Leadership in Action: For Global managers, A World of Difference

For Global Managers, a World of Difference

Maxine A. Dalton, Jennifer J. Deal, Christopher T. Ernst, and Jean Brittain Leslie

As more and more companies cross the border from a national to an international focus, the need for managers who can operate effectively in a global environment increases. In the course of a day a global manager might have to work with a plant manager in Asia, a supplier in South America, government officials in Africa, and strategic alliance partners in Europe. This presents challenges in communication, collaboration, quickness of action, and mobility that are far different from those faced by managers whose responsibilities are limited to a single country.

This article will look at some of the characteristics that contribute ...