With globalization still on the trend, global thinkers look towards the next global business powers within the world. Here are some valuable tips for the next future global leaders.
Global thinking, economic relevance and ethical values.
Global thinking, economic relevance and ethical values.
I recently had the privilege of attending a global leaders seminar with guest speaker Mr. Rod Solomons, the trade & investment commissioner for South Asia and India for the Queensland State Government of Australia. Before taking up this role, Mr. Solomons was an executive in IBM, having worked in Australia, the US, China and in India where he was responsible for investment for all of IBM's Software businesses in the emerging markets of China and India. Prior to working in IB, Mr. Solomons held roles in Unilever in both Europe and Australia and was the Managing Director of ABN AMRO Lease Holdings in Australia and then the Asia Pacific representative to the Board in Netherlands.
Who would have known taking a step out of University life would have taken me straight into the corporate world. It's a totally different livelihood and lifestyle catered to the fast-paced thinkers and the 'street smart' business-minded individuals. It's a totally whole new world and it really opens up one's perspective and thinking in life. Sitting here in the Regus Business Lounge, 21-storeys up, overlooking the city and the story bridge, this is where I take the next step in life. With dreams to become a global leader, or at least a global minded individual, I took up the opportunity to attend this seminar in hope to expand my networks, gain valuable knowledge in global trade and investment and learn more about India as the next global power. If you want to go anywhere in life, have power to change and bring about good, you must establish yourself as a global thinker and leader.
Who would have known taking a step out of University life would have taken me straight into the corporate world. It's a totally different livelihood and lifestyle catered to the fast-paced thinkers and the 'street smart' business-minded individuals. It's a totally whole new world and it really opens up one's perspective and thinking in life. Sitting here in the Regus Business Lounge, 21-storeys up, overlooking the city and the story bridge, this is where I take the next step in life. With dreams to become a global leader, or at least a global minded individual, I took up the opportunity to attend this seminar in hope to expand my networks, gain valuable knowledge in global trade and investment and learn more about India as the next global power. If you want to go anywhere in life, have power to change and bring about good, you must establish yourself as a global thinker and leader.
I thought of going down the academic route; studying a phD, conducting research projects all day long, maybe finding certain theoretical breakthroughs and becoming a university lecturer, professor and research fellow. But what's the use if you can't implement and bring into fruition your theoretical knowledge? I know this line of thinking is unusual for an INTP who likes to dwell on theory all day long, but as a global thinker, things need to be said and things need to be done. There's this political, social and economic barrier which many planners, and other professions must face before bringing their plans into practice. I looked towards some of my role models for guidance - they weren't timid thinkers locked inside their ivory tower. They were global leaders who took a step out in the world and inspired it with their ideas.
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Global Mindset - The Concept
Let's face it, globalization will be the next big thing. In fact it's already the next big thing and I still believe that it's within it's infant stages. Communities across the world are becoming increasingly diverse, with the challenges facing these communities becoming more complex and our global interdependence is more apparent than ever before. Research shows that students who learn "about global issues" are more than twice likely to see the point of personally undertaking social action.
How can we bring about change in the world? How can we solve problems around the world? How can we bring about good within the world? Now, as a Christian, it'll be easy for me to pray to God in hope of a miracle happening. No sir, no miracles aren't happening if we aren't going to bring ourselves to bring about this change. It's easy to sit on your lazy ass, living in your daily 'comfortable' life being a mediocre entity satisfied with mediocre pursuits in life. Let me rephrase that and bring context from another perspective; it's also easy to be preoccupied and ridiculously busy in your life making money, gaining honor and reputation but essentially catering to your own needs, and maybe a select few of those around you. Not I. This ever-ardent passion and consciousness in myself tells me that there's injustice in the world that I must take a step and fight for. I must fight for what I believe in. To shake and inspire the world with my ideas. To bring about good. I realized after the global leaders seminar in order to do so, one must consider the economic relevance and importance within a globalized mindset.
A global mindset is one that combines an openness to and awareness of diversity across cultures and markets with a propensity and ability to see common patterns across countries and markets. The twin forces of ideological change and technology revolution are making globalization one of the most important and crucial issues facing the world today. There's many definitions of a global-mindset, and a quick search on the web will find you more books than you probably care to read.
Definitions - Here are three of the many definitions that have been put forward. A global mindset...
"...helps leaders see the world from multiple perspectives, make decisions that work both locally and globally, and increase the ability of their company to compete in the global marketplace."1 -
"...is the ability in influence individuals, groups, organizations, and systems that are unlike the leader's."2 -
"...is a highly complex cognitive structure characterized by an openness to and articulation of multiple cultural and strategic realities on both global and local levels, and the cognitive ability to mediate and integrate across this multiplicity."3Similar terms are...
"Transnational mentality" is another name that's been given to this constellation of competencies.4
"Geocentric orientation" is said to be characteristic of managers who downplay the significance of nationality and cultural differences in determining who is competent or trustworthy."5
"Cosmopolitan" has a similar meaning. Cosmopolitans are defined by their "willingness to engage with the Other, openness toward divergent cultural experiences, [and a search] for contrasts rather than uniformity." They have learned the "ability to make one's way into other cultures through listening, looking, intuiting, and reflecting."6
One authority notes that it is "not travel that defines cosmopolitans -- some widely traveled people remain hopelessly parochial -- it is a mindset."7
Global learning encourages awareness and critical thought about issues such as poverty, climate change, different religions and cultures as well as world trade and politics,” and students who are educated about global issues, from multiple perspectives, are more likely to exhibit tolerance and acceptance of religious, cultural, and ethnic diversity, and demonstrate increased empathy for individuals.
How many international Facebook friends do you have? How many countries have you travelled do? Do you read international newspapers and follow international news? These are the usual questions when trying to establish whether someone has a global mindset. But in a world of increasing global integration, a global mindset means much moreso than that. It involves conscious efforts to see our individual actions and behaviour in a bigger context, to recognize that how we act locally can have a impact globally.
While the idea of the world being a "global village" is now a given. People - especially young people - still tend to be unaware of their bigger surroundings and trends. Often they adopt a rather passive, self-centred or even contrarian stance towards their role in the society they are living in.
We individuals are now at the centre of a system that is far more influenced by international economic, political and societal happenings. These changes are driven by both the natural evolution of the human society as well as by dissatisfaction with the prevailing socio-economical system.
We need to be able to cope with the changing dynamics of these new interactions. This requires, on the one hand, a sound understanding of social transformations brought about by technology and, on the other a complete shift of mindset so we may integrate with and respond to global societal forces.
As a multicultural, multi-dimensional and economically diverse society, are we lagging behind in terms of our global mindedness?
With further liberalisation of markets and deeper integration of national economies into international market economics, we can see the link between emerging opportunities for international business and global leadership. Being "global minded" is, in fact, a key facet of successful entrepreneurship. It starts with being aware of global trends: What is changing? Where and why is the change happening? And how can I capitalize on it? The ability to tap into these opportunities requires a brand new set of structures, infrastructures, skills and competences. But, more importantly, it requires a new set of thoughts, behaviours and actions - in other words a, global mindset. We can become the global citizens that the world is demanding. The fastest way to do it through wise, smart use of tools that technology has given us: Twitter, Facebook and Blogs.
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Ethics in a dark world
The development of one's ethics is a tricky road. How does one know what is ethical and what is not? It all comes down to one's willingness to expand their ethical intelligence. When one goes into the business world, it opens up a whole new level of complexity within maintaining strict ethical conduct. Should I say something if I feel it's wrong? Should I object and report certain misconducts? Should I speak up in what I believe in?
While I believe I have been developing a strong foundation in ethics, there is always new complexities and hoops that I might have to jump through. Hence I'm still learning and I'd like to share that knowledge with you. During the global leaders seminar, I thought to myself, 'Rod Solomon sir, I find your speech very interesting and intellectually stimulating, but as an investment and trade entrepreneur, do you conduct yourself in a ethical manner?'. Many businessman fall into the temptations to drift towards the 'dark side'. Money can essentially corrupt anyone, especially those who are greedy for it. It is the development of a strong ethical and moral foundation that one can learn of these temptations and avoid them.
As a fellow philanthropist myself, it felt liberating hearing the philanthropic side of Rod Solomon. His 'philanthropic style' was not your 'everyday' philanthropy, but a precise and accurate investment in the most effective manner to bring out the most effective change in good for humanity. It was clearly an economist style of philanthropy. Our future is within our children, and this is where he has directed his philanthropic efforts towards. He personally helped setup and manage several orphanages across india. The provision of education and a home, will help set those much in need to step forth in life and become skilled and abled workers.
It was blatantly obvious. He highlighted the 'next big thing' as education in India. Money from the world bank, indian government and everywhere around the world is being poured into educating the enormous young and mobile population in India. In India today, 4% of children never start school. 58% don't complete primary schools. And 90% don't complete school. The fact that only 10% of our children go to college both saddens and angers me.
I have a deep belief that every child must attain an excellent education. We must prove that no child's demographics should determine their destiny. The end of educational inequity is the freedom for all children to have opportunity to reach their potential.
Everytime I see a teacher. I see a beaming beacon of light. My leg melts when I see a teacher, especially one that has a passion to teach, utilize different teaching methods and really understand the students they are teaching. Teaching itself is much like an art. It is both an art and science. Art is a "system of principles and methods employed in performance of a set of activities" while science is a "methodological activity, discipline or study". It is the creativity within the teacher to inspire children to learn. I believe that every children can be inspired in one way, form or another.
I believe a good teacher gives you something to take home to think besides homework. The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, tugs, pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking with a sharp stick called "truth". In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day's work, It is invisible and remains so, maybe for twenty years. It could be one sentence you said, or one smile you gave which inspired your students. The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.
I have a deep belief that every child must attain an excellent education. We must prove that no child's demographics should determine their destiny. The end of educational inequity is the freedom for all children to have opportunity to reach their potential.
Everytime I see a teacher. I see a beaming beacon of light. My leg melts when I see a teacher, especially one that has a passion to teach, utilize different teaching methods and really understand the students they are teaching. Teaching itself is much like an art. It is both an art and science. Art is a "system of principles and methods employed in performance of a set of activities" while science is a "methodological activity, discipline or study". It is the creativity within the teacher to inspire children to learn. I believe that every children can be inspired in one way, form or another.
I believe a good teacher gives you something to take home to think besides homework. The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, tugs, pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking with a sharp stick called "truth". In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day's work, It is invisible and remains so, maybe for twenty years. It could be one sentence you said, or one smile you gave which inspired your students. The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.
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Inspiration
Inspiration
I'd like to finish this blog post with some final questions and food for thought. After reading this, have you developed global awareness and the strong desire to have a global mindset? The moral of this blog post is not that we must be 'entrepreneurial-minded' but instead be open-minded to the possibilities within the world. What I have suggested subtly within my blog is the essential key to world peace and harmony. If we were to think as one, we can take a step to address many of the issues within our world. I'm not suggesting the notion the new world order conspiracy, a secretive power elite with a globalist agenda conspiring to eventually rule the world through an authoritarian world government, but rather a social mindset that we are in fact one in thinking and acceptance.
This is my inspiration to you.