In the article, "In Search of Global Leader," five top executives describe what it takes to be a global leader and how they measure it.
             Stephen Green, Group CEO of HSBC, believes global executives should work in more than one – in most cases, more than two – major world markets. Green's company prizes diversity and seeks global managers that bring their different cultures and experiences to the table. As such, he does not believe in going to great lengths to acquire mid-career MBAs. Rather, the company seeks to identify leaders with drive, initiative, cultural sensitivity and a readiness to see the world as their oyster. He believes this diverse workforce leads to higher profits, more creativity and responsiveness to clients' needs.
             Conversely, Fred Hassan, Chairman & CEO of Schering-Plough, believes that attitudes, not experiences, shape our global culture. Hassan stresses the importance of global leaders developing a global attitude whereby they are open-minded to good ideas despite where the ideas come from. According to Hassan, "Good ideas come from anywhere and good products can be sold anywhere. The more places you are, the more ideas you will get. And the more ideas you get, the more places you can sell them and the more competitive you will be." Hassan is convinced that building global attitudes requires personal involvement from the top.
             Jeffrey Immelt shares Hassan's sentiment of developing global people. Immelt contends that a good global company is: 1) a global sales company – it's number one with customers all over the world; 2) a global products company with technologies factories, and products made for the world, not just a single region; and, 3) most important, a global people company that keeps getting betty by capturing global markets and brains. Immelt believes becoming a good global company begins with human resources permeating througho
             ...