Global perspectives: International experience as the ultimate preparation for today’s leaders

Samantha Ball
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From global marketplaces shipping goods between countries to fast-paced remote teams combining talent from all corners of the world, business has never been more international.

This multinational, multicultural nature of today’s companies demands more from business leaders. It’s not enough to build a global team, you need to pre-empt and mitigate the challenges that team will face, from overcoming language barriers to navigating new opportunities, and nurturing their differences while creating cohesion.

We talked to five leaders about how international experience gave them a global perspective that enhanced their leadership abilities, defined their careers, and shaped their personal lives.

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Perspective delivers performance

Leading a global business means balancing needs, trends, and opportunities across a wide range of different markets.Having experience in particular regions allows leaders to bring that first-hand perspective to key decisions, but even short periods abroad can significantly benefit team performance.

A by MIT’s Sloan School of Management on the high-pressure world of English football's Premier League found a direct link between a team manager's number of countries worked in and team performance.

For every foreign country a manager had worked in, their team won an extra 1.14 games, or 3.42 points.It’s evidence that global experiences help build some of the fundamental skills needed to lead high-performing teams.

Identifying cultural blind spots

Cultural norms and working styles differ significantly around the globe.

This process of experiencing different ways of working and communicating makes you a more open-minded leader, according to Founder and CEO, .“You’ve got that experience of knowing that there’s a spectrum of styles, all of which can be good; they’re just different,” she adds.That combination of self-awareness and an appreciation for different approaches can help leaders navigate the complexities of a global team.

A risk taker’s mindset

Anyone who’s lived abroad knows how difficult those first few months of expat life can be.Whether it’s finding a place to live or making a doctor’s appointment, living abroad often involves throwing yourself into the “cold swimming pool” of language and culture, as app Languages CTO, , describes it.

Those types of experiences create a level of comfort with taking a risk and giving it a go. “That mindset of trying something and not being afraid to fail is just as relevant in the boardroom as it is in the classroom,” agrees , Managing Director of International Wellbeing, .

Resilience through experience

From navigating culture clashes in working styles to the everyday challenges of living abroad, international experience helps leaders develop the resilience needed to navigate the constantly changing world of business.

“If you’ve put yourself through a bunch of different, tough experiences in your 20s, you learn that it doesn’t challenge your humanity — you can live with the tension of business and still find your equanimity”, shares Carrell.

Whether it’s a global pandemic or rocky markets, the experience of living abroad teaches adaptability and resilience that’s essential for today’s leaders.

From clarity to charisma

Poor communication costs businesses time and money, as well as undermining all-important relationships with co-workers and customers.Leaders estimate that teams lose to poor communication, costing U.S. businesses alone .

The risks of miscommunication are even higher in a global team with multiple languages and communication styles.

“With language, it’s not just the words you use, it’s how you phrase things”, according to , CEO and Founder of . “It’s the things you leave unsaid that can be so different between cultures,” she adds.At the leadership level, the stakes are even higher.

“Those that are able to articulate their ideas well, to express themselves, to find the right word, tone, or expression at the right time — they’re the ones that inspire confidence in the people listening to them,” says Perrucci.

Experience communicating with an international audience teaches leaders to prioritize simplicity and clarity, allowing their message to land and stick. Meanwhile, demonstrating effort can help deliver impact. The cultural awareness leaders gain from international experience and practical skills like speaking multiple languages help create strong relationships.

“My German isn’t perfect,” Groen says, “but the fact that I speak it with my German team creates so much goodwill that half the job of building a positive working relationship is already done.”

Creating cohesion

Accessing the benefits of a diverse, multicultural team depends on their ability to work as a unit. And that falls to leaders. “You can’t just put people from different backgrounds together and expect them to get along naturally”, Milanova believes.

It’s a challenge that Milanova and many of the leaders we spoke to have spent a lot of time thinking about.A common solution? Be open about your differences and the challenges the team will face.At Daye, each person on Milanova’s team has a “Working with me” guide, and there are also guides on how to work with each country.

Leaders with a breadth of global experiences can anticipate the challenges their international teams will face, take steps to mitigate them, and help their teams thrive.

International experience builds some of the fundamental skills that leaders and their businesses need in today’s world.Experiencing a range of cultures, approaches, and styles allows leaders to question their own defaults and be open to different, creative ideas.

The adaptability and resilience needed to settle in a place far from home creates a have-a-go mindset and the ability to communicate and connect with many different types of people.At a more fundamental level, international experience teaches leaders to be aware of and comfortable with differences. And only by doing that are they able to bring global teams together.

Find out how app Language Solutions for Work can support your workforcehere

This article is part of app Languages’ series, Global Voices: Leaders on Language and Business, an exclusive exploration into the pivotal role of language in achieving international business excellence. For more in this series, check out the leaders’ full interviews on

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    How to encourage your teenage students to become independent learners

    By Nicola Pope

    Learning is a lifelong activity regardless of age, position, or ambition. Many teachers embody this philosophy themselves – and would like nothing more than for their teenage students to develop strategies to become independent learners.

    But teachers often feel frustrated when their students rely on them too much or show a lack of motivation and focus in the classroom.

    Let’s look at how to start a project that holds your students’ attention. We’ll also go into how you can help your students practice and develop a range of English language skills at the same time.

    The benefits of starting a project that interests your students

    Group projects are motivating because they give students a common objective to work towards. The need to work as part of a team teaches teens collaboration skills, such as accountability. When learners decide on roles within their groups it soon becomes apparent just how important it is for them to be responsible and do their part.

    Project work also often encourages students to push themselves beyond their comfort zones as they try and test new skills. This is often true when learners are required to present on a topic or learn how to do something practical (like using PowerPoint or Google Slides for presentation design).
    In addition, projects can test a variety of English language and 21st century skills such as:

    • critical thinking skills (for planning and development of ideas)
    • topic/subject-specific vocabulary
    • reading and listening comprehension (for researching)
    • speaking skills (for group work)
    • creative skills (for project development and production)
    • presenting skills (for the final delivery of the project)

    Furthermore, when projects take place over several classes, students often eventually get into a routine and seek less direction from the teacher. They know what needs to be done and get on with it in their groups. Of course, you will still need to monitor and offer guidance throughout the project.

    The key elements of an independent learning project

    Find a meaningful subject matter

    First, you’ll need to start with a topic that engages your students. To discover this, put students in groups (online in breakout rooms or in the classroom) and have them work together and mind map some local, national or global problems they would like to solve. For example:

    • The local theater has closed down and they want to set up a new drama club.
    • There is a lot of pollution in the capital city and they want to help reduce it.
    • The rainforest is being deforested and they want to create awareness.

    After they have a good-sized list, instruct each group to pick something they would like to learn more about. Alternatively, if your students are unlikely to find interesting problems to solve themselves, provide them with several short-level-appropriate reading materials about topics you think will catch their attention. That way they can learn about local or international issues and choose a project focus.

    Balancing guidance and instruction

    A vital goal of this project-based approach is to encourage students to be independent. That does not mean they should have no boundaries or objectives, however.

    You’ll need to set deadlines, tell them what you expect of them, and explain how they should present their projects at the end. And depending on their levels, your students will also need a certain amount of scaffolding. You can do this using a set of questions. For example:

    1. What is the main problem you want to solve?
    2. Who does it affect?
    3. Why is it important to change?
    4. What steps could you take to solve the issue?
    5. Who could help you do this?
    6. How could we do this as a group?
    7. How can we present the issue to make people care about it?

    These questions can form the basis of the project, which can last from one to several weeks, depending on their age, level and time restraints. Adapt the questions to suit your students and the specific needs of their projects.

    Facilitating teamwork

    Encourage students to work together to plan, research and present their ideas. Set days or classes by which certain project elements must be completed. This helps ensure that the students make progress and encourages them to ask you questions if they are stuck.

    Decide whether you want to give set times during your classes to work on the project, or whether you want to dedicate entire classes to their work. Also, think about how much work should be completed in your student's own time. Their workload, level of English, and access to technology will all impact your decision.

    For example:

    • Class one: Define the problem you want to solve. Consider what you need to find out, decide on individual roles and develop an action plan. Show the teacher your progress.
    • Class two: Research your project questions and share what you find with the group. Is there anything else you need to know? Show the teacher your progress.
    • Class three: Come up with a presentation outline and begin to work on it.
    • Homework: Each work on your individual presentation section.
    • Class four: Show the teacher your progress. Practice your presentations.
    • Class five: Practice and then deliver your presentations.

    You may wish to allow students the freedom to choose how they would like to present it. Give instructions on how long you expect the presentation to be. If working remotely, collaboration tools such as Google Docs, and are excellent for facilitating teamwork.

    Here are some ways you might ask them to present:

    • a poster and presentation
    • an online presentation (e.g. using PowerPoint)
    • a website (on paper or online)
    • a video presentation
    • a theatrical production
    • a podcast episode.

    Keep in mind that the objective is to help them research, present and deliver a project in English. Check in regularly on progress and provide feedback and help whenever needed.

    While it’s important to monitor and guide them with the English language as they work, it’s also crucial to let students make decisions for themselves.