November 7. 2023 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes)
Late June 2007, I received orders from Admiral Bob Willard, Commander of the US Pacific Command, to make a port visit to Chennai, India that was important to the President of the United States. I replied, “Sir, there’s a storm coming. How important is this visit if I can’t get around the weather?” As it turned out, the storm was the most ferocious of my navy career. But that’s a story for another time.
The purpose for the visit was that the United States, under President Bush, was negotiating a civilian nuclear power agreement with India. They wanted us to go to India and go into port in Chennai as a gesture of goodwill. We could also show distinguished host nation visitors what nuclear power was all about because the Nimitz was nuclear powered.
Upon surviving the storm, we arrived in the Port of Chennai where we were anchored from July 4 through 7 of 2007. I had to anchor out. The political leaders in the United States wanted me to pull in to this tiny industrial harbor, but there was no room for Nimitz to turn.
They leaned on me to pull in there and kept insisting. I held my ground. “I can’t, I’m not going to. You can look at the chart. I’m not going in there. I’ll anchor out here.”
We ended up canceling liberty ashore for the crew as well because the rough waves were a hazard to the liberty boats. One sank. Fortunately, we got the sailors from the sinking liberty boat to another boat due to the quick actions of a few heroic Petty Officers. We were all disappointed.
The hardest part, though, was the adverse press. The local newspapers were not kind to us. You can Google my name with Chennai, India, and you will read stories about our visit to India back in 2007. The last time a carrier had been there was in 1974. The USS Enterprise was sent off the coast of India to pressure Indira Gandhi into resolving a conflict between India and Pakistan. They called it gunboat diplomacy.
The press was negative when we went ashore. They called us invaders and recalled the gunboat diplomacy moniker. They claimed we were forcing India into unwanted decisions. However, in the four days we were there, a lot of my sailors went ashore and completed a number of community service projects, changing the perspective of the citizens—and the press.
The people of Chennai could not believe that we were coming ashore and painting schools, doing construction on orphanages, and helping them run community relations events. Over a period of four days, the local press turned from harshly negative to, “Hey, these Americans are pretty cool.” Our gestures of friendship and the community relations events turned the tide. I felt the visit was a success.
Leading global teams with diverse cultures demands a core set of skills:
Cultural Intelligence (CQ): Develop the ability to adapt and thrive in cross-cultural environments. Understand different communication styles, values, and behaviors.
Communication Proficiency: Master clear and respectful communication, especially in multicultural settings. Be a skilled listener and articulate communicator.
Adaptive Leadership: Tailor your leadership style to suit various cultural contexts. Lead by example. Demonstrate cultural sensitivity and inclusion.
Conflict Resolution: Hone conflict management skills that consider cultural nuances. Encourage open dialogue to resolve conflicts constructively.
Team Building: Foster a cohesive global team by valuing diversity, creating a sense of belonging, and promoting collaboration.
Global Perspective: Stay informed about global trends, geopolitics, and international business practices to make informed decisions.
Flexibility and Adaptability: Adapt to different work styles, time zones, and cultural practices. Embrace change as opportunities for growth.
Empathy: Cultivate empathy to understand the perspectives of team members from diverse backgrounds.
Legal and Compliance Knowledge: Stay aware of and ensure compliance with local laws and regulations.
Strategic Thinking: Think globally while acting locally. Align global objectives with regional or local needs.
Feedback and Evaluation: Promote a culture of feedback, where team members can openly share their experiences and suggestions for improvement.
These skills, implemented with heart and authenticity, can empower leaders to excel in managing global teams and cultures. They will foster collaboration that will maximize the potential of diverse talents from different cultures.
Cultural differences should not separate us from each other,
but rather cultural diversity brings a collective strength
that can benefit all of humanity.
-Robert Alan
Lead from your heart. Lead to Win.
Take Action
Mike’s Leadership Forum
- Do you have a comment or question to make on today’s blog?
- Do you have a leadership issue you would like us to process in a future blog?
- Do you need a speaker for an upcoming leadership event?
- Click CONTACT for comments.