Download - Harnessing Your Helicopter View
HARNESSING
YOUR
HELICOPTER
VIEWLearn about and reflect on
your proficient and
deficient leadership skills
It’s all about
the view…
An effective
leader utilizes a
helicopter view
of themselves,
others, and any
organizational
decisions.
Step 1: Cultural Awareness
First Understand
that leadership practices are molded by your surroundings
The
n Realize that there are diverse and equally workable ways of achieving common goals
Fin
ally Embrace a
learning environment that is open to new information and experiences
Step 2: Invite the Unexpected
Personal discipline and preparation are
required to even notice the unexpected
Learn from counterparts
Immerse yourself in diverse social and business cultures
Intentionally anticipate the unexpected
Unexpected
Are you ready for the
new view?• Have any of your
assumptions about
leadership been challenged
when you have observed
dissimilar leadership
practices? If so, which
ones?
• Do you recognize the
existing strengths of diverse
people and practices
before introducing your own
ideas?
• How does your own cultural
background shape your
leadership style?
losing the Gap
EFFECTIVE LEADERS MUST
LEARN HOW TO ADDRESS
VARIANCES TO
ACCOMPLISH
ORGANIZATIONAL
PURPOSES
Close the gap by building
relationships…
Follow local relationship-
building practices
Access local
networks
Let others help you
Obtain an objective cultural guide
Close the gap by frame-shifting…
Be prepared to have new frames of
reference and modify your approach to
various environments without losing sight of your primary business
objective
Modify perspective
and leadership methods as
needed
Alter communication
style and tactics as needed
Look forward to taking
off!• Are you authentically
committed to relationships
with counterparts from
different cultures,
environments, or
backgrounds?
• Do you prioritize
relationship-building with
colleagues from other
backgrounds ahead of your
own agenda?
• Do you maintain the same
leadership style wherever
you go, or modify your style
in different environments?
pening the System
EFFECTIVE LEADERS
APPRECIATE THE VALUE OF
EMPLOYEES BEING AWARE OF
THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS
OF OWNERSHIP AND LIABILITY
Step 1: Expand Ownership
Organization Employees
Goal: achieve the optimal balance of centralization and
decentralized authority
Step 2: Develop Future Leaders
Leader
Identify and cultivate
high-potential
individuals
Be strategic
Widen scope of
those who are driving
the change
Champion for others
Goal: work yourself out of a job
Up and away!• Do you set guidelines that
give employees a degree of freedom in shaping projects while also defining limits based upon their ability to contribute effectively?
• Have you created opportunities for high-potential local leaders to serve in more strategic regional and/or global roles?
• Do you develop future global
leaders from various cultural backgrounds based on their performance and potential?
reserving Balance
EFFECTIVE LEADERS
PRESERVE A BALANCE THAT
ENTAILS KNOWING WHEN TO
ADAPT AND WHEN NOT TO
ADAPT
Preserve balance by adapting
and adding value…
Challenge the
status quo
Introduce different
perspectives
Ask questions
Invest the time to
learn about the
new environment
before beginning
something new
Build a foundation
of mutual respect
and inquiry
Preserving balance by
embracing core values and
flexibility…
First…
Identify your essential core values
Then…
Be ready and willing to
understand and embrace culturally
diverse values
What a trip!• Can you manage effectively
within different cultural or
environmental context while
also raising good questions
about the way things are
normally done?
• How do you balance learning
and teaching? How do you
incorporate the ideas of
colleagues and customers from
other locations while also
offering new information and
ideas?
• Are you an effective advocate
for key personal and corporate
values, even in other locations
where these differ from local
norms?
Establishing solutions by influencing across boundaries…
Influence across functions
The ability to influence executives and entry level alike
Freedom to experiment
Opportunity to try new ideas
Creative Resourcefulness
Finding solutions with varying external circumstances
Role expansion
The ability to play the role of human
relations, international business strategy,
retail, etc.
Ambassador Role
Represent the business internally and
externally
Establishing solutions by
utilizing third-way solutions…
Ability to
put
everything
together
Be a
catalyst
Be
transparent
Discover
common
ground
Generate
real
solutions
Act as
a
bridge
Place needs of
organization
and customers
first
Welcome
input from
various
sources
Build upon
worthwhile
input from
any sources
Communicate
assumptionsConvey
expectations
Be
consistent
in your
actions
Look at that view!• Have you created a process
that incorporates the ideas
of team members from
different backgrounds to
create the best solutions for
the organization?
• How do you persuade
people across geographies
and organizational lines to
get the job done?
• Are you sufficiently
transparent that colleagues
from like and different
cultures understand your
expectations?
Seeing differences
1. Cultural self-awareness
2. Invite the unexpected
Closing the gap
3. Results through relationships
4. Frame-shifting
Opening the system
5. Expand ownership
6. Develop future leaders
Preserving balance
7. Adapt and add value
8. Core values and flexibility
Establishing solutions
9. Influence across boundaries
10. Third-way solutions
Has the SCOPE of your
leadership knowledge
broadened?Describe your new
helicopter view of
yourself and your
organization.
How will you use your
new knowledge and
personal reflection to
better yourself as a
domestic and/or
global leader?