The world is getting smaller. Not in physical size of course, but with emerging, developing nations bursting at the seams (i.e. China and India), there is certainly less room than there once was. The growth in population has affected the business world in a unique way. With the rise of easier, cheaper transportation and communication tools, organizations can now span the globe – as such, organizations need managers that are comfortable with operating in a global setting. Here are some tips for quality global management:

• Communication is key! As with many things in human resources, effective communication is essential to organizational effectiveness. “I speak Farsi but I don’t speak Pashto! What do I do?” It’s important to have the proper communication skills to manage effectively in global setting – thankfully the international business language is English – however even within English there are six or seven different formats (check out MS word – Australian English, American English, British English, International English, to name a few).
• Understand and be sensitive to cultural differences. To be an effective global manager you have to understand and always be mindful of the cultural differences involved; not everyone you deal with on an international level grew up in the United States. Make sure you do not make normative judgments regarding someone else’s culture – what others say or do may not be what you are used to, but it doesn’t mean it’s necessarily wrong or a bad approach to conducting business.
• Foreign infrastructure. Recognize that US laws do not apply to foreign countries. This may sound obvious but some Americans abroad are prone to saying “It’s my right to (fill in the blank)”. The truth of the matter is that it may not be your right. As a global manager it is important to know and understand the foreign infrastructure (i.e. legal system, political system, economic system, etc.) of the nations you are dealing with in order to be effective at conducting business at a local level.

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