06 February The Transnational Company (...nonnational...)

[Paul Terlemezian]

As we begin to realize that we have one "world" economy and that our means of making a living is more dependent on this awarness than the traditional awareness of the economy of one country it is likely to have profound changes to the perception of leadership.

 

Will American born leaders that have experienced leadership only in America be able to lead in a transnational environment?

 

Language, culture, ethics, religion, labor relations and so many other topics will require more than intuition in order for the leader to lead.

 

What about learning? Is the expected manner of learning the same across cultures?

 

My work with European based training companies has exposed me to differences that are significant.

 

In the 20th century we could develop and deliver courses with an "American mindset." WIll this be true for the entire 21st century?

 

If not - when will the shift occur?

 

Has it occurred already?

[Paul Terlemezian]

What about internal cultures? Sales, Marketing, Finance, Support, Product Development - have different cultures? These functions budget, train and strategize in silos. There is often internal battles over budget and "turf."

How can we foster innovation and initiative while expecting these cultures to blend for the benefit of the customer?

If the top executives are "battling" with each other will the individual contributors and line managers collaborate well?

This has been an issue in every company I have worked for, sold to, competed with and bought from. Of particular importance was the experience I gained from selling against a company. We were trained to understand their internal battles and then aggravate those issues with our sales tactics.

What can corporate learning do about this? Some of these battles are necessary (in the boardroom) but none should be necessary with customer-facing people. Do you differ?