How to Manage Global Management Careers

A global career offers you numerous opportunities. Identify the different roles and options open to you and then devise a clear focus for your career. Aim to gain the necessary experiences you need so that you can form your career path.

Looking at Global Generalists
Usually located at the corporate centre, global generalists have experience in a number of the organization’s strategic businesses and markets worldwide. They understand how the businesses, customers, partners, suppliers, and distributors work together. Their role is primarily strategic and they take decisions based on their broad knowledge of global opportunities and risks. They are also responsible for ensuring that the next generation of global leaders is developed.

Looking at Global Specialists
Global specialists are experts in their business or functional area. For example, they might be a global product manager or a global human resource manager. Typically based at the corporate centre, they may complete assignments in local territories, bringing with them global knowledge and expertise. They may also act as integrators, identifying and transferring best practices worldwide. Their primary role is to ensure that the business operates to a world-class standard.

Understanding Local Generalists
Country managers are experts in their territorial businesses and markets – they are known as local generalists. They need to understand how their operation fits into the total global enterprise. Key to aligning local and global strategies, they must make sure that the drive for global efficiencies is achievable and realistic at a local level. Given their pivotal role in translating global strategies into local tactics, they are in a strong position to become future global leaders.

Understanding Local Specialists
a factory manager, for example, is a local specialist – he or she is an expert within a local operation. While their primary focus is local, they are likely to deal with global processes. They may also be involved in regional or global teams, because they are able to supply a global business team with valuable insights about local issues.

Questions to Ask Yourself
1. What kind of global management career do I want?
2. How can I educate myself in international business?
3. What can I do to develop a network of global contacts in the organization?