Globalization means different things to different people. To many it is an economic concept minimizing the barriers to trade. To some it represents the study of the cultural impact of many diverse cultures brought together in both the real and the virtual world. Many fear the negative impact that it will have on their culture while others immerse themselves in understanding what former President Havel refers to as the “otherness” of others. Still others look at this thing—globalization—as something that is having a strange effect on the planet’s environment.

To be sure, there are many ways to view the concept, the seriousness and the complexities of globalization. Over the years, having done business in Asia, the U.S and Europe, I have developed my own perspective on globalization. There are important contributions to be made by the economists, environmentalists and technologists on the subject, but I prefer to look at it from a humanist and very individual perspective—as a phenomenon that happens one person at a time.

Picture in your mind a huge construction project. The purpose of this project is to build a solid foundation that will support an enormous structure. My view is that each time we interact with someone, especially someone from a different culture, we are making our own individual contribution—one at a time—to this foundation. Then, day by day, interaction, by interaction, each and every one of us is constantly making decisions as to which one of two enormous structures we will make our contributions to—a wall or a bridge. With increasing effect, the wall creates an environment of separateness and isolation—each time we act or speak in a derogatory way to or about someone who is different from us, or about an ethnic or religious group different from our own—we contribute to the wall. Conversely, each act of understanding, respect and interest is an individual contribution to the bridge; a bridge that increasingly creates an environment of inclusion, communication and awareness.

Here’s a real world example of what I mean. Recently, I was talking to a manager about the increasingly global “face” of the workforce. He told me that he had four different cultures represented on his team. Further along in our discussion, he told me, with some pride, that he knew how to say hello, goodbye, please and thank you in each of the four native languages represented on his team. “Why,” I asked, “would you take the time to do this?” “To show them that I respect their culture and them as individuals,” he replied. He also made sure he could correctly pronounce their names by asking for their help in the beginning. This level of caring and respect led to many discussions of native cultures, food, places of interest in home countries and, over time, a variety of topics, which led to a broader understanding of people as individuals and, oddly enough, how much they had in common. The end result was a very cohesive and top-performing team. No doubt about it. This person chose to be a bridge builder and to teach others how to become their own version of bridge builders.

“Cute story, Pepper, but what’s this got to do with me and globalization?”

It’s actually pretty simple and direct. First off, globalization is not going to go away, so it makes sense to find ways to understand the different aspects of it, and the human side is possibly the most ignored, feared and potentially the most powerful. Second, if you currently manage others or will become a manager one day, you will no doubt be responsible for someone from a different culture at some point. By showing them an interest in and respect for their culture and in them as individuals you will greatly enhance their feeling of being included, understood, and part of the team. All of this adds up to increased performance and, for a globally savvy manager like you, a promotion no doubt.


What’s been your experience with “bridges and walls”?