1. The ability to deal with ambiguity and constant change – and love it

Imagine that you are in the middle of everything, exercising a global and local perspective at the same time. It is important for you to understand that you are in the epicenter of everything and that you are part of a chain of happenings inside the corporation. It is not an option to keep things as they have been. You must rather be able to surf of the waves in the global “sea” in a professional way and try to map and investigate what the new will be and what the new will mean to you.

To be able to surf, you must have the skills to understand change, but also have the correct tools for the right situation. Many people today do not have the tools to deal with change. It is no longer enough to handle people in traditional meetings; you have to understand the mechanisms of the change and how this will impact you and your business relationships. What reactions are the changes causing and how should you deal with your own and others reactions?

You must be able to analyze facts, draw conclusions, make accurate decisions. It is imperative to know about different methods to handle change in line functions, in projects and also how to organize for problem-solving in order to overcome obstacles and roadblocks.  You need to design the change in a robust way.

The global organization is comparable to an ocean where the waves are constantly rolling. Some waves are higher with stronger force than others but there is always a constant movement. Sometimes you need to surf on several waves that are in different phases – at the same time. The global organization is always on the move and things might sometimes shift overnight. Many companies today face the fact that then they open in the morning they could be sold and have new owners before dawn. In such a new situation, employees might have to say goodbye to things that they are used to, such as routines, behavior, products and services. The ability to say goodbye to the past and the former way of thinking is a very important skill as well as taking on the new way of thinking and acting that matches future challenges.

If you feel that you don’t have the skill to deal with change, consider the following reasons. You might be young and inexperienced in your area of the business; you might be focused too much on details; or you might feel uncomfortable in new situations. Maybe you like an environment where most happenings are predictable. In the global environment you need to like adventures and be able to take moderate risk from time to time in order to be successful. Be open for new experiences on your way into the future, andbe curious about things you not yet have explored. It is also an option to try and find ways that could combine the old and the new ways of doing business.

2. The ability to keep yourself informed about the industry, the informal and the formal organization, and where the power is located

The higher a position you have in a company, the less detailed information is at hand and the responsibility increases and grows. In this situation you might think that the solution to the dilemma is to sit quietly and wait for order. Normally this might be a good advice but you must map your own and your department’s competence and skills and try to figure out where you fit in the larger global picture. But this alone is not enough. You must also have the ability to sell your ideas to upper management and do that in a successful way. If you not are able to do that, you might find out that your department or your position is eliminated and that somebody else, somewhere else, is doing your job from now on. You must be able to gather complex information and knowledge about the rest of the organization. You must be able to visualize and convey what you want to other parties and stakeholders.

It is not enough that you have information about the formal organizational structure; you must understand the informal ways in the organization as well.  How does the hidden power structure look? How does the global industry work? What is happening in other parts of the world than the part you are working in? What preferences, attitudes, needs and wishes do customers have in other countries? What about competition? What national laws are at hand in the different countries where your global company is operating, and what political influences are at hand?

How does the total picture for development of new products and services look in your company? Should you be faster or after competitors in the development phase? How can your department of function contribute? What values and priorities does top management have? What about quality and cost reduction: what are the objectives and demand for profit? What about lead-time, timing and logistics? What behavior is expected from your part of the world? You need to find answers to all these questions but also to others in order to stay at the top and be a future part of the global organization – otherwise you might find out the hard way that somebody else in the organization will do your job in the future.

3. The ability to take moderate risk and take a step forward  in an insecure situation

It is very important to be able to handle risk, but even more important to understand the difference between stupidity and bravery. Approved risk in large global industries is not a situation of 50/50 odds.The approved risktaking level is lower. But the ability to take a small step forward is very important in an insecure situation; you might lack some information, you might not have the total picture, or there could be unclarity around objectives. It is better to do something  than to not act. This could mean that you from time to time may be critized, but it is important to keep up speed and act quickly, otherwise you will be stuck in the past. As complex as business is today, you can never have all details at hand before you make a decision. If you are good in making evolutionary step-by-step decisions that allows you to make progress, then you are probably also good in admitting mistakes and eliminating bad decisions. This will help you to navigate and create a new course on your route to the future.

4. The ability to act in a diplomatic way and build lasting relations – in the real and in the virtual world

Can you see yourself acting as a diplomat? Are you calm, kind and open towards others? Do you formulate agreements between other people? Can you create solutions when different conflicting interests are at hand?  You have to be a diplomat in order to navigate and operate in the formal and informal power structure of a global organization. The skill to act as a diplomat is crucial for success.

One way to deal with the formal and informal power structure is to map out the following: who are your friends, who are your allies and who are the enemies? If you don’t have an understanding of this, you will find yourself stuck and over-ruled in the short term. Nurture your friends, work on your allies so they can be your friends and avoid the enemies; they will forever be your enemies, no matter what you do.

 Successful global players have an ability to identify and map the political game, but they have also an acceptance that politics is a reality of daily work. I call this ability ‘political agility.’ To be stiff and refuse to be part of the game doesn’t help you at all. The politics will not go away simply because you do not like it. It might be helpful to walk in the office every morning and think that you are a diplomat in a foreign country and this day you will act respectfully and smoothly. Be open and try to depolarize by asking the right questions and try to find common ground between different parties when you can. However, do not confuse diplomacy with inferiority. Work on relationships; try to create a positive bound between you and your international colleagues and business partners.

In the global company, teamwork and cooperation is essential. There is no time and no money to travel to see each other in person every week. You have to work over phone and computers in a virtual way.  A virtual team most often is a group of people that are interdependent in order to be successful and reach the objectives and targets. They are not located in the same space; they are physically separated from each other but they must cooperate and create results together. It can be a team that is dependent of each other in a chain, or they just work on common development and different parts in the development process are done in different regions of the world. Software might be developed in India but the manuals are done in Mexico or Sweden. All members are dependent on each other and if one member doesn’t do his or her job this will ruin the work of the others and the whole team will be stuck.

Virtual teams are adding to the formal structure of a company and this increases the complexity in the global organization. It is another working dimension than the traditional hierarchical way of working, and it is very important that management creates the right conditions for the virtual teams so they can operate effectively. The teams need to have autonomy to work in an informal fashion and they cannot be managed by the traditional hierarchy. Some managers find virtual teams very threatening and feel they are losing control. In this situation, diplomatic skills are crucial. Focus on potential dilemmas in the areas of different responsibilities. Then confirm that everyone understands his or her role and the interdependence factor. Have a cross-functional focus and identify all stakeholders that are needed for success or for solving dilemmas.

Being a diplomat and being able to work in or to handle virtual teams means that you show respect for others and that you are able to create confidence for you in others.

5. The ability to create visions about the future and how you and your part of the organization fit in the larger picture

Dare to be visionary. If you don’t have an own positive picture of where you and your department belong in the future you will have problems. Make sure that you can see yourself in a positive situation in the future—and have a plan as to how to reach that future. For those without a future plan and positive thinking, the negative thinking about the future might be a self-fulfilling prophecy. This negative thinking is very common in companies that just have been bought by another company. The vision is gone, fear is at hand, and the depression lies over everything. People just don’t know how the future will be.

It is important to have the skills and the ability to create visions in a global environment. You need to explore the possibilities for yourself and your department. Your vision for the future should contain a statement, a dream of the future, is a sum of current facts and hopes, but it also contains opportunities and solutions for threats. The vision is short, just a few sentences and can easily be understood by others who will support you in reaching that vision. But you must also have the ability to create a strategy and plans that support the vision.

6. The ability to create strategies – but also to put them into practical plans and actions

Strategic thinking is a very established facet of business. The new part of strategizing is that traditionally operational parts of the organization need to acquire the skill to think and create strategies. This often means the ability to identify and shape those factors that will enhance your way towards your vision. You need to be able to think long-term, not just focus on the operational here and today business. You need to select focus areas that you estimate will enhance your success. You need to identify opportunities and threats, strengths and weaknesses in your organization, e.g. do your SWOT-analysis and do it well.

The tempo in globalization today is high and the competition is getting stronger, even within the global companies. Who should be honored and trusted to work with product development: Asia, Europe or Northern America? Maybe none. It might be South Africa that will do that in the future. What you do today somebody else might do tomorrow.  You have to be in the present but also shape the strategies that will take you to the future – simultaneously! Stay fully focused on what you need to deliver to existing customers internally and externally and try to figure out needs for tomorrow. Read management books and learn the methods for shaping strategies and involve other important colleagues in the strategic process. Figure out the overall business plan and looks for clues that will enhance your plan.  Next, create plans and secure approval, then develop your milestones and involve people with the right skills! Plans without actions will not be successful.

7. The ability to execute leadership, regardless of your position, and have respect for different nationalities, cultures and religions

Managerial skills and leadership are two different roles. The manager has the formal power, delegated from above and the leader gets his or hers power from the people. Leadership often includes the ability to influence others in a positive way and get them on your side and makes them your allies. Here are some good ways to acquire these skills:

• Show trust in others, but have balance between control and trust. You cannot control people that are geographically distant from you. Have trust in what they are doing.
• Be generous in giving support and information when needed, be open for contact and fair in giving your attention equally to others in your network
• Train other people in the things that are important for success. Be a coach and give positive and constructive feedback to others.
• Delegate in a fashion that is appropriate and suitable for others level of competence. However it is important not to abdicate, so stay interested and supportive when needed.
• Be clear on ethics, rules and expectations. Explain what the boundaries are and what behavior that is acceptable and is not.
• Secure a good dialogue and listen. Be flexible in your communication with others.
• Respect, respect and respect. Let it be a good bouquet of diversity. With respect for others you will go far in your career; with no respect you will end up nowhere.