LEADING IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD – VII

A Global Mindset Involves Openness To New Cultures

What makes the McDonald’s or Burger King brands successfully leading in a global world? The large fast-food franchises are recognized worldwide for a fact that is not random. All countries have one or several locations in different places, whether shopping centers or physical establishments in strategic places.

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How has a global mentality benefited these corporations?

These franchises have been dedicated to expanding themselves worldwide, in order to stay in the market and generate large profits. This is precisely what has allowed them to open up to new cultures and study each individual market, its customs and mostly its gastronomy.

Most of these fast food locations maintain a food concept mostly oriented towards the American style. However, this has not been an impediment to franchises such as McDonald’s or Burger King, to get positioned in countries like India, where consumption of meat is frowned upon or prohibited, as cows are sacred animals. They, too, as large corporations, have adapted to these cultures, thanks to their cultural openness.

How has the opening to new cultures facilitated the success of these corporations?

These franchises have maintained their openness to new cultures by modifying their traditional menu and including native dishes of these cultures, with the characteristic touch of each franchise, thus creating an opening to new customers and different cultures.

We must keep in mind that we can adapt to any situation by instinct, but a leader with a global mentality should have the desire to know and to be open to new cultures.

What is having the openness to new cultures? This is one of the characteristics of having a global mentality and it requires an ability to enjoy, and experience satisfaction from multicultural environments completely alien to us.

How about you? Are you open to new cultures? If you are not so sure how to incorporate this into your organization, I recommend you to do the following exercise: close your eyes and picture yourself in 5 years, leading the same company, in the same market, with the same workers and having the same profits.

How do you feel about that? Do you feel stuck? What if I tell you that we can prevent this from happening? If you have ever had the opportunity to travel, we are well on our way to accomplish it, since you have already been exposed to different places and have experienced learning a little more about the history of incredible places outside your comfort zone.

In case you have not had the opportunity yet, I bet you have previously searched the Internet for any curious data about a city which has been captivated.

That is precisely what being open to new cultures means, the awakening that curiosity in us to inquire and learn beyond what we already know, as well as being willing to experience cultures from a different perspective other than pure tourism.

In order to establish if you have this ability and really open to new cultures, it is important that you consider if you feel uncomfortable knowing new people, especially from other places or cultures. Based on your response, begin to evaluate your possibilities and the vast world that waits for you.

After all, a global mindset is not just about adapting to a new culture, but also about soaking it up and down that personal and professional success that we desire to have.

If you want to minimize misunderstandings, maximize productivity and results by developing your global mindset. Let’s have a conversation.

You can start achieving better results today! Let’s talk about how LEADINFORCE can benefit you, your team and your company.

Question:  How about you? Are you open to new cultures?