Diversity MBA Magazine - Summer 2008 - (Page 69)

GOING Are Women And People Of Color Innately Better Suited For Global Assignments? Some responses: “Anyone who is different and has been the outsider in a society can easily adapt to a global assignment.” “Non-traditional ex-pats are often more sensitive and perceptive to non-verbal cues.” “Women have coping and interpersonal skills, which are useful in conflict resolution and building relationships.” “Women have skills that make them better leaders both in the US and outside. They are better collaborators, more caring, and listen attentively to others.” “Being Black, I think I am at ease quicker when in a situation where I am different than most others. I’m the only American on my street in South Africa, which is no big deal. I’m used to being the only Black person in the room.” “Being Black, I’ve always been conscious of the environment I’m in and am respectful of others. This helped me to assimilate in Australia. I think Blacks, in general, like to keep it real and be ourselves. Custom- GLOBAL because they do not meet the stereotype of an American while abroad. By not being a White male, the natural assumption is that you are not a decision-maker.” “Asian stereotypes outside of Asia are more along the colonial lines than in any other culture I’ve seen. As an Asian-American who has worked in Europe, Asia and the U.S., I have a tremendous capability to lead an organization and this is gratifying. I am much better prepared than a white male who may have had more privileges or rights of passage and did not have to wrestle with some of the challenges that I have had.” Most also emphasized the need to maintain relationships in your home country to ensure you aren’t forgotten, as well as the importance of making a difference and delivering results in your global assignment. Several ultimately ended up leaving their companies because their success wasn’t acknowledged or rewarded. However, despite their initial disappointment, each has moved forward in their careers, working for other corporations in more senior-level positions. Wu formed Wu & Associates LLC and has worked Anthony Tsai Beijing Hualian Group Chris Thomas Frito Lay David Wu ers told me that White males had a tendency to come across as ‘my way or the highway.’t My approach was more collaborative, which resulted in more acceptance and was more successful.” Mixed responses: “I agree somewhat, but have also seen both men and women who weren’t able to adapt in this environment. The biggest difference is in how they react to the situation. In many cases, men will tough it out to prove themselves, but will inadvertently cause many other problems in the way they interact with locals, often alienating themselves or reinforcing the ‘ugly American’ tag.” “Non-traditional ex-pats are not innately better prepared June 2008 Top 1 0 0 Unde r 5 0 D i ve rse Le ade rs as a consultant for a number of companies in Asia. He also leveraged his experiences in a highly acclaimed book, Organizing for Profit in China: A Case Study Approach.|dMBA| Patricia Pope is CEO of Pope & Associates, a global consulting firm that has specialized in diversity, inclusion and culture change since 1976 (www.popeandassociates.com). She is also co-owner and co-founder of Myca-Pope, a company formed in 2002 to convert Pope & Associates’ 32 years of intellectual property into e-learning/web based training programs and assessment tools. Their first diversity e-learning program, The EDGE Advantage, won two international awards for innovation in training media, and a 4-star (highest) rating from Training Media Review (ASTD). Two new programs, The TEAM Advantage and The Global EDGE are available for demo (www.diversityuniversity.com). 69 http://www.popeandassociates.com http://www.diversityuniversity.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Diversity MBA Magazine - Summer 2008

Diversity MBA Magazine - Summer 2008 Contents Letters to the Editor In Your Own Hands Editor's View Find Your Power Voice Business Briefs Off the Shelf The Fourth Annual Top 100 Under 50 Diverse Corporate Executives Negotiation: The Art of Persuasion or Zero Sum Game? Career Planning for Tomorrow's Hispanic Workforce Who's Who In Diversity Entrepreneur Profile: Anita Santiago: Doing It Her Way Businesses that Keep On Giving Rising Sun Going Global: Will An International Assignment Benefit Your Career Work-Life Balance and the C-Suite: An Oxymoron? A Call to Save Travel: Off the Beaten Path - Chile Drawing the Line – Latin Art Exhibit The New Taste of Latin Cuisine American Sabor: Exhibit Highlights Latino Influence in Pop Music Crafting Specialized Business Degrees Latest MBA Salary Suggests MBA Is A Safe Haven Gadgets & Gizmos Gone Phishing – How Scammers Mine Private Data From Web Surfers Advertiser's Index The Meaning of Sanctuary

Diversity MBA Magazine - Summer 2008

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