Developing the Next Generation of Global Leaders

Globalization and advances in technology have led to an increase in boundary-spanning activities and the prevalence of multicultural teams in the workplace. Even companies that focus primarily on domestic markets are likely to be linked with suppliers and customers in other geographies. A recent employee survey across 90 countries found that “89% of white-collar workers ‘at least occasionally’ complete projects in global virtual teams” (Taras et al., 2021). Steers and Osland (2019) identified three notable trends in global business: shifts from “intermittent to continual change, from isolation to increasing interconnectedness, and from biculturalism to multiculturalism” (p.5). These changes herald an increasing demand for culturally competent and flexible leaders to manage diverse teams successfully. In another survey of 15,787 leaders around the world, global CEOs cited the development of the next generation of leaders as a top challenge (Development Dimensions International Ltd., 2021). The workplace is increasingly global. Therefore, it is imperative to gain a better understanding of how to develop our existing and future global leaders.

The purpose of this white paper is to highlight background regarding the development of cultural competence and present findings from recent research with experienced expatriate managers and to offer some practical tips and suggestions for coaches, consultants, leaders, and HR professionals.