business attracts – those individuals defined as willfully independent and dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge and innovation. They challenge the common practices of global business – business they see as ready for change and renewal. Mavericks continually raise uncomfortable questions that challenge the status quo, inspiring us to go wider and deeper – not to hide from the reality of the ever-evolving global marketplace.  Mavericks consistently inquire into how they can do something radically different. They want to think about the next big idea and make it happen. Mavericks want to make a difference, discover how to re-create and re-energize their team, division, organization, and their world.  They are Extreme Leaders in the making – you want Mavericks, indeed, you NEED them.

In his book, Leading The Revolution, Gary Hamel warns, “Most people in an industry are blind in the same way. They’re all paying attention to the same things, and not paying attention to the same things”. Mavericks are just the opposite, they understand that strategy and product/service development can no longer be about replication, competing from virtually identical playbooks – they get that innovation and reinvention are an “X” factor to organizational (and individual) success. Extreme Global Leaders know that mavericks are their best opportunity to continually and successfully reinvent the organization.

A transformational approach to leading mavericks is required. A single maverick can be challenging, a team of global mavericks can be downright intimidating – yet exhilarating at the same time. Mavericks are extremely confident by nature and if managed appropriately, are likely to unleash their creativity and insight to the benefit of the entire global organization. Appreciating and recognizing the possibilities mavericks bring to an organization is extremely important. When processes or projects become entangled, turn to skilled mavericks for unorthodox solutions and infectious enthusiasm, and leverage their willingness to involve and commit themselves 110% to ideas and projects. If change is causing chaos and confusion in the organization, a maverick’s visionary foresight will encourage creativity and inspire the whole group to passionately pursue their game-changing future.  Always keep in mind what Earl Bakken says about these unique individuals: “You want to have some mavericks who are out ahead 5 or 6 years. If you don’t have them, you better grow them …”.

It is critically important for a Global Leader to establish and maintain an environment where new ideas— often outside of the corporate norm, sometimes radical—can be heard and evaluated. Extreme Leaders find ways to pay specific attention to what their “idea people” are saying and doing – they listen and understand that from the maverick will come the innovation and reinvention of the future. They listen, even when the listening is not particularly pleasant or easy. They understand, as they listen, that talented mavericks do not always communicate in a direct or linear manner. In some cases, the communication is both brilliant and unintelligible, and it becomes the role of the Extreme Leader to provide for the essential interpretation and operationalization to leverage the information to the company’s benefit. It is the Extreme Global Leader’s function to hear the ideas, but more importantly, to encourage and guide them toward successful ends.

Extreme Global Leaders neither bury brilliant mavericks, nor let them venture too far off on their own – they mentor them in a purposeful and meaningful context. With an enormous amount of imagination and patience, Extreme Global Leaders accommodate their thinkers on a global basis and give them the support their brilliance deserves. The challenge in leading mavericks is great, but so, too, are the potential rewards. Who are your mavericks and how are you going to mentor them?

You can contact me at Sheri.Mackey@LuminosityGlobal.com or by visiting our website at www.LuminosityGlobal.com. Check back next Thursday for the next installation  of Leadership Across Boundaries & Borders.

Posted in Communication, Extreme Leaders: Mentor Your Mavericks, Extreme Leadership Series, Leadership, Potential, Resources, Value Creation | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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