Anyone with a little ambition wants to change the world, but we know that it takes more than passion and desire to achieve it. What characteristics should a global leader have and how to become one?
Some are brought at birth and most are acquired over time, but it is not something you learn in a textbook or a motivational talk. You learn it by experiencing cultural exchange firsthand and opening your eyes to the world. So what do you need?
Curiosity and adaptability: desire to learn from other cultures and ability to adapt to a changing context. The world is constantly changing and most of these situations are external to us: if the dollar rises, if our trading partner is at war or if new legislation comes into force.
How do you control that? You can't, so you have to have the ability to develop contingency plans to deal with different economic and political situations, and deal with whatever comes along.
2. Global strategic thinking: when you have a global perspective, you think strategically about your actions and about the key people around the world who can help you meet your objectives. To make strategic decisions, you need to understand how the business world works on a global scale.
It is no longer a matter of thinking only about your community or your country, you must expand that vision to understand what role each one plays in the market.
3. Network of contacts: having contacts in other latitudes is important to establish possible collaborations. Having people who will reach out to you when you need help or undertake a project will make things easier for you. Whether you need a supplier in a specific country, a business partner or a professional reference, having contacts in different countries will open doors and give you regional or even global presence.
4. International experience: exposing yourself to as many cultures as you can will help you to function in different contexts and be open-minded. If you want to succeed globally, you will need to transcend your own culture and have the ability to adopt new perspectives.
Each culture has a different way of thinking and operating, even within Latin America; negotiating with a Brazilian is not the same as negotiating with a Uruguayan, and the key is to know how to manage the differences.
5. Learning through experience: traveling exposes you to situations and cultures outside your comfort zone, but it is not enough to be a tourist in an unfamiliar country, you have to really live the environment and interact with the locals.
Any opportunity to study in another country, do volunteer work or cultural exchanges and educational tours are an excellent way to acquire the aforementioned tools. You can't buy that international exposure, it can only be acquired when you experience it personally.
In my case, one of the most eye-opening experiences was my visit to Silicon Valley, the cradle of development and innovation, where some of the world's most successful people work. In addition to the 5 valuable lessons I learned, I received valuable advice on what it takes to be a global leader. What worked for them? I'll share it with you in part 2 of this article.
