Global Leadership

Was Henry The Navigator a global leader? The great Khans of Mongolia and the Vikings? I suppose its difficult to view them as such. It is much easier to provide modern examples of who is a global leader and what makes global leadership. Today, we use corporate chieftains as examples of global leaders. Carlos Ghosn, Welch, Immelt, Bill Gates, Tata, Carlos Slim and a long list of others are viewed as global leaders. From the political elite, some names stand out more than others: Mandela is one of them.

Global leadership is not a 21st century phenomenon. Ever since man realized that the land he is hunting on is much bigger and wider than what his limited senses actually allowed him to experience, he has been dreaming (and scheming) to impact that wider world of his. Man has always thought and acted in ways that were clearly intended to impact the vast horizons beyond his grasp. Some of them tried to impact by physical means while others through their intellect; both religious and secular. So, global leadership has been around for a long, long time. Or at least, some form of it.

The difference today is in its ferocity and magnitude.

The action of one man or woman in one city may have a reverberating effect globally in a matter of minutes. A single spark of idea can open up an entire industry (or put another out of business). The borderless nature of modern day living has made global leadership quality stand out even more both in the private and public sectors. The value of today's C-suite leaders are not measured on merely how much profit they are bringing into the company today but more importantly, how much they can continue to bring in the years to come. The contribution of a city Mayor is expected to last much longer than his tenure. The legacy of a national leader is expected to take the country into a future that he or she may not even be around to witness.

To do these, that leader must have global leadership qualities. Of course, the fundamental leadership qualities such as communication skills, the ability to paint a compelling picture of where the organization is heading and the ability to energize others must be there. Over and above these, I think today's leaders need to have the following skills to become effective global leaders:

1. Able to develop local solutions from a global perspective
2. Able to develop a global connection from local conditions
3. Able to create a win-win space far beyond their control. That's why, I find it hard to put the names of George Bush, Putin, Mitterrand, Churchill next to the likes of Mandela, Gandhi and the Dalai lama as global leaders because the former are those who impacted the world only for the benefit of their country (space). Their thinking was directed to the sole purpose of self benefit (although at many times these were confused with utilitarian motives). In that sense, a global leader is one who thinks of a win-win approach for not only his stakeholders but also of others.
4. Able to have a mindset that is inclusive and exhibit this through their daily actions.
5. Able to synergize cultural differences into unique strengths. Google is doing this in a great way in India because the people currently heading Google India are those who have been exposed to global leadership responsibilities and experiences.

As we progress into the 21st Century, what makes a global leader and what qualities make global leadership will become clearer but it will not become less challenging nevertheless. Managing and leading is up for the next phase of revolutionary development. We may have to forgo some of our previously held notions of what makes good management and leadership.

Or do we?