CREATING HIGH-COMMITMENT ORGANIZATIONS 315ugly include Shaka Zulu and a selection of corporate executives, whom
I have mercifully allowed to hide behind pseudonyms. The organiza-
tional troupe is now taking its productions to a world stage — and the
challenge of dealing with individuals and their needs, systems and their
impositions, stakeholders and their expectations and demands is now
extended across cross - cultural boundaries, as well as time zones.
The good news is that the leaders these organizations need are out
there and their numbers are growing. Leaders with a multicultural
background, years of cross - cultural work experience, and exceptional
global leadership qualities transmit a contagious excitement that puts a
company into overdrive. As change - agents, cheerleaders, coaches, teach-
ers, mentors, process consultants, and integrators, these leaders are
changing the way their people work by helping them to reframe their
attitudes toward work. They are generating in their employees a pride
that goes beyond the numbers game and overcomes cultural biases. Their
global emotional intelligence should sieve out the Shakas, and encourage
the Alexanders, in an environment where everyone feels the confi dence
to remain true to themselves. And if those leaders need a reminder of
what they are striving for, they could do worse than keep close to their
hearts Mahatma Gandhi ’ s image of the best place to live and work: ‘ I
do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to
be stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house
as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any. ’
Endnote
Some of this material has been published elsewhere as:
Kets de Vries , M.F.R. and Florent - Treacy , E. ( 2002 ). ‘ Global leadership from
A to Z: Creating high - commitment organisations , ’ Organisational Dynamics , 30
( 4 ): 295 – 309.