Developing Global Leadership Competencies.(American and Chinese business leaders)

Executive Summary

This paper documents the intense need for greater global leadership competencies in American and Chinese business leaders. The paper also explores some of the cultural and philosophical differences. Finally, the paper explains an original conceptual model for developing global leadership competencies. This is offered as a heuristic attempt to advance the research and development on this topic.

Introduction

With the rapidly changing nature of modern global business practices, one business executive was prompted to exclaim, "If you are not confused, you do not understand what is going on." It seems that there is a greater than ever need to develop theoretical and practical models of global leadership competencies to be able to develop leaders who can lead effectively in an increasingly global business milieu.

Need

Viceri and Fulmer (1997) have argued that improving "strategic leadership development" is the single most potent focal point for strengthening an organization's strategic competitive position. Recent research in leadership has focused on developing leadership competencies. For example, Goleman (1997, 1998) has identified two broad categories, personal competence and social competence. Bergmann, et. al. (1999) have identified eighteen specific competencies ranging from navigating change, to proactive listening, to coaching others, to handling emotions under pressure. Tichy and Cohen (1997) have taken the competencies discussion one step further arguing that all leaders must be able to not only demonstrate the competencies, but teach them to others in their organization as well.

While these efforts have been extremely useful, they do not directly address the need to develop these leadership competencies across different cultural situations. More recent works by Rosen, et. al. (2000) and Sanchez, et. al., (2000), have advanced the concept of developing global competencies. This paper is dedicated to advancing that body of knowledge, specifically between Americans and Chinese.