The profile of a global manager is not just looking at the global market but also the domestic market. And the ingredients which make a global manager are simple basics which are imbibed into us but lose their prominence. Awareness, exposure, comprehension, conviction and maturity are the qualities which make the global managers of today, said corporates. At the other end of the spectrum, management institutions need to constantly upgrade their knowledge and be sensitive to the changing environment to help create global managers. 

These were the thoughts elucidated by speakers at the 8th Directors’ Conclave in Mumbai which was organised by All India Management Association and Bombay Management Association in collaboration with Narsee Monjee Institute of Management. 

Speaking to FE, R Gopalakrishnan, executive director, Tata Sons Ltd said that global managers are made not through inherent quality but ones which are acquired. “There are three or four criteria which make global managers. They are the awareness of the world beyond your realm, need to gain exposure, comprehension of the fact that the information is relevant for me as well and conviction,” said Mr Gopalakrishnan. 

At the conclave, speakers from the industry said that in the era of globalisation, there is no such thing as a global manager. Instead business managers of today have to operate in a climate which comprise the changing aspirations of customers, shareholders, employees and Government. 

Mr Arvind Agarwal, president - corporate development & HR, RPG Enterprises, said that there are business managers, country managers and functional managers, who have their own set of responsibilities. “At the core of a global manager is personal maturity and the maturity comprises of discipline, focus, respect for the cultural differences, ability to manage owns growth in the highly competitive atmosphere and emotional intelligence,” said Mr Agarwal. He added that the hallmarks of a global managers is that they are hands on and tend to take the responsibilities on themselves instead of passing it onto others. “The traits of a global manager are fundamental and are present in all managers. They are not Chinese, Japanese or Indian,” said Mr Agarwal. 

Satish Pradhan, executive vice president, Tata Sons Ltd believed that the idea should not be to become what he called ’export quality’ manager. Explaining further, he said that globalisation today means that a company is competing in the domestic market and protecting its turf from international players making an entry. Alternatively, it is the same company foraying into international market. So in essense, the traits of a global manager is as useful internationally as it is when it comes to the domestic market. “A global manager is one who understands and recognises the patterns. The manager is able to withstand the pressure and is sensitive to issues and lastly the family or social moorings also play an important role in making a good manager,” said Mr Pradhan. 

Dr Prakash Apte, director, IIM Bangalore said that the ’export quality’ tag is fine as long as the consideration is not just costs but the capability and talent of Indian managers. And the process of fine tuning the talent and capability of the Indian managers also rests largely with business schools and management institutions. “The institutions have to keep the course content on par with the rest of the world. The faculty has to keep itself abreast with the latest practices and techniques. The idea is to take the international standards and marry it with the socio-economic context of India,” said Dr Apte.