how global leaders develop: implications for practice

How Global Leaders Develop: Implications and Recommendations for Global Leadership Development Practice Steve Terrell, Ed.D.

Introduction

•  These slides describe several implications and recommendations for the practice of global leadership development, based on the findings of research into How Global Leaders Develop.

•  These implications and recommendations will make more sense to you if you become familiar with the research study and its findings, which can be found on my LinkedIn profile as a SlideShare presentation, or by following this link: http://slidesha.re/I4pd00

© 2012 Aspire Consulting. All Rights Reserved. 2

Research Study Overview

Globalization is driving an increased need for leaders who possess competencies that enable them to lead effectively. For this study, the researcher used Moustakas’s phenomenological research method to explore the developmental experiences of global leaders, as well as what and how the leaders learned from the experiences. Conclusions indicate that global leaders: a)  Develop through first-hand global leadership experience b)  Learn the importance of cultural sensitivity, relationships and

networks, and curiosity or desire to learn c)  Require a unique set of global leadership competencies d)  Are driven by curiosity, openness, and a desire to learn; and e)  Develop and learn intuitively.


Implications and Recommendations for Global Leadership Development Practice

•  The conclusions of this study bear implications for practice within the field of global leadership development.

•  Implications and recommendations to address these implications are presented in the following slides.


Implications and Recommendations

Conclusion #1 Implication Recommendations The leaders in this study developed as global leaders by gaining first-hand, direct, personal, cross-cultural, and global leadership experience that challenged their perspectives and assumptions and stretched their comfort zones

Organizations seeking to increase the numbers of leaders with global leadership capabilities who are prepared to effectively fulfill global leadership roles may consider providing potential global leaders with first-hand, direct, personal, cross-cultural, and global leadership experience and developmental assignments that challenge their perspectives and assumptions and stretch their comfort zones.

Recommended developmental assignments include: •  Intensive cross-cultural

experiences •  Global project team

assignments •  Global meetings with

global, cross-cultural participants and issues

•  Global travel •  Out of home country site

visits •  Global leadership

development programs •  Long-term expatriate

assignments


Implications and Recommendations

Conclusion #2 Implication Recommendations The global leaders in this study learned the importance and value of cultural sensitivity through their experiences of working and living in different geographies and cultures.

Organizations should consider adopting practices that foster multicultural understanding and sensitivity for potential global leaders as one element of their approach to global leadership development.

Recommended practices include: •  Foster increased self-

awareness regarding cultural sensitivity through cultural sensitivity assessment and feedback, coaching, and mentoring.

•  Convey the importance of understanding, appreciating, valuing, and leveraging cultural differences through training, education, coaching, and mentoring.

•  Provide tools to help leaders understand different points of view and perspectives through the use of feedback, coaching, and mentoring.


Conclusions, Implications, and Recommendations

Conclusion #2 (cont’d) Implication Recommendations (cont’d)

The global leaders in this study learned the importance and value of cultural sensitivity through their experiences of working and living in different geographies and cultures.

Organizations should consider adopting practices that foster multicultural understanding and sensitivity for potential global leaders as one element of their approach to global leadership development.

Recommended practices include: •  Emphasize the importance of

openness and interest in other cultures by actively and purposely engaging individuals from multiple cultures in teams, business meetings, presentations, and work sessions that focus on international, multicultural, and global issues, problems, and challenges.

•  Develop potential global leaders’ ability to pay attention to clues and nuances of behavior through focused training that uses observation, assessment, feedback, and coaching.

•  Provide feedback, coaching, and other developmental activities aimed at increasing flexibility and adaptability as means of adapting to different cultures and customs.



Conclusion #3 Implication Recommendations (cont’d)

Global leaders require a unique set of global leadership competencies to effectively fulfill their roles. •  Cultural awareness and

sensitivity •  Global mindset or

perspective •  Learning from

experience •  Developing and

maintaining relationships •  Communication •  Traits or attitudes •  Knowledge and skills

Organizations should identify the specific global leadership competencies needed by their global leaders, and use that knowledge to establish and/or enhance their ability to identify, source, hire, develop, reward, and retain global leaders.

Recommended practices include: •  Establish a company-

specific global leadership competency model that is tied to the company’s strategic challenges and capability needs

•  Integrate the model into the key components of the human capital management system •  Talent Management/

Succession Planning •  Leadership

Development •  Performance

Management •  360° Feedback •  Reward/Recognition •  Recruiting, Selection



Conclusion #4 Implication Recommendations Global leaders are driven by curiosity, openness, and a desire to learn.

Global organizations, as one element of their approach to global leadership development, should adopt practices that foster curiosity about other countries and cultures, as well as a desire to learn about them, within potential and new global leaders

Specific practices they may consider include the following: •  Provide feedback,

coaching, training, or mentoring in learning the patience to listen deeply and learn from others while maintaining an attitude of discovery and exploration.

•  Promote the need to be humble, tolerant, and nonjudgmental in global leadership roles through observation, feedback, coaching, and mentoring



Conclusion #5 Implication Recommendations

Global leaders develop and learn intuitively, dynamically employing ad hoc learning approaches. •  Attitude or stance

toward learning •  Learning approaches

during experiences •  Learning approaches

after experiences

Global leaders may not be finding adequate levels of developmental support from their global leadership development practitioners, as most organizations typically emphasize structured programs and do not enable leaders with tools and skills to learn from their experience.

Specific practices they may consider include the following: •  Capitalize on the

preferred learning approaches of the global leaders in their organizations

•  Accelerate global leaders’ ability to learn from experience by strengthening them in three critical areas: •  Learning Mindset •  Learning Attitude •  Learning Tactics


Next Steps

Where do you want to go from here?


Steve Terrell

•  Leadership Development Consultant and Author

•  30 years’ experience in both corporate and consulting roles, all in Leadership Development and Change Management

–  Bank of America (10 years)

–  Andersen Consulting (4 years)

–  Dove Consulting (3 years)

–  Executive Development Associates (2 years)

–  Aspire Consulting – Founder and President (10 years)

•  Doctorate in Human Resource Development from The George Washington University, focusing on Global Leadership Development

•  Adjunct Faculty at Old Dominion University


Contact Information: STEVE TERRELL, ED.D.

ASPIRE CONSULTING, INC.

1903 LANCING CREST LANE

CHESAPEAKE, VA 23323

phone. 757-546-7347 cell. 757-647-2571 fax. 757-546-8679

email. [email protected]

ASPIRECONSULTING.NET

Thank You!

APPENDIX


Global Leadership Development Practices Audit

Global Leadership Competency Model RATING

1.  Competency Model that Describes Competencies Required for Success in a Global Role •  Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity •  Global Mindset or Perspective •  Learning From Experience •  Developing and Maintaining Relationships •  Communication •  Traits or Attitudes •  Knowledge and Skills •  Company-Specific Competencies •  Role-Specific Competencies (Global, Functional/Technical)

2.  Structured Process, Guidelines, and Tools for Assessment (e.g., 360), Feedback, Coaching, and Development of Global Leaders

3.  Consistent Global Application of Process and Tools

4.  Global Management Team Reliance On/Use of Process and Tools

1. Highly Ineffective 2. Somewhat Ineffective 3. Neutral 4. Somewhat Effective 5. Highly Effective



Global Leader Selection 1.  Global Leader Selection Criteria

•  Global Leadership Potential •  Global Leadership Competencies •  Curiosity and desire to learn, especially about other cultures •  Motivated to learn about other parts of the world •  Openness to experience •  Desire to actively explore new cultures •  Ability to learn from experience •  Company-specific criteria

2.  Structured Process, Guidelines, and Tools for Assessment, Identification, and Selection of Global Leaders

3.  Consistent Global Application of Process and Tools

4.  Global Management Team Reliance On/Use of Process and Tools




Expatriate Assignments RATING

1.  Identifying developmental characteristics of assignments and matching people with assignments for developmental purposes.

2.  Providing active support, on-going feedback and coaching, and other development throughout assignments.

3.  Creating individual development plans for potential/new global leaders, focused on developing global leadership competencies.

4.  Holding the appropriate people (individual global leader, his/her manager, HR) accountable for implementation and follow-through of individual development plans.

5. Equipping new global leaders with concepts, skills, tools, and other resources to enhance their ability to actively learn from experience.





Intensive Cross-Cultural Developmental Experiences RATING

1.  Guidelines for Identifying and Selecting Developmental Experiences for Potential and New Global Leaders

2.  Catalog of Developmental Assignments and Experiences (e.g., Global Project Team Assignments, Global Meetings, Global Travel, Site Visits, Global Leadership Development Programs)

3.  Individual Development Plans That Incorporate Global Leadership Development Goals and Action Plans

4.  Equip Leaders with Skills and Tools to Proactively and Intentionally Learn From Their Global Developmental Experiences

5.  Global Project Team Assignments (e.g., global, cross-cultural team members and that involve travel to and work in other countries; projects that focus on global business issues and problems)

6.  Global Meetings

7.  Global Travel

8.  Site Visits

9.  Global Leadership Development Programs




Multi-Cultural Understanding and Sensitivity of Potential Global Leaders

RATING

1.  Cultural Sensitivity Assessment, Feedback, Coaching, Mentoring

2.  Tools to Help Leaders Understand Different Points of View and Perspectives Through the Use of Feedback, Coaching, and Mentoring

3.  Guidelines on Engaging Individuals From Multiple Cultures in Teams, Business Meetings, Presentations, and Work Sessions That Focus on International, Multicultural, and Global Issues, Problems, and Challenges

4.  Best Practices in Fostering Cultural Sensitivity and Multicultural Understanding

5.  Training in Paying Attention to Clues and Nuances of Behavior Using Observation, Assessment, Feedback, and Coaching

6.  Assessment, Feedback, Coaching, and Other Developmental Activities Aimed at Increasing Flexibility and Adaptability as a Means of Adapting to Different Cultures and Customs



Relationships and Networks RATING

1.  Feedback, Coaching, and Training in the Dynamics of Relationships and Relationship Development in Various Cultures

2.  Prepare Potential or Newly Identified or Assigned Global Leaders With the Mindset, Tools, and Skills Needed to Understand the Importance of Relationships and Establishing Relationships in Global Leadership Roles •  Cultural Familiarization Training •  Readings •  Discussions •  Assessments •  Transition Plans •  Feedback & Coaching




Foster Curiosity and Desire to Learn About Other Countries and Cultures

RATING

1.  Provide Feedback, Coaching, Training, or Mentoring in Learning the Patience to Listen Deeply and Learn From Others While Maintaining an Attitude of Discovery and Exploration

2.  Promote the Need to be Humble, Tolerant, and Nonjudgmental in Global Leadership Roles Through Observation, Feedback, Coaching, and Mentoring





Promote Need for Attitude of Openness Toward Experience and Learning

RATING

1.  Assessment, Feedback, Coaching, Mentoring, and Other Developmental Support to Encourage Openness Toward Experience and Learning

2.  Identifying and Measuring the Factors That Should be Evident in Potential Global Leaders’ Attitude or Stance Toward Learning, such as: •  Openness Toward Cross-Cultural or Global Experience •  Motivation, Willingness, and Desire to Learn From Experience •  Curiosity About Working and Living in Other Parts of the World •  Attitude of Discovery and Exploration •  Desire, Intention, and Willingness to Gain Something Positive From

Experience



Provide Knowledge and Tools to Enhance Global Leaders’ Ability to Learn From Experience

RATING

1.  Educating and Training Global Leaders in Specific Learning Approaches or Tactics That Enhance Learning From Experience

2.  Encouraging Global Leaders to Utilize Various Approaches to Evaluate What Works Best For Them (active experimentation; try out new behaviors; trial and error; mistakes)

3.  Encourage Global Leaders to Take Responsibility For Their Own Learning and Development q  Identify One’s Learning Needs q  Setting Goals of What One Desires to Learn From An Experience q  Adjust the Experience to Maximize Learning Potential q  Appraise One’s Own Learning Capabilities

4.  Teach Global Leaders How to Utilize Reflection in Day-to-Day Work as Well as During Structured Developmental Programs

5.  Test Various Approaches to Enhancing Reflection Skill Development to Determine Which Approaches Produce Greater Learning





SUMMARY RATINGS

1.  Global Leadership Competencies

2.  Global Leader Selection Practices

3.  Expatriate Assignments

4.  Intensive Cross-Cultural Developmental Experiences

5.  Multi-Cultural Understanding and Sensitivity for Potential Global Leaders

6.  Preparing Potential & Current Global Leaders to Develop and Maintain Relationships and Networks

7.  Foster Curiosity and Desire to Learn About Other Countries and Cultures

8.  Promote the Need for an Attitude of Openness Toward Experience and Learning

9.  Provide Knowledge and Tools to Enhance Global Leaders’ Ability to Learn From Experience


Priority Areas to Improve

GLOBAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES PRIORITIES

1.  Global Leadership Competency Model

2.  Global Leader Selection

3.  Expatriate Assignments

4.  Intensive Cross-Cultural Developmental Experiences

5.  Multi-Cultural Understanding and Sensitivity for Potential Global Leaders

6.  Preparing Potential & Current Global Leaders to Develop and Maintain Relationships and Networks

7.  Foster Curiosity and Desire to Learn About Other Countries and Cultures

8.  Promote the Need for an Attitude of Openness Toward Experience and Learning

9.  Provide Knowledge and Tools to Enhance Global Leaders’ Ability to Learn From Experience

What are the top priority areas you need to focus on to enhance and accelerate development of global leaders?


Related Aspire Offerings

Accelerated Global Leadership Development

§  Global Leadership Competency Model Development §  Global Leader Candidate Assessment and Selection; Behavioral

Interview Guides; Behavioral Interview Training §  Integration of Global Leadership Competencies with key HR Systems/

Processes (Talent Management, Performance Management) §  Global Leader 360° Assessment, Feedback, Development Planning, and

Coaching §  Global Leadership Development Program Design, Development,

Implementation §  Integrating intuitive, ad hoc learning approaches with structured development

programs §  Action Learning program development and facilitation


how global leaders develop: implications for practice

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