How to Lead Successfully in a Global Environment
New Book Giveaway!
20 copies available!!
Leave a comment on this guest post by Nataly Kelly to become eligible for one of 20 complimentary copies of her new book, Take Your Company Global: The New Rules of International Expansion.
Deadline for eligibility is 09/29/23. International winners will receive electronic version.
Today, more companies are global than ever before. You no longer have to be big to be global. But going global is happening at an earlier phase in the life of a business.
Here are some tips to help you succeed as a global company leader.
#1 Embrace Change
Taking a company global requires being comfortable with change. Adaptation is essential when you’re moving into new markets. Be a champion of change for your teams.
Show conviction that change is good.
#2 Master Async Comms
It’s impossible to over-communicate when teams are far away from each other.
To build strong global teams, strengthen your organization’s muscles for communicating asynchronously. Use tools such as Slack, Loom, WhatsApp, Zoom, and others that enable people to communicate across time zones.
#3 Empower Local Employees
Give your employees in local markets as much autonomy as possible. Let them lead. Stay out of their way. Empower them.
Avoid doing a “copy and paste” of a playbook from one market to another.
#4 Amplify Customer Voices
Don’t let local customer voices get drowned out. Make sure the perspectives of your largest market are not so loud that they overpower those of other customers.
Usually, your fastest-growing markets are smaller and need support to ensure they can be heard.
#5 Build Relationships
Local networks and connections are everything when you’re expanding into new markets.
Lean into partnerships. Spend time building relationships. Focus on establishing real and genuine bonds with people.
As you prepare to take your business global, listen to the needs of customers and employees in local markets, build strong relationships with them, raise their voices, and embrace the inevitable change that comes with transforming your company into a global one.
What’s important when companies expand?
Nataly Kelly is the Chief Growth Officer at Rebrandly, a global software firm with customers in more than 100 countries, and the author of Take Your Company Global: The New Rules of International Expansion. Connect with her at borntobeglobal.com.
Hi Dan and all,
Is it impossible to over-communicate? I want more information always but endless checking, being expected to monitor so many communication modes and constantly apologizing for being late to reply to this one because I was attending to that one is exhausting (sometimes). We have a new GM who shares information generously via two channels and is respectful of time. It’s … delightful. I appreciate you and the experts you are so kind to share with us.
Asynchronous work across time zones inevitably means communications sent in off hours.
Establishing the corporate culture’s position on times of work is crucial, like “Here’s how we’ll cover the 24/7 requirements of this workplace” or “We don’t ask you to reply outside 9-5 M-F in your time zone.” Whatever it is, it needs to be clear.
Peggy Lynn
I was part of a global team that included members from a contracting group in India. We (myself and the team leader for the contracting group – not managers – made our schedule up so that nobody on either side had to work an overnight shift in their local for normal work weeks. We respected the team’s ability for performance of any task that might arise. Doing this created a team that was is one of the most successful teams in our IT group.
These are great tips to help grow globally. I do not work for a global company, but the basics of what was said still apply.
I’ve had the great honor and privilege to lead diversely global teams and have learned so much from navigating the journey, respecting the beauty of cultural nuances, the importance of inclusive learning and the impact human flexibility.
So much opportunity lies in the growth mindset connecting. We share so much in common but often get lost in the fear of the unknown and inevitability of evolutionary change.
I think this article hit on the basics of establishing and running a business, whether globally or within the United States. Our team is in nearly every state in the Union and communications are key. The challenge is the “what” of communications. I’ve seen too many comms out there that provide very little in the form of information. Communication for the sake of communication is a non-starter. Communications should be focused on a singular, maybe two, topics. This ensures understanding and helps with “buy-in”. Long, lengthy memos or emails, or?? can be burdensome and often times, are not read in full. Less is more…and remember the different time zones. Embracing change is a key trait for a leader, as it is inevitable. Empowering employees, especially those that are in different locations is key to success, in my opinion, and will directly influence the relationship building, both internally and externally. Giving employees the power to shape their work environment is a key to success. Trust is the ultimate “bond”.
Thank you for the very insightful post this morning! I love reading this email blogs to start my morning off. Very empowering
Show conviction that change is good?!
That would depend on the change. I have been in situations where change wasn’t good, and into today’s climate, not all change is good; I have been there.
As a leader, you must choose carefully what you can support.
Useful advice to American companies. Located in the Middle east Asia, I fnd it takes a lot of effort to get American companies especially Small & Medium sized ones (and even some BIG ones) to expand into these markets here. They are always happy to go thru an exporter/distributor based in USA itself..
Interesting perspective on the international managing of communication. I do work for a global company and the challenges of multiple time zones and competing priorities have allowed me to challenge my past leadership norms. Thank you for the insights!
I think this book would be very benefical is expanding our company. We are opening to change and embracing new challenges.
As a startup small company, sometimes delegation can challenging. However, absolutely necessary for growth and especially for international expansion.
I couldn’t agree more with over-communicating asynchronously in a global teams world. It creates a team dynamic that is transparent and fluid, especially when cross-functional teams collaborate on major projects.
Avoid doing a “copy and paste” of a playbook from one market to another. This is such a wise advise!!
Dan, It would seem that so much of what you have laid out is dependent on point 5. Essentially what a Global Leader must do well is lead cross-culturally. Relationship building is key. As you said a few weeks ago, the number one thing a person can do to build relationships is to “have a meal together.”
Spot on. Relationship building is paramount to success in any business or organization, whether it’s in person or asynchronously. Don’t fear trying both. I prefer the human connection.
Really helpful and insightful points made here about communicating with teams especially if spread out away from one another physically! Thanks you.
“Empower local employees” is one tip that I’ve seen very commonly ignored
Whether global or not, relationship building is a key element for all business in order to grow and succeed. These concepts can apply to any company.
“Lean into partnerships. Spend time building relationships. Focus on establishing real and genuine bonds with people.” This is the foundation of everything. Period.
Change is good. There is a saying in my industry that there are two things people don’t like “change and the way things are”. We laugh when we say it, but we must embrace change and move forward towards progress.