Think Global, Act Local

Limited minds lead to limited success. In order to become successful in life or in a business, a person needs to think globally. A leader needs to have an open mind and be prepared to deal with anything they put in front of him/her. This person needs to have an ability to learn new skills, have an open mind to other cultures and accept change, and have the ability to form new connections. In a business, a leader needs to develop an organizational culture based on their abilities. A leader must be willing to pass their knowledge to the employees in order for the company to form their own culture. It is important for a leader to avoid ethnocentrism and adapt parts from different cultures that exceed others.

 A great way of doing this is by comparing cultures and never stereotype people coming from the same culture. Going against this could lead to forming gender, race and religious barriers in a workplace. It is important to form a collectivist culture to avoid the "me" and "I" and focus on the "we" and "us". Think as a team... think as a whole. It is important to remember that in a business there will be people coming from different cultures and countries, especially in the U.S. People are leaving their home in order to work, and a leader should create a tolerant and open organizational culture to avoid foreigners to feel unwelcome. 

A company should prepare its employees to be more culturally accepting and open. In an article from the Harvard Business Review, Bill George states that American companies have the ability to form global leaders. This will strengthen our economy as well as global trade and attract other companies to establish their operations in the country. He goes on by listing 5 advantages that America possesses in this matter. It goes as follows:

1. America’s higher education system is a magnet for talented leaders from all over the world. 
2. U.S. companies actively promote executive officers with diverse geographic and cultural backgrounds.
3. American companies send their most promising leaders abroad for global leadership assignments. 
4. The U.S. leverages its pool of top talent to attract research and business units.
5. America fosters risk-taking and innovation by entrepreneurs who become global leaders.

In my opinion this country still has a long way to become more culturally accepting in the workforce. A great way to incorporate this more is to provide cross-cultural-training for employees and create an environment with people who are culturally diverse. 

An article from the Huffington Post, states that due to advances in technology the world has become smaller and more connected. One business or event can impact other businesses from other countries due to the connections formed between countries. By using technology in a positive way, people can become aware of their surrounding and ultimately become more global minded.  

Image from: Free Photo Pixabay