Managing Up (Send to Your Global Talent)

“Jon, I want my global talent to be proactive!”

“I have to tell them to do everything - this isn’t working out!”

“Global Talent doesn’t work for me!”

We’ve seen this pattern a thousand times, and so Binsi and I hopped on to talk about the perspective from both of our sides.

It was one of my favorite recent conversations - and I love learning about the other perspectives on this - I have so much to learn!

We tried to frame the conversation in a way, such that you can send this video to your global talent, and can say:

“Watch this, you might get some tips as to working with me, and some ideas for how to become more independent!”

Here is the whole video, as well as a few of the biggest takeaways…I think it is worth watching the whole thing.

Takeaway 1: Understanding Culture

• Recognize the Cultural Context: Global talent, especially from South Asia and the Philippines, may come from hierarchical cultures that emphasize respect for authority. This can lead to a reluctance to say no or push back against managers.

Takeaway 2: Open Communication

• Encourage Pushback: Make it clear to your global team that constructive feedback and pushback are welcomed. This helps in breaking down the cultural barrier of always agreeing.

Takeaway 3: Promoting Independence

• Encourage Independent Thinking: American business culture often values independence and self-initiative. Encourage your global talent to not just “follow orders” but also to think independently and suggest improvements.

Takeaway 4: Integrating into American Work Culture

• Share Context and The Big Picture: Always provide the why behind tasks and projects. Understanding the bigger picture helps global talent make better decisions and feel more connected to their work.

Takeaway 5: Handling Mistakes and Learning

• Normalize Mistakes: Make it known that everyone makes mistakes and that they are opportunities for learning, not reasons for punishment. This reduces the fear of failure and encourages openness about challenges.

Takeaway 6: Creating Support Systems

• Provide Support and Resources: Ensure that there are mechanisms in place for global talent to seek help or clarification without fear of reprisal. This could be through mentorship programs or peer support groups.

Yallah Habibi,

Jon

Passage of the Week - From Me!

I’m ethnically & religiously a mutt - raised Protestant, but with 2 Catholic grandparents on one side, and a Daughter of the American Revolution (old school quaker) married to a fresh off the boat Jewish immigrant from on the other side.

My Quaker grandmother came to America in 1690. Their Quaker family was looking for religious freedom and safety from persecution.

Sort of ironic if you think about it.

How two completely different families came to America for essentially the same reason.......just 250 years apart. My last name “Matzner”, and my middle name “Eric” comes from my Jewish grandfather - who arrived in America in 1938.

How do we know his arrival date?

I have his ship records from Ellis Island (attached below). He (along with his mom, brother, and dad) left Hamburg, Germany on November 10th 1938 on a ship called the “Hansa”. For those that know their history, Nov 9th (the day before they left) was “Kristallnacht” - the day Nazi leaders unleashed a series of pogroms against the Jewish population in Germany.

It became known as the “Night of Broken Glass” because of the shattered glass that littered the streets after the vandalism and destruction of Jewish-owned businesses, synagogues, and homes.

Zero English, the name of a relative to look up when they arrived, and the belongings that they carried - my then 6 year old grandfather arrived at Ellis Island to begin his life in America. He eventually dropped the “H” in his name (was originally Erich), and became “Eric” to become more American sounding. When my grandpa was a little kid he actually insisted on being called "Tom".

I think that lasted several years. My dad ran into people all the time who knew him as Tom. He was embarrassed that his name sounded so German, and the other kids gave him a hard time. Kind of ironic, my son’s name is Otto!

The pendulum swings.

For his entire adult life, my grandfather wore a “Statue of Liberty” ring - and he would speak adoringly & unendingly of the day he sailed into New York harbor as a little boy. The rest of my grandfather’s family, who stayed behind in Vienna, were all killed during the holocaust, because of who they were.

A few remnants of the Matzners still remain in Vienna - including “Matzner Park” and “Matzner Strasse” all of which I’ve been lucky enough to wander around during recent visits there. But - my grandfather made his life in America. He started a family, had a successful business career, 4 kids & oodles of grandkids. He died a happy man, thankful for his life in America and the opportunities America gave him.

I miss him.

People ask me why I care so much about immigration - the answer is easy. My grandfather.

As the political football of immigration gets batted incessantly around these days- I think a lot about my grandpa, and people like him.

Who are the six year olds arriving in our country today?

Do they have to spend their first year of life, living in a small basement like he did, hoping not to get deported or sent back to their home country?

Our immigration system is terribly broken & needs to be reformed (in a host of different ways) - so I’m not going to try and defend the current state of affairs.

I recognize the need for a system that balances compassion with practicality. But I refuse to believe that we can’t both protect our borders, and also provide a beacon of hope to people around the world - yearning for a better life.

I’ll also remind people that 99% of the people trying to come here are looking for one thing - a better life for their kids.

They aren’t members of MS-13, al-Qaeda, or whatever the latest boogeyman happens to be.

These people literally just want to have a roof over their head, take care of their families, and maybe earn the right to become Americans

. Now, before you call me some tree hugging coastal elitist - let’s have a five minute conversation, and we’ll talk about the various things we have both done for our country, and we’ll see who wins.

One of my favorite ideas about America is that “Immigration is a one generation issue”.

My grandfather might have been “Austrian” but his son (my dad) was “American”. Patels, Okafors, Khans, and Gonzalezes all might be something different today - but you bet your ass their kids will be “Americans”.

Our country needs clear headed, honest, non- geriatric leaders to continue to make our American experiment thrive for my son, for his son, and for generations to come.

Conceding to political nihilism means the loudest & dumbest members of our fragile and beautiful republic win.

Run for local office. Vote.Serve your country (Teach for America, the Marine Corps, a soup kitchen - who cares). Start a business. Fly an American flag. Engage in good faith with people from across the aisle.

Reflecting on my grandfather's escape and his new beginning in America, I'm reminded that it's stories like his that are the foundation of this country, and it's these very stories that will continue to fortify our nation. Now, go do something about it. We have work to do.