SENSE OF BELONGING
My previous Shaking the Globe newsletter summarized the last decade and considered options for choosing our future. This issue reflects my response to the many comments readers sent to me seeking to understand what is required in the next decade in order to thrive in a global economy. Many people fear the future because they fear increasing global complexity, economic uncertainty, and political instability—and are justifiably worried about personal losses—it is appropriate to address these concerns in the newsletter. I think each of us needs to bring both an artistic and pragmatic sense of self to our work life.
David Whyte inspires the artistic side of people who work in fields apart from the arts. Working in organizational development, he must hear a beat of a different drummer if he thinks he can bring poetry into the workplace. I listened to him recite his poems and understood that he captured the human spirit by setting it free within business. In "The House of Belonging," he encourages each of us to be part of the success of an organization. As we enter the new decade of the 2010s, his message of belonging no longer seems paradoxical, but necessary, in this global economy of different cultures and motivations. I heard him read this poem, entitled "Loaves and Fishes," more than a dozen years ago:
This is not
The age of information.
This is not
The age of information.
Forget the news,
And the radio,
And the blurred screen.
This is the time
Of loaves
And fishes.
People are hungry,
And one good word is bread
For a thousand.
This poem reminds me of the priority to make others feel important, no matter how busy I am. It also seems counter-intuitive as the barrage of information from the television, social media groups, and web pages deludes us into thinking we know more than we do. Seeing how many fitness center devotees spend more time listening to the stock market news and watching the crawler than doing their push-ups and exercise makes me chuckle. The fire hose of information distracts us not only from focusing on our exercise but also puts out the fire of creativity we need in our businesses.
To inspire the pragmatic side for the 2010s, allow me to suggest the ABCs of global citizenship. We can’t control the world, but we can influence it. ABC stands for Attitude, Behavior and Characteristic. Here are three suggestions for fitting into the global economy and another three suggestions for standing out when shaking the globe in the upcoming decade:
Fitting-in with Global Citizenship
Attitude: Broaden your horizons. What are the boundaries of your world view—your home town, your home state, North America, or, like Jeffrey Immelt, the entire world? How are your company and your job linked to the global economy?
Behavior: Create a global network. Who are the global citizens in your company? What informal and social linkages can you create in the nations in which your company operates?
Characteristic: Become geographically literate. What and where on the globe are the issues that might affect your business occurring? What are the characteristics and qualities of your company’s individual international markets?
Standing-Out with Global Citizenship
Attitude: Open international lines of communication within your organization. How can you better include the needs and opinions of overseas offices, customers, and suppliers in your decision making process? How can you create functional connections with your peers in international business units?
Behavior: Become an international traveler. Are you prepared and is your company aware that you are willing to accept international assignments? What nations in which your company operates could you travel to on vacation?
Characteristic: Be a cross-cultural learner. How can you build your understanding and sensitivity to other cultures? How can your associates from other cultures teach you to be a better leader?
A recent article in The Economist entitled “The others” discusses how it is becoming both easier and more difficult to experience the thrill of being an outsider. In either case, the upcoming decade will require business leaders to cultivate a sense of belonging with many different groups and to navigate the nuances of different cultures.
