Comments on the Interview: Competencies Required for Working Across Borders and Managing Multicultural Teams

摘要

Mr. Ghosn has identified several major competencies for individuals who work with dissimilar others. Globalization of corporations requires managers to work effectively with people who come from other parts of the world. That means working with people who have different cultural, political, and institutional backgrounds, and as a result, see the world, interpret the world, and react to the world differently. That is why in a recent survey, global executives identified "ability to influence people from other cultures" as the most important skill required for their success (Smith, Caver, Saslow, & Thomas, 2010). But this is easier said than done. Societies typically develop their children into uni-cultural adults who are capable of working effectively with people who are like them. But globalizing corporations require their managers to work with people who are unlike them. In other words, what is being asked of managers is not something they are naturally wired for. Leveraging high levels of diversity of thought and action is a new skill set for many managers.