The Hunt for Executive Talent is Getting More Competitive – Cultural Flexibility in Demand

Source: Wall Street Journal, 4/11/2011

“Global businesses are looking for leaders who have the ability to move easily between different cultures and have deep local roots as well as international operational experience…. The talent pool is very small.”

When there is not enough immediately qualified talent, you have two options.

1. Design the work to fit the people you can find, or
2. Hire people who will respond to training efforts who can then fill the spots.

The latter option is probably more efficient. And there are three excellent assessments that directly address cultural flexibility that you can use with your global-based clients to develop their own talent pool.

The granddaddy in the field was originally developed in the 1970s for the Peace Corps: the Overseas Assignment Inventory. The OAI eventually found its way into the capabilities provided by Prudential Intercultural. Working with Prudential we extensively revised and revalidated it in 2008. It focuses on successful expatriate adjustment to a foreign assignment. Some of the secrets to success that it reveals are: 

1. Having both personal and career motivations for wanting the assignment
2. Having a clear set of job tasks in the new assignment
3. Having high quality communication and support from family

Other skills that make things go smoothly for expatriates are realistic expectations, respect for beliefs that differ from one’s own, and willingness to be open to letting others know you.

All of these are part personality tendency and part learned behavior, so the assessment points out areas for development.

The Global Assessment Inventory (GAI) was designed to look at the skills a person has working cross culturally but not as an expatriate. The most important areas here are global sensitivity (recognize the value of different perspectives), risk taking (flexibility in solving problems), and patience. As with the OAI, the assessment provides a view of personal tendencies and behavior, comparing you with those who successfully navigate cross-cultural relationship situations. Then it offers development recommendations on how you can do better.

The third assessment we recommend, Global Mindset Inventory (GMI), comes out of Thunderbird School of Global Management, which is ranked #1 among business schools in international business. Professors there have studied thousands of their graduates (see HBR article) who are employed all over the globe and identified the set of competencies of high-performers:

1. Intellectual Capital – Your cognitive capabilities, business savvy, and cosmopolitan outlook
2. Psychological Capital – Your level of confidence, sense of adventure and appreciation of diversity
3. Social Capital – Your empathy, diplomacy and interpersonal impact

For a more detailed description of the personal capabilities that make a difference in global talent, refer to their article from the April 2010 Harvard Business Review.

Development is the surest way to increase your talent pool and it begins with accurate, appropriate assessment. This is one more way to make Human Resources a strategic competitive advantage.

Success in Cross Cultural Business Settings

Measure Your "Globe-Ability"

The Global Assessment Inventory (GAI) measures ten attributes crucial for successful adaptation to multiple cultures, particularly in your work environment. GAI is now available online from Performance Programs. The price is normally $55 per individual, but the 17-page report is currently free of charge while we continue our norm study. Global Assessment Inventory reports on the following attributes:

1. Change Tolerance : Willingness to meet challenges and cope with change.
2. Initiative: Ability to take charge of new or challenging situations.
3. Respect for Beliefs: Receptiveness to new ideas and other political or religious beliefs.
4. Patience: The extent to which you believe you have influence over your life events.
5. Risk Taking: Willingness to try new approaches and ways of doing things.
6. Sociability: Extent to which you enjoy being with other people.
7. Openness: Willingness to let others know you.
8. Global Sensitivity: Clarity of the job tasks.
9. Travel Flexibility
10. Travel Expectations

The GAI is especially good at measuring the attributes necessary for work that involves international business travel. Visit the Performance Programs shopping cart and complete the check out process. No charges will occur. All data is confidential. No individual's responses will be identified in the norms. GAI is proprietary and created by Prudential Relocation's Intercultural Group; Performance Programs is a research partner and distributor.

GAI is based on the Overseas Assignment Inventory (OAI), a 30-year-old measurement from Prudential Relocation's Intercultural Group. The OAI is an online assessment designed for expatriate candidates that measures nine attributes and six context factors crucial for successful adaptation to living fulltime and working in another culture. It is provided for both the expatriate job candidate and his or her spouse or partner. PPI establishes local norms and conducts ongoing validation studies of the OAI. OAI is proprietary and created by Prudential Relocation's Intercultural Group.