- BUSINESS SKlllS INTERNATIONAllEADERSHIP
z. Complexity
When leaders work internationally, things get more
complex. They face a wide range of legal and econom·
ic environments. They may have to work with business
units across the world, each of which has its own
processes, often desjgned to meer the ~ of local cus-
tomcrs rar her than the requirements of headquarters.
These p rocesses ofren don't ~, which can lead tO
contradicrjons that may be hidden ar first. Internation·
al leaders necd rhe intellecrual and technical capabilities
to handle rhis complexiry. Bur rhey shouldn't rry tO
know everyrhing. Instead, a tQß. comperence is rhe abil-
iry to team UR wirb experrs who undersrand th c prob-
lems involved better.
International leaders also need the comrounication
skills to siropHfy and ro make transparent a dear and
cn&a&ing miwl. Bur they should not simplify [00 quick-
Iy. If complexity is overlooked and simplified sol urians
are ~ too quickly for political reasons, that ean
ereate even bigger problems.- Paradoxes
lips for ma naging complexity:
- Communicate messages in simple and direct lan·
guage that can be casily understood. - Team up with orhers who havc [he expertise and
knowledge tO solve diffieult problems. - Create a dear vision that people ean use 10 navigare
their way through complexity. - Give people around you plenty of opporrunities tO
rla.ri..&. things if they feel confused.
Managing organizational change is a key challenge for
international leaders. And roany changes involve some
form of stand::trdization or oursourcjn& for example,
of IT and finance systems wirh the aim of cuning
costs. These ehanges often seem paradoxieal tO [hose
working in the subsidiar ies of large multinarionals.
They feel that the changes are driven more by the log-
ic of headqllarters than by sensjtjyjty to the varying
needs of local offices.- Avoid simp lifying tao quickly, and scarch for hidden
contradictions.
lnrernational leaders need to be able to persuade a
wide range of stakeholders tO support such changes.Complexity: test y ourself
Look at the following email from a project leader to a team member. Match
each highlighted text to four of the five leadership t ips above. For the an-
swers, see page 42.From: Tor Graesborg
To: Sylvie Oufors
Subject: IT project status
Dear Sylvie
Thanks for your groject update. It seems that things are golng weil. Regarding
the IT problems, (a) whV not give Peter Hansen a call at headquarters?
He is great with software Witdles and should be able to provide support.
Vou asked about an inereased budget. (b ) The short answer is "no". Sorry,
but I can't get any more resourees before year end, so I'm afrald you11 need to
keep eosts on .b..ud..Q..et.
I'm very happy that you have found a speedy solution to the sereen-resplution
problem. However, I think that we need to be aware that any gulck fixes may
ereate trouble for us later when we start on a larger ~ across Europe.
(c) So can vou check agaln that all rls ks have reallv been analvsed?
I know that there is a lot of eonfusion among the users about why the IT change
is happening. (d) The key message t o promote is : "One platform for all".
This is our eore message, and everyone is aware of the problems caused by dif·
ferent IT standardS.
Talk to you tomorrow.T"
This requires political intelligence
and t he ability tO ~ people.
Leaders also need to identify the
key decision makers and opinion
leaders who ean block change.
They also require the social skills
10 build trust ::tnd commitment
amon g these people so that they
can manage any conflicrs that
arise. And if individuals cannot be
persuaded, leaders need the tough-
ness to be able to remove oppo-
nents from their positions and
bring in managers who are more
cooperative.
An important skill when dealing
with paradoxes is the ability 10 lis-
ten well. Frederic T horal, a French
ma nager specializing in human [e-
sourees, describes the key suecess
factor for internarionalleaders as
folIows: " I think the solution is
juSf to in volvc people, ro listen ro
people, to give them the OppOrtll-
nity to express themselvcs. Of
course, ir takes langer. Bur be-4/2010