264 REFLECTIONS ON CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP
- Global leadership qualities need to be developed through the experi-
ence of challenging foreign assignments early and onwards in an
executive ’ s career trajectory. - A multicultural organizational ambience creates a learning environ-
ment for global leadership. - The cultural openness of spouse and children, and their successful
adaptation to global lifestyles, will infl uence the development of
additional global leadership qualities.
Apart from any predisposition to become a global leader, the evolution
of a global leader at a later stage in life is, ironically, very much deter-
mined by the experience of being a global leader. The earlier the experi-
ence in an individual ’ s career, the greater the ability to adapt to and
empathize with new cultures and the more prepared that person will be
for global leadership. If early assignments are followed later in the career
trajectory with the successful completion of a very diffi cult task (such
as a turn - around problem, a merger and acquisition challenge, or a new
business venture) the likelihood is greater that the individual will be
ready to take on a top executive position in the organization.
Globalization can be the answer to many of the world ’ s conun-
drums. Globalization is changing companies. Moreover, globalization
no longer applies to a company ’ s selling and sourcing activities but very
much has to do with attracting and retaining the world ’ s most talented
people. And whether we like it or not, globalization is here to stay. As
the former Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, once
said, ‘ arguing against globalization is like arguing against the laws of
gravity. ’Endnote
Text in this chapter has appeared elsewhere in print under the same title and
co - authored with Christine Mead as a chapter in V. Pucik , N.M. Tichy , and
C.K. Barnett (eds), Globalizing Management: Creating and Leading the Competitive
Organization , New York : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ( 1992 ).