Houston, we have a problem…
In the 21st Century, we live in a mash-up of the old World and a new globalized/globalizing world. We are challenged to survive and thrive. Average income has stagnated since 1973. The American Dream is on pause.
Many blame “Globalization”. That’s like looking around to see who hit you with a boomerang. We based the international system on free trade and we digitized the planet.
But that’s “big picture” stuff that you and I cannot control. Whatever you think of Globalization, we have to do well and good in the world as it is.
So, what can we actually do? We can adapt ourselves to fit better in the world as it is.
Life is not easy. We can count on going from intention to action to getting the results we want, say, 20% of the time. But, if we do not fit in our environment, we don’t even get that 20%.
It is not easy to assert your self-interest, beliefs, and values. To be effective in your environment you must fit in it. To fit in it you must adapt to it.
It is even harder to exert control over your environment. Fortunately, adaptation is a two-say street. You adapt to fit and to be an effective person, and effective people can adapt their environment to suit themselves.
So, how can we “catch up with the times” and “get ahead of the curve”? By becoming “globally agile” (culturally fluent).
Traveling and studying other people’s cultures does not help if you are wearing a cultural spacesuit that seals you off from the environment. Our training is all about becoming:
aware of the ways we humans define our similarities and differences culturally
self-aware of our own “takes” in these cultural dimensions
discerning about how people from other cultures see things, and
able to relate effectively with whatever culture life throws at you despite (and because of) these differences.
Our training is all about leadership. To find the fit we all need you must become a pioneer. So, join us as we explore the 21st Century: not a frontier of empty space, a planet of people.
The way forward:
The new way forward that works in the world as it is:
GLOBAL AGILITY TRAINING
Become aware, self-aware, discerning, and fluent in how we humans define our similarities and differences.
Be competent no matter which cultures life throws at you.
Be at ease meeting natives of other cultures in that awkward middle ground outside of everyone’s “comfort zone.”
Experience other cultures as they are: dynamic and living in the same mash-up of worlds as we do.
The old way that does not work anymore:
CULTURAL COMPETENCE TRAINING
Become knowledgeable about the culture of the person with whom you will interact.
Know which culture to study.
Know a culture as well as a “native.”
Study the static representation of a culture in isolation from other cultures.