We all agree that we need to be more globally orientated, and the benefits are obvious. These include bigger markets, a better understanding of the competitive environment and best of all, a bigger talent pool.
That said, where does one start? Here are some ideas to get your globalisation happening:
Read more global news - build empathy
A good place to start is by reading more global news so you know what's going on in the world. Of course, you’re well read already, but do you have a global view on what’s happening in your industry? Not local, not national, global. I’d highly recommend The Economist or the Financial Times as good starting points. Make it a habit.
Make global connections
There’s no excuse for not building a global network of friends and colleagues. With tools like Linkedin and Twitter, it's simple to connect and get another point of view on a problem you want to solve. You probably already have that network in place, so now it's just a matter of building on those relationships.
Sell your product or service overseas
If you’re in startup land, this is a given requirement. Selling your product globally is a journey and having a global perspective is the first step. There’s plenty of material that will teach you how to build your web presence and distribute your product, and this will help you gain worldwide recognition.
Engage an overseas team or diversify your local team.
There’s nothing like working with people based overseas to help you have a broader perspective. You’ll need to ask questions to gain insight on their perspective, and obviously, non-leading questions are always best.
I like to think of it as education with benefits: You learn how to engage with the offshore team, make new friendships and connections with people from all walks of life, and then can sell better due to that understanding.
Learn a language, get to grips with the culture or read the history
On a personal level, learning to understand the culture you’re dealing with is an amazing journey. There’s nothing like getting a deeper understanding and connecting with people from all over the world.
So, what now? Start something- anything to get your global perspective growing.
We can help your business find and engage global talent. They find interesting work, you get engaged experts to do the work. Get in touch today.