What Are the Characteristics of a Global Leader?

We’ve already talked about broader leadership attributes, but how can those same qualities apply to someone whose network extends across the globe? Global leadership development is all about applying your skills to help everyone in your organization reach the highest level of performance, no matter where in the world you might be working. In this blog, we’ll go over the six commitments all great global leaders show, how they tie in to the universal model of leadership, and how you can apply them to your own organization. 

What Are the Six Commitments? 

While there’s definitely some variation in how good leaders approach a given situation, some attributes apply across the board. The six commitments are:

• Commitment to vision: Having a clear-cut, well-defined vision is an absolute necessity for any company looking to expand the limit of what it can achieve.    

• Commitment to collaboration: Remember, this isn’t a solo effort—you need to incorporate your team members on as many projects as possible. Not only does a variety of opinions help uncover new solutions, but it helps promote confidence in your team.  

• Commitment to action: Being decisive is crucial—part of realizing your organization’s vision is determining a course of action early on and sticking with it. While sometimes adjustments are necessary, don’t waver on your execution if it can be avoided.

• Commitment to developing (and empowering) others: How likely you are to succeed is determined almost entirely by the strength of the team around you. Take the time to empower your team members so they can not only contribute toward the common goal, but build on it once you get there and take your organization even higher.  

• Commitment to self: As crucial as the other commitments are, taking care of yourself might just be the most important. Why? Because it’s impossible to help others to the best of your ability before you help yourself. Take the time to focus on you—it can make all the difference. 

• Commitment to developing (and maintaining) presence: Your team is counting on you at all times, whether you’re aware of it or not. Solid, reliable leaders give their subordinates a boost by providing feedback, supporting their team, and sticking up for them when necessary.

With those six commitments in mind, it’s time to consider how they can apply on a global scale. Coordinate a project with a large scope, but think about how each team member can work to solidify your approach. 

• The scale of the project might have expanded, but the vision has to remain solid.
• If your project incorporates more people, that just means you have more minds to collaborate with.
• Decisive action speaks volumes, no matter what your native language may be.
• People might be hesitant to contribute on something so big; that’s why it’s so important to let your team know that the only way to achieve your goals is through a unified effort. 
• When tasked with managing a project on a global scale, it’s more crucial than ever that you take care of yourself and stay on top of your mental health.
• You obviously can’t be in multiple places at once, but does every relevant colleague know how to reach you? Think about how much you’ve made yourself available—if they’re unaware of the main point of contact for a project, that’s a problem.