Essential Qualities of a Global Leader - Ellen Corkrum

Many international companies are leveraging their business activities in various parts of the world to find new markets as well as new sources of supply of products and services. In some cases, while these new establishments will produce new customers, businesses must also be prepared to overcome designed challenges.  With proper research and risk analysis, companies are able to mitigate foreseeable threats, ultimately aligning themselves and their customers for success.

Essential Qualities of a Global Leader

With global expansion in mind, this propels diversification into untapped customers’ base.  Integration with local leaders is paramount at the unset, as this brings about trust and a sense of ownership among the citizens. Said trust is important, particularly in circumstances of unestablished brands. This should be viewed positively as it allows a new entrant a chance to give their product a fresh look and to potentially establish a marque among deserving buyers.

Companies are often well rewarded when continuous training and development of their leaders are integrated into long, medium and short-term cycles. Yes, leaders come in with premanufactured skillsets, but understanding individual market dynamics and implementing such formulation for continuous growth is well worth the investment. Today this can be accomplished through virtual training, teachings on site and even via executive education offered by top universities around the world.

Here Ellen Corkrum shares tips for cultural integration, communication and relationship building; attributes she’s integrated in her personal practices which have proven successful.

Cultural Integration:  Prior to traveling to a new location, I usually hone in on my military security and cultural training where, among other things, we were taught to consult with other leaders from the region, read up on common dos and don’ts, practice typical pronunciations, and learn proper greetings. Today, anyone can find this information on sites such as the US State Department’s website, and the particular country’s embassies sites. It is important that we all take notes on how to govern ourselves, especially when away from our home countries, as a seemingly benign practice at home, may be punishable in another country. 

Communication:  In general, people communicate all the time, whether verbally or non-verbally. To this, it is important to pay keen attention to not just what and how we say things, but also to our attitude, body posture, and gestures. Proper and timely communication is critical to the success of our intended goal in the global business setting. An inadvertent misstep by either party can sometimes be misjudged and lead to failures before we really even get started. This can be circumvented by adhering to some of the steps discussed earlier; essentially doing our research on cultural norms before entering into a foreign arena.

Key Characteristics of a Global Business Leader

Relationship Building:  Entering a new market can be daunting, particularly when it is outside of our normal practices. We can mitigate this somewhat through integration of our current relationships and ultimately through the relationships we develop on ground. Seeking guidance and mentorship from those already familiar with our intended territory can give us an advantage and better insight before we meet our foreign partners and counterparts. I have found it useful to continue my relationships with those I’ve worked with abroad, even years after a particular deal is concluded.  This has allowed me to keep my pulse on potential market options in the future, both in that region and in other parts of the world. Sometimes the conversations may simply be on family events or political developments, but this continued rapport fostering has harnessed relationships years beyond a business deal.

We have the option to stay within our immediate comfort areas or explore more by venturing out and being a part of an ever-changing world. I urge you to embark on the latter.  The impact you may have on a market, thousands of miles away from your home, may bring you the biggest rewards.