The Gift of a Global
Cosmopolitan Mindset
Those who live global lives develop a psyche that enables
them to tackle complex challenges.
“What
is it that makes me feel so comfortable, sitting in this group of people who
have lived and worked all over the world? What is it about the way we think
that is different and makes me feel so much a part of this group?” Jack, an
American entrepreneur in Hong Kong, asked me over coffee as we were discussing
global living.
People
like Jack, who have worked and lived in different countries, are part of a
growing club of individuals I’ve come to call Global Cosmopolitans. Despite
the backlash against
the concept of “citizen of the world”, they are still a growing population.
They are often (and unfortunately) thought of as footloose global executives
who call no place home. But my lifelong research into this group finds that it
is not comprised of people who take life so flippantly. Many of them come from
humble immigrant backgrounds, grew up in multiple countries speaking various
languages and have had to work very hard to get where they are today. Some are
simply from bicultural families and have been born into a world of
globalisation and change.
Each
of their stories is different, but what binds them together is a mindset that
helps them approach the complexity they face.
Critical
lessons
My
latest book, The Global Cosmopolitan Mindset, centres on the
mindset that Global Cosmopolitans develop on their journey. As Jack’s questions
demonstrate, this mindset is an elusive concept, even for Global Cosmopolitans
themselves. But understanding it is critical for both Global Cosmopolitans and
those who manage or work with them, because this mindset is essential to
survive and thrive in the complex world we live in. Global Cosmopolitans
are remarkably good at learning from life experiences, although they often
don’t realise it themselves. Their skills can provide all of us with critical
lessons that can help us maximise our potential.
Based
on my decades of research and interviews with hundreds of well-travelled
individuals, a global cosmopolitan mindset is made up of three parts:
a growth mindset, a global mindset and
a creative mindset.
Global
Cosmopolitans often tell me that their attitudes, such as thinking of their
lives as an opportunity to learn and grow, help substantially in new situations
where they have to deal with the complications of difference. On the other
hand, having a rigid mindset, i.e. one that has clear rules about right and
wrong, or good and bad, can help them feel secure but also limit their ability
to grow. A growth mindset helps Global Cosmopolitans remain flexible and open
to change. This is the base from which they are able to find creative solutions
to the complications of global life and work. Having a learning orientation
often kick-starts a virtuous cycle: The creativity they cultivate feeds back
into their motivation to continue learning.
Finding
solutions to global challenges
A
global mindset is defined by the belief that both local and global orientations
are needed to make sense of the world. Many people’s understanding of life
and work, including their attitude towards building networks and crafting
solutions, has local roots. Meanwhile, Global Cosmopolitans can understand a
local orientation – and often rely on it – but are globally minded. Meera, for
example, grew up between the United Kingdom and India. Simultaneously living in
the respective cultures of each parent gave her constant exposure to
differences in both places but also roots in each one. Now an entrepreneur, she
says she is never short of new business ideas that could have global
implications.
While
Global Cosmopolitans often do not describe themselves as creative, they are
quick to tell stories of adapting to changes in location, work and
relationships and seem able to flourish in new settings. A creative mindset is
characterised by curiosity, the ability to suspend judgment, tolerance of
ambiguity, wonder and a belief in one’s ability to find creative
solutions. An international life is a fertile breeding ground for the
development of a creative mindset. It makes Global Cosmopolitans more
sensitive to who they are and new ways of functioning.
A
growing number of researchers and leaders describe how having a global
mindset is an essential aspect of successful leadership. Individuals with a
global mindset are less likely to simplify the realities of today’s business
world. They acknowledge and address the complexity and ambiguity involved.
Leading change in the current context calls for new solutions to global
challenges. We can all learn from the Global Cosmopolitans’ experience of this
changing reality.
Linda Brimm, INSEAD
Emeritus Professor of Organisational Behaviour | October 12, 2018
Read more at
https://knowledge.insead.edu/career/the-gift-of-a-global-cosmopolitan-mindset-10246#CEfwHDEOSD6eazsw.99
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