Introducing myself and my journal

About Me:
I am a Graduate student in Organizational Leadership at Eastern University, I am working to expand my global mindset. Here is my initial post concerned with this:

Define globalization, global leadership, and global mindset.

Explain why you believe that leaders should be globally minded, giving examples from your sphere of influence

Individuals become hardwired to that which they are accustomed. When we globalize we begin to re-wire and create bridges between the hardwired and create even stronger alliances and avenues to conduct our lives. Leaders and leadership fall into this same scenario of globalization. Global leadership will be more successful if they engage in a more collectivist culture, for example “cultures where people pay special attention to their relationship with others” (Moodian, 2009, pg. 11) Those leaders who operate from an individualistic framework for example “ paying attention to themselves without paying much attention to others” may end up toxic. (Moodian, 2009 pg. 11)

Global Leadership takes the leader and their mindset and wraps them in a cloak of multiculturalism. Mendenhall et al would say that a global leader takes “intercultural communication competence,… appropriateness,… and the ability to see things through the eyes and mind of others, (perspective)” (Mendenhall, 2008) and blends them together, much like the conductor of an orchestra performs. Descriptors of the global leader may include; articulation of vision, a catalyst for both strategic and cultural change, the ability to empower, and a focus on results and customers. (2008)

As far as global mindset is concerned, as indicated by Javidan in his Conceptualizing and measuring cultures… article, I would concur with Hofstede that “if you want to find out about the quality of a product, do you ask the producer or the consumers?”< /span> ( Javidan, M., House, R.J., Dorfman, P:.W., Hanges, P.J. & de Luque, M.S.,p. 884 ) and the authors response “ you actually need to ask both the consumers and the producers to know about the quality of the product. Each side provides a different but important perspective.” Consequently the global mindset is a combination of both the consumer and producer sides of an individual working to be influential within the context of the environments and cultures at work.

Given my limited knowledge on globalization thus far I would say that globalization in general is an influence on an environment to impact the output in that environment. In my sphere of influence which is higher education, specifically 21+ years in the Mercy College system (Sisters of mercy - colleges and universities ) globalization, global leadership and a global mindset are all part and parcel to the mission of the Sisters, the mission of the college and ultimately it is hoped, the mission of the community and constituencies in which the college resides. I will end with the corporal works of Mercy:

\"The spiritual and corporal works of mercy which draw religious from a life of contemplation, so far from separating them from the love of God, unite them more closely to Him and render them more valuable in His holy service.\" Catherine McAuley

The spiritual works of mercy are:

Instruct the ignorant;
Counsel the doubtful;
Admonish the sinner;
Bear wrongs patiently;
Forgive offences willingly;
Comfort the afflicted;
Pray for the living and the dead.
The corporal works of mercy are:

Feed the hungry;
Give drink to the thirsty;
Clothe the naked;
Welcome the stranger;
Visit the sick;
Visit the imprisoned;
Bury the dead.

My question would be this, in the pursuit of globalization who among us can predict the homogenizing effect this will have on the world? And is that a positive or negative to global leadership?

References

Gopinath, C. (2008). Globalization : A multidimensional system. London: SAGE.

Javidan, M., House, R.J., Dorfman, P:.W., Hanges, P.J. & de Luque, M.S.Conceptualizing and measuring cultures and their consequences: A comparative review of GLOBE's and hofstede's approaches. Retrieved 1/17/2012, 2012, from http://eastern.blackboard.com/@@/C8BA8386A9FB46A8EC3E2A46FFE06644/courses/1/LEAD860SP12S01/content/_1095345_1/Javidan 2006 GLOBE_v_Hofstede.pdf

Mendenhall, M. E.,. (2008). Global leadership : Research, practice, and development. London; New York: Routledge.

Moodian, M. A. (2009). Contemporary leadership and intercultural competence : Exploring the cross-cultural dynamics within organizations. Los Angeles: SAGE.

Sisters of mercy - colleges and universities Retrieved 1/17/2012, 2012, from http://www.sistersofmercy.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=...

My Passions:
Faith,Family,Friends,Freedom the four \"F's\".

My Challenges:
Time to engage with my four \"F's\"

My Vision for the Future:
To Strengthen the four \"F's\" on a global level

My Areas of Expertise:
Academic, Libraries and soon Organizational Leadership