ernest scalberg "attributes of successful global professionals"

The Attributes of Successful The Attributes of Successful

Global ProfessionalsGlobal Professionals

Presentation for International Career Fair ‘09Presentation for International Career Fair ‘09

February 20, 2009February 20, 2009

Ernest J. Scalberg, Dean

Fisher School

Monterey Institute of International Studies

Aims of this PresentationAims of this Presentation

1.1. Identify the attributes of successful global Identify the attributes of successful global professionals professionals

2.2. Explain how global professionals develop Explain how global professionals develop

3.3. Explore new career areas that are emerging Explore new career areas that are emerging for global professionalsfor global professionals

What is a Global Professional?What is a Global Professional?

Background attributesBackground attributes include: include:

• open to experienceopen to experience

• flexibleflexible

• comfortable with moving comfortable with moving

• open to other cultures open to other cultures

• an honest, direct style an honest, direct style

• interest in other people interest in other people

• an eagerness to learn languagesan eagerness to learn languages

What is a Global Professional?What is a Global Professional?

Competencies for successCompetencies for success include: include:

• Core business and global business (or appropriate Core business and global business (or appropriate

scientific or technical) knowledge – a global mindsetscientific or technical) knowledge – a global mindset

• Cultural interest and sensitivityCultural interest and sensitivity

• Honesty and integrity, ethics, servant and stewardHonesty and integrity, ethics, servant and steward

• Ability to think creatively and lead or facilitate Ability to think creatively and lead or facilitate

innovation innovation

• Ability to take broad systemic viewsAbility to take broad systemic views

• Ability to learn from experienceAbility to learn from experience

• Self-awarenessSelf-awareness

How do Global Professionals How do Global Professionals Succeed?Succeed?

conflict managementconflict management negotiationnegotiation influencing influencing team building team building

active listening active listening ability to give feedbackability to give feedback communicationcommunication adaptationadaptation

Empower others (brings out the best in people)Empower others (brings out the best in people) Teacher, coach, mentor, and model learnerTeacher, coach, mentor, and model learner Ability to work effectively in social systemsAbility to work effectively in social systems

Skills for social interaction include:Skills for social interaction include:

How are Global Professionals How are Global Professionals Developed?Developed?

Identify high potential student or Identify high potential student or organizational candidates, such as those organizational candidates, such as those who:who:• like travel, novelty and international worklike travel, novelty and international work• speak multiple languagesspeak multiple languages• have worked with or lived and worked in have worked with or lived and worked in

foreign culturesforeign cultures

Identify knowledge, skills, and abilities which Identify knowledge, skills, and abilities which need to be developedneed to be developed

Design a plan to achieve goals and provide Design a plan to achieve goals and provide feedbackfeedback


Example global professional development activities Example global professional development activities include (in order of complexity and challenge):include (in order of complexity and challenge):

• Host foreign guestsHost foreign guests

• Be exposed to cultural differences in one’s own country Be exposed to cultural differences in one’s own country

• Become knowledgeable about broad global problems Become knowledgeable about broad global problems

and opportunitiesand opportunities

• Be assigned on-site and distance multi-country projects Be assigned on-site and distance multi-country projects


Global professional development activities Global professional development activities (continued):(continued):

• Work as a member of a cross-cultural teamWork as a member of a cross-cultural team

• Take an expatriate assignmentTake an expatriate assignment

• Manage a multi-country project, or be responsible for a Manage a multi-country project, or be responsible for a

global project global project

• Work on a task force that designs and implements a Work on a task force that designs and implements a

business ethics codebusiness ethics code

• Training ProgramsTraining Programs

How can Students and Employees How can Students and Employees Prepare for Responsible Global Prepare for Responsible Global

Leadership Roles?Leadership Roles?Career Stages and The Four T’sCareer Stages and The Four T’s

EarlyEarly Mid-CareerMid-Career LateLate

TravelTravel

TeamsTeams

TrainingTraining

TransfersTransfers

Black, Morrison, and Gregersen (1999, p. 215)Black, Morrison, and Gregersen (1999, p. 215)


Professional development is moving Professional development is moving away from a focus on the personal away from a focus on the personal characteristics of an individual toward the characteristics of an individual toward the interdependence of an individual with interdependence of an individual with others in the group or organization.others in the group or organization.

Succeeding Across CulturesSucceeding Across Cultures

Attributes for success are culturally contingent Attributes for success are culturally contingent

Approaches dependent on:Approaches dependent on:• National or regional culture National or regional culture

• Organizational and group cultureOrganizational and group culture

Hofstede’s dimension of “power distance”Hofstede’s dimension of “power distance”• HierarchicalHierarchical

• Non-HierarchicalNon-Hierarchical

““Responsible Professionals” Responsible Professionals” • may differ from country to country and be interpreted differently may differ from country to country and be interpreted differently

across countries e.g. being honest, trustworthy and just are across countries e.g. being honest, trustworthy and just are universally effective but enacted differently across cultures.universally effective but enacted differently across cultures.

Succeeding Across CulturesSucceeding Across Cultures

Impediments to success across cultures include Impediments to success across cultures include being a loner or non-cooperative, ruthless, non-being a loner or non-cooperative, ruthless, non-explicit, irritable, and dictatorial.explicit, irritable, and dictatorial.

Culturally dependent attributes include risk-taking, Culturally dependent attributes include risk-taking, enthusiastic, and charismatic.enthusiastic, and charismatic.

Business performance improves when management Business performance improves when management practices are congruent with national culture, i.e. practices are congruent with national culture, i.e. where societal preferences are matched by where societal preferences are matched by leadership behavior.leadership behavior.

Be cautious about job trendsBe cautious about job trends Green/Sustainabilty – water treatment, Green/Sustainabilty – water treatment,

alternative energy, waste management, eco-alternative energy, waste management, eco-friendly products, greening organizational friendly products, greening organizational operationsoperations

New financial modelsNew financial models Cross-border EntrepreneurshipCross-border Entrepreneurship GlocalizationGlocalization

• Product/service design (Human Factor Engineering)Product/service design (Human Factor Engineering) Health CareHealth Care Cross-border education and trainingCross-border education and training SpaceSpace

New Global Professional CareersNew Global Professional Careers

Resources for Successful Resources for Successful Global ProfessionalsGlobal Professionals

General References:General References:

Black, J.S., A.J. Morrison, and H.B. Gregersen (1999), Black, J.S., A.J. Morrison, and H.B. Gregersen (1999), Global Explorers; The Next Global Explorers; The Next Generation of LeadersGeneration of Leaders, New York and London: Routledge., New York and London: Routledge.

Dalton, M., C. Ernst, J. Deal, and J. Leslie (2002), Dalton, M., C. Ernst, J. Deal, and J. Leslie (2002), Success for the New Global Success for the New Global Manager: What You Need to Know to Work Across Distances, Countries, and Manager: What You Need to Know to Work Across Distances, Countries, and CulturesCultures, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass., San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

McCall, M.W., and G.P. Hollenbeck (2002), McCall, M.W., and G.P. Hollenbeck (2002), Developing Global Executives: The Developing Global Executives: The Lessons of Global ExperienceLessons of Global Experience, Boston: Harvard Business School Press., Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Doh, J. and Stumpf, S. (eds.) (2005), Doh, J. and Stumpf, S. (eds.) (2005), Handbook of Responsible Leadership and Handbook of Responsible Leadership and Governance in Global BusinessGovernance in Global Business, London: Edward Elgar., London: Edward Elgar.

Trompenaars, A (1993), Trompenaars, A (1993), Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Cultural Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Cultural Diversity in Global BusinessDiversity in Global Business, New York: McGraw-Hill., New York: McGraw-Hill.

Resources for Successful Resources for Successful Global ProfessionalsGlobal Professionals

Material for this presentation is taken fromMaterial for this presentation is taken from::

Scalberg, E.J. Scalberg, E.J. Responsible leadership and governance in Responsible leadership and governance in global business, global business, p. 380 – 398 p. 380 – 398

Sackmann, S.A. Sackmann, S.A. Responsible leadership: a cross-cultural Responsible leadership: a cross-cultural perspective, perspective, p. 307 – 331p. 307 – 331

In: J.P. Doh and S.A. Stumpf, eds.In: J.P. Doh and S.A. Stumpf, eds. Handbook on Handbook on Responsible Leadership and Governance in Global Responsible Leadership and Governance in Global Business. Business. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar, 2005.Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar, 2005.