The Importance of Leadership Development Across Borders.

Abstract

Purpose: Globalization is the reality of our day and age. Globalization connotes the increasing economic, social, technical, cultural, and political interdependence between nations. People are more inter-connected now than ever. The availability of worldwide communication systems through rapid improvements in communication technology and the internet has led to more international trade and cultural exchange.

Methodology:  A qualitative study and research was carried out to consider the dynamics and diverse ways globalization has affected our lives and  with its own attendant challenges, including the need to design effective multinational organizations, and to identify and select appropriate leaders to manage those organizations with their culturally diverse employees (Northouse,2013).

Findings:  The research discovered that it is now incumbent on organizational leaders to understand how cultural differences affect their leadership performance and their leadership development systems.  Adler and Bartholomew (1992) assert that organizational leaders need to understand various business, political, and cultural environments globally, learn the perspectives, tastes, trends, and technologies of many other cultures, learn how to work with people from many cultures simultaneously, adapt to living and communicating in other cultures, and learn to relate with people from diverse cultural origins from a position of equality rather than cultural superiority.

Unique Contribution to theory, practice and policy (Recommendation):  Every Successful leaders across borders in the globalized world are expected to embrace diversity by rising above cultural issues such as perceptual bias, discrimination, stereotyping, ethnocentrism, and prejudice.  This white paper explores the basic concepts of global leadership, the development of cultural agility, and the process of leadership development across borders.