As the business world becomes increasingly borderless, leaders and managers of all cultures are being called on with greater frequency to assume leadership roles in other countries or to lead diverse multicultural teams in their own countries. Transnational Leadership Development acquaints readers with the paradoxes and mental processes leaders need to relate successfully to people with different backgrounds, cultures, and societal identities. The book advises readers on how leaders may learn to see, feel, and experience the world with different lenses; take the necessary amount of time to reflect on what they know and what they need to know; find new ways to communicate; and be resilient in the face of this unique challenge. This powerful guide lights the way for those seeking to develop their people’s proficiency in leading globally.

From the Inside Flap

As your business’s universe becomes increasingly more global, it’s tempting to say that as borders seem to disappear so do cultural differences. But nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, as we do more and more business in other lands and with people raised in different cultures, it becomes increasingly evident that “global” is not a synonym for “melting pot.” Beyond obvious issues like basic communication, deep rooted cultural differences present an array of challenges that must be considered in order for global leadership to be effective. The idea of “transnational leadership” is purposely distinguished from “international leadership,” which implies a uniform, blanket relationship with all your constituents worldwide; and from “multinational leadership,” which indicates leading within each nation or culture as a discrete function apart from your company’s other entities. Transnational leadership allows you to establish broad consistencies across all of your worldwide operations, while respecting, embracing, and leveraging local cultural differences toward better performance, teamwork, employee satisfaction, and results. In order for transnational leadership to be effective, it is important to recognize cultural differences not as “problems” to be solved, which implies a “right” and “wrong” way to do things. It is better to regard such differences as paradoxes, where “the issues related to culture and communication can be positioned on continuums with contradictory characteristics,” without the misguided notion that one “way” should somehow trump another. In Transnational Leadership Development, authors Beth Fisher-Yoshida and Kathy Geller identify five overarching considerations that can be seen as bridges by which to connect disparate cultural outlooks: Knowing Self and Honoring Others. Recognizing our own worldviews and assumptions and how they affect our interactions with others. Focus (“I”-centric versus “We”-centric). How heavily should leadership focus on individuals? On the group? Communication. Recognize and use appropriate levels of direct and indirect communication relevant to the particular cultural context, and consider how today’s communication impacts tomorrow’s relationships. Action (Doing versus Reflecting). Constantly striving for results while taking the time to reflect meaningfully on the effectiveness of actions. Response (Short- versus Long-Term). Understanding and reconciling different perceptions of time across cultures; identifying the advantages and implications of both long- and short term goals; and juxtaposing current gain with future ramifications to arrive at responsible courses of action. Each of these five topics is examined in depth, and illustrated with examples taken from real global business settings. Each chapter includes thorough self assessments and probing questions with which to gauge your own and your organization’s transnational competencies. In all, Transnational Leadership Development becomes not only a frank and thought provoking analysis of the cross cultural business landscape, but also a practical and precise instrument with which to prepare your organization’s future global leaders. Beth Fisher-Yoshida, Ph.D., is the Founder of Fisher-Yoshida International, LLC, consulting globally on organizational development and intercultural competence and diversity. She lives in Teaneck, New Jersey. Kathy D. Geller, Ph.D., is presently Director of Organization Effectiveness at Stanford University. Prior to joining Stanford in 2008, she was Managing Director of Areté Leadership International, Ltd., an international consultancy working with Fortune 500 leaders in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. She lives in Palo Alto, California.