Better Connections and Faster Learning in Busy Times

Marco Robert (left) sharing business insights

Recently, I spent the afternoon at the global headquarters of Thunderbird School of Global Management in downtown Phoenix. In my meetings with a dozen or so of the senior leaders there, including new Dean Sanjeev Khagram, I was reminded that our global tribe and Thunderbird’s “Tbird Life” leaders have a respectful and professional tone that is warm and welcoming. It was that positive quality about Thunderbird that caused me to think about forming Global Chamber®. If more companies were successful in global business, and tapped into that respectful and professional energy, the world will get better.

I noticed as a young professional working my way through Dupont decades ago that international businesspeople had a different and, to me, a more desirable style. They were generally more thoughtful and inquisitive, more caring and questioning. The best of the best leaders were people whom you could look up to because of their intelligence, experience and emotional intelligence. Because we’re all busier than ever, how can we fit that all in? As Bill Gates has said, “Busy is the new stupid,” and so I recommend not responding to the question “How is it going?” with “Busy”! We get it. We’re all busy. How do we do more, more effectively?

The time for gratitude, sharing respect and THINKING seems less than ever, unless we do something different. Being busier than ever means that too many businesses still don’t consider going global because, honestly, it takes more work. We need more people doing global business, not fewer! And those going global can get sub-optimal results because a short-cut here or there can cause delays or trouble.

So we have some important new offerings planned for members!! Watch for ways that we make our warm introductions timelier and more effective as we grow and use technology to facilitate those connections that support more member success. Also watch as we incorporate the soft skills of global business into learning management systems that get more of our members up to speed faster on essential business techniques. We’re here for our members, thinking every day about how we can support them to … Be global and UNSTOPPABLE!

Doug Bruhnke is founder/CEO of Global Chamber®.