Developing Global Competence

Dr Barbara Gibson@Barb_G

The World of Global Business

has Changed

• Operating internationally within first 3 years

• Rapid expansion• Higher risk• Multi-cultural top teams• IC competency needed at

top

Born Globals

Millennial Globals

• Larger, mature companies• Began going global in 21st century

Companies looking for international

experienceat all levels

• Proxy for intercultural competence

• Evidence that international experience of top team impacts success*

*Sambharya, 1996; Daily et al, 2000; Carpenter & Fredrickson, 2001; Reuber & Fischer, 1997; Magnusson & Boggs, 2006; Hutzschenreuter & Horstkotte, 2012

5 Key Intercultural Competencies

for Global Communicators

Cultural Self-Awareness

• An awareness of one’s own cultural influences, tendencies and biases, and awareness of how one’s own culture may be perceived by members of a different culture.

Cultural Sensory Perception

• The ability to recognize when cultural differences are in play, utilizing a range of senses to spot verbal and non-verbal cues which may differ greatly from those of one’s own culture.

Open-mindedness

• The ability to suspend judgement based on one’s own cultural biases and accept that other ways of thinking and behaving may be just as valid.

Global Perspective

• Viewing the business from a transnational perspective, rather than as “domestic first, rest-of-world second.”

Adaptability

• The ability to change one’s behaviour, communication style or business strategy as needed to fit the circumstances.

Strategy

Success

Failure

Lear

ning

&

Insi

ghts

Adapt

Repeat Repeat Repeat

Continue

AbandonAvoid

Try new strategyIn

terc

ultu

ral

Com

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s

Response to Failure

Conceptual Framework

© Barbara Gibson 2011

Developing Competencies• Living/working abroad*• Mentoring/Coaching• Multi-cultural relationships/friendships• Foreign travel• Working in culturally diverse team

* But avoid the “expat bubble”

Barbara Gibson, PhDMobile +44 (0) 7833 788252

Email: bgibson@culturalresolution.comLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/barbaragibson

Twitter: @barb_g

To Read the Full Report:http://bbktheses.da.ulcc.ac.uk/64/