Program Reflection

Open-mindedness is an essential global leadership trait but often one must search for opportunities to gain unique insights. One of my main goals coming into this program was to acknowledge my own biases and perspective. One of the biggest takeaways I had through practicing this was that I realized that I was extremely untrustworthy of those from other cultures. I naturally assumed that they were judging me or looking down upon me rather than just acknowledging the cultural differences. By doing this, I was unintentionally being closed-minded and limiting my own opportunities for growth and new experiences. Now that I have realized this tendency, I am challenging myself to be more trusting and assume that others around me have positive intentions. 

One of the things that I realized in Reutlingen when working with the German students, was the importance of asking questions as a leader. It is impossible to know what others are thinking around you at any given moment, especially when their background and perspective-defining experiences differ from your own. In order for leaders to derive meaning from their environments, they must continue to ask questions rather than make assumptions when working in global teams. Continuing to push myself to ask questions will not only prevent me from closing myself off from potential learning experiences but also help me to ensure that I am acknowledging a variety of perspectives. In a global environment, it is essential that leaders ask questions to better understand their team and expand their perspective.

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