What is Global Leadership?

Global leadership is a specialised skill for leaders who work across different regions of the world. They must learn how to deal with cross-cultural difficulties and find common ground in the face of cultural differences. They must also learn how to communicate and collaborate across time zones and through technology – essentially navigating a complex matrix of global structures and organizations.  

Global leaders will need to have high cultural intelligence, as working across multiple cultures can easily lead to miscommunications. 

If you feel called to global leadership, then our Intercultural Studies programs are a great place to start:

• Intercultural Studies B.A.
• Intercultural Studies M.A.
• Intercultural Studies B.A. + Global Development M.S.
• Master of Divinity – Concentration in Intercultural Studies

There are some things that are only possible with global leadership. Especially in a world where we’re increasingly at odds when it comes to ideology, religion, and politics. International businesses and organizations must learn how to run smoothly in a multi-cultural world. 

Global leadership allows:

• People to lead in complex multicultural environments
• Culturally diverse and geographically dispersed teams
• Cross-cultural ideologies
• Improved communication across cultures

It goes without saying that a global leader needs to possess a series of specific skills in order to do their job effectively. It’s helpful for an individual to already have these skills, though they can be developed over time with practice and commitment.

• Cultural Self Awareness: A strong understanding of your own culture and how it influences your behaviors, thoughts, and biases.

• Communication Skills: It can  be difficult to communicate within global organizations – a strong understanding of different types of communication skills and how they might be perceived – as well as the ability to adjust in-the-moment to different communication styles.

• Strategic Thinking: The ability to strategize and develop organizational visions that can be translated to others.
• Emotional Intelligence: Global leaders need to have the ability to manage their own emotions and understand how they may affect the emotions of others. 

As a global leader, it’s common to face certain challenges that you’ll have to overcome. Misunderstanding and communication barriers is a common challenge – you’ll have to understand different communications styles and know when to use them. You’ll also find yourself needing to navigate time zones, and balance global with local. It can be difficult to create strategies that respect local customs and global communities while adjusting to different sleeping and working times. 

It’s also common for global problems to move quickly. Global leaders will need to act quickly under pressure while still managing diversity and ethical dilemmas across cultures.

If you’re ready to start your journal to global leadership, then apply now!