6306 ProjectBy: Katy Corcoran

HARNESSING

YOUR

HELICOPTER

VIEWLearn about and reflect on

your proficient and

deficient leadership skills

Brains anyone?

No, just a healthy snack…

Would you want to

find a piece of this

in your dinner?

You would if you

wanted a salty snack!

The light at the end of a tunnel?

No…a pencil sharpener!

A dodge ball?

No sir…a fly’s eye!

It’s all about

the view…

An effective

leader utilizes a

helicopter view

of themselves,

others, and any

organizational

decisions.

eeing Differences

EFFECTIVE LEADERS OBTAIN

THE ABILITY TO SEE

DIFFERENCES

Step 1: Cultural Awareness

First Understand

that leadership practices are molded by your surroundings

The

n Realize that there are diverse and equally workable ways of achieving common goals

Fin

ally Embrace a

learning environment that is open to new information and experiences

Step 2: Invite the Unexpected

Personal discipline and preparation are

required to even notice the unexpected

Learn from counterparts

Immerse yourself in diverse social and business cultures

Intentionally anticipate the unexpected

Unexpected

Are you ready for the

new view?• Have any of your

assumptions about

leadership been challenged

when you have observed

dissimilar leadership

practices? If so, which

ones?

• Do you recognize the

existing strengths of diverse

people and practices

before introducing your own

ideas?

• How does your own cultural

background shape your

leadership style?

losing the Gap

EFFECTIVE LEADERS MUST

LEARN HOW TO ADDRESS

VARIANCES TO

ACCOMPLISH

ORGANIZATIONAL

PURPOSES

Close the gap by building

relationships…

Follow local relationship-

building practices

Access local

networks

Let others help you

Obtain an objective cultural guide

Close the gap by frame-shifting…

Be prepared to have new frames of

reference and modify your approach to

various environments without losing sight of your primary business

objective

Modify perspective

and leadership methods as

needed

Alter communication

style and tactics as needed

Look forward to taking

off!• Are you authentically

committed to relationships

with counterparts from

different cultures,

environments, or

backgrounds?

• Do you prioritize

relationship-building with

colleagues from other

backgrounds ahead of your

own agenda?

• Do you maintain the same

leadership style wherever

you go, or modify your style

in different environments?

pening the System

EFFECTIVE LEADERS

APPRECIATE THE VALUE OF

EMPLOYEES BEING AWARE OF

THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS

OF OWNERSHIP AND LIABILITY

Step 1: Expand Ownership

Organization Employees

Goal: achieve the optimal balance of centralization and

decentralized authority

Step 2: Develop Future Leaders

Leader

Identify and cultivate

high-potential

individuals

Be strategic

Widen scope of

those who are driving

the change

Champion for others

Goal: work yourself out of a job

Up and away!• Do you set guidelines that

give employees a degree of freedom in shaping projects while also defining limits based upon their ability to contribute effectively?

• Have you created opportunities for high-potential local leaders to serve in more strategic regional and/or global roles?

• Do you develop future global

leaders from various cultural backgrounds based on their performance and potential?

reserving Balance

EFFECTIVE LEADERS

PRESERVE A BALANCE THAT

ENTAILS KNOWING WHEN TO

ADAPT AND WHEN NOT TO

ADAPT

Preserve balance by adapting

and adding value…

Challenge the

status quo

Introduce different

perspectives

Ask questions

Invest the time to

learn about the

new environment

before beginning

something new

Build a foundation

of mutual respect

and inquiry

Preserving balance by

embracing core values and

flexibility…

First…

Identify your essential core values

Then…

Be ready and willing to

understand and embrace culturally

diverse values

What a trip!• Can you manage effectively

within different cultural or

environmental context while

also raising good questions

about the way things are

normally done?

• How do you balance learning

and teaching? How do you

incorporate the ideas of

colleagues and customers from

other locations while also

offering new information and

ideas?

• Are you an effective advocate

for key personal and corporate

values, even in other locations

where these differ from local

norms?

stablishing Solutions

EFFECTIVE LEADERS

EVENTUALLY DELIVER

RESULTS

Establishing solutions by influencing across boundaries…

Influence across functions

The ability to influence executives and entry level alike

Freedom to experiment

Opportunity to try new ideas

Creative Resourcefulness

Finding solutions with varying external circumstances

Role expansion

The ability to play the role of human

relations, international business strategy,

retail, etc.

Ambassador Role

Represent the business internally and

externally

Establishing solutions by

utilizing third-way solutions…

Ability to

put

everything

together

Be a

catalyst

Be

transparent

Discover

common

ground

Generate

real

solutions

Act as

a

bridge

Place needs of

organization

and customers

first

Welcome

input from

various

sources

Build upon

worthwhile

input from

any sources

Communicate

assumptionsConvey

expectations

Be

consistent

in your

actions

Look at that view!• Have you created a process

that incorporates the ideas

of team members from

different backgrounds to

create the best solutions for

the organization?

• How do you persuade

people across geographies

and organizational lines to

get the job done?

• Are you sufficiently

transparent that colleagues

from like and different

cultures understand your

expectations?

Seeing differences

1. Cultural self-awareness

2. Invite the unexpected

Closing the gap

3. Results through relationships

4. Frame-shifting

Opening the system

5. Expand ownership

6. Develop future leaders

Preserving balance

7. Adapt and add value

8. Core values and flexibility

Establishing solutions

9. Influence across boundaries

10. Third-way solutions

Has the SCOPE of your

leadership knowledge

broadened?Describe your new

helicopter view of

yourself and your

organization.

How will you use your

new knowledge and

personal reflection to

better yourself as a

domestic and/or

global leader?

References

Gundling, E., Hogan, T., & Cvitkovich, K.

(2011). What is global leadership?

Boston, MA: Nicholas Brealey.