Global Leadership Coaching: It Is a Journey, Not an Event

Nearly Two-Thirds of CEO’s do not receive outside Leadership Advice- but nearly all want it, that is the finding of the Executive Coaching Survey report by Stanford University Center for Leadership and Research. Given how vitally important it is for the CEO to be getting the best possible counsel, as their decisions are critical; first for the organization to thrive globally and second to maintain the health of the corporation. Dr. Ranker expressed, strange and an opportunity missed that so many of them are ‘going at it alone’. Global leadership requires a particular type of development, beyond the traditional leadership programs fit for domestic leaders.

Becoming a successful global leader is not to be taken lightly. Many executives wrongly believe that the leadership skills, knowledge, and experience within the global workforce of their companies represent an invaluable asset and it should be enough to thrive globally. They have proven to be successful at home, but they find themselves questioning their competencies when moving abroad, what constitutes good management and leadership, what priorities he should tackle first, and how they can effectively lead others who are different, who have different perspectives and values.

Moreover, as executives become more senior, they are less likely to receive constructive performance and strategic feedback. As a result, many top executives become more insular at a time when they must continually be open to new ideas and thinking to advance their performance and global developmental needs of their corporation. They may also become increasingly isolated from constructive criticism—subordinates do not want to offend the boss and may believe that constructive suggestions are unwelcome and unwise. They must become Global Mindset leaders.

Coaching for Global Mindset Leaders

In his book, Coaching for Global Mindset, Dr. Ranker discusses in depth his Coaching process. But in short, the core of his Global Mindset Coaching process is based on four pillars.

• Global Mindset Leadership is Situational
• Cultural differences and similarities aren’t positive or negative.
• Developing An Active Openness to learning
• Adopting an emotionally intelligent leading approach.

In his practice, Dr. Ranker aims to help Global Leaders coaching on two fronts, personally and professionally as both are interconnected. To coach global leaders, a coach must have specific coaching skills and form a partnership, a collaborative individualized relationship with the executive. The leaders in his study mentioned a few of the abilities they need to master to thrive in the global arena.

• Ability to deal with ambiguity, uncertainty, and change
• Ability to develop local talent and initiate changes and improvements using that talent.
• Ability to create a clear vision.
• Ability to encourage collaboration, teamwork, and the pooling and sharing of resources without cultural preferences.
• Ability to design governance models that apply across different cultures, considering cultural differences.
• Ability to process massive amounts of information, and then distill salient points and communicate them effectively.

That is a tall order, yet not impossible when the right partnership forms. As mentioned earlier, one component of Dr. Ranker’s methodology is a significant frequency of coaching contact over a more extended period, this is an integral part of his success with clients.

Personal Life Coaching Outcomes:

In his book, Global Mindset Coaching, Dr. Ranker’s experience and interviews with former and current clients have defined the outcomes executives feel they need help with from a Global Mindset coach.

• Help them to understand their issues about target behaviors they could change to be more efficient.
• Handling stressful situations
• Be an objective, non-biased outsider, and yet a caring person who the CEO can turn to when trying to understand and deal with all the complexity of his work
• Help the CEO to become more self-aware (Increase emotional intelligence)
• Help improving relationships
• Help building networks of influence within and outside the Organization
• Organizational Leadership Outcomes
• Leaders want to become more effective, efficient and influential.
• Identify and nurture a winning coalition
• Develop people with a global mindset
• Find ways to transcend cultural differences
• Develop a personal brand

Global Leadership Coaching Approach

In his book, Dr. Ranker describes the different types of coaching programs and their effectiveness for Global Leaders. Many coaches present their work as having a distinct period. They clarify that this is an intervention, albeit a very positive one, but an experience that is time-limited. It is a skill building approach. A global mindset coach engages in a coaching relationship that is similar to a relationship with an athletic coach. In athletics, as long as you wish to stay in the game, to be at the top of your performance, you continue to appreciate the value of the coach long term. The Senior executive or CEO has a demanding group of stakeholders who expect performance to continue to increase year after year, quarter after quarter, month after month. The only way this can be achieved is to continue to become more and more efficient, more and more effective.