Competency: Global Business Savvy consists of knowledge of global industry and global business strategies. I knew that this was an important area in which I am deficient. While I expect to learn a lot about global business strategies through my coursework, I wished to also supplement this knowledge through my own personal research.

Tactic: "Learn relevant demographic data in a country of interest." I decided to learn more information about the demography of Hong Kong, as I plan to study abroad there this summer. In this way, I became more knowledgeable of global information that pertinent to the business environment.

 

Competency: Cosmopolitan Outlook involves the knowledge of cultures in different parts of the world, knowledge of geography, history and important people of different parts of the world, and a familiarity with hot topics of major regions. While I do find that I am knowledgeable of certain cultures, there are others with which I am not familiar and could learn more about.

Tactic: "On vacation, create a plan before you go to learn about local culture in meaningful ways.” In completing an application to study abroad, I did research and formulated a plan on how to get the most out of my study abroad experience in Dubai and Hong Kong. By completing this plan, I increased my knowledge of geography and history of the regions to which I am traveling.

 

Competency: Cognitive Complexity involves one’s ability to grasp concepts quickly, analyze and solve difficult problems. I feel that I do have strong problem solving and analytical abilities, I haven’t had as many opportunities to execute on these in an international business context.

Tactic: "Meet with people who are involved with the same issue who have diverse perspectives and experiences.” I attended the Emirates Airways Forums debate to hear two perspectives on the open skies debate. In listening to the varying perspective, weighing the evidence, and coming to a conclusion, I increased my cognitive complexity.

 

Competency: Passion For Diversity is related to one’s enjoyment of exploring the world’s countries, cultures and people. This is undoubtedly a characteristic that describes me well, as my passion for diversity has fueled my love of foreign language  

Tactic: “Watch videos about another country to see what intrigues you.” I watched a short film set in Jordan. In watching this film, not only did I gain perspective on Middle Eastern culture, but I also was educated about the global issues of gender roles and Internet censorship. In discovering these new issues to follow, I amplified my passion for diversity and found new ways to fulfill this passion.

 

Competency: Quest for Adventure has to do with dealing with new challenges and taking risks. I, in fact, listed this as one of my distinctive competencies. My high number of diverse experiences has allowed me to generate a certain degree of comfort with trying new things. However, I know there are still opportunities for me to improve in this area.

Tactic: “Identify a new activity or challenge that makes you nervous in the area in which you would like to test your abilities, and then give it a try.” In order to do this, I decided to volunteer as Spanish interpreter. By going out on a limb and testing my language skills, I supported a healthy quest for adventure.

 

Competency: Self-Assurance incorporates energy, self-confidence and comfort in uncomfortable situations. I know that I have a high degree of self-confidence and am quite comfortable in new environments and situations. However, I know my energy levels can be lacking.

Tactic: “Take good physical care of yourself to maintain consistent and peak levels of energy.” I invested in my physical health by embarking on a six-week exercise and cleanse. In improving my physical health I experienced a renewed energy and mental clarity that helped greatly in my other endeavors

 

Competency: Intercultural Empathy means the ability to work well with, understand, and emotionally connect with individuals of other cultures. While I feel that I have a solid degree of understanding of other cultures, I am in general not a very empathetic person. Leadership and personal assessments have highlighted that I am lacking in my ability to empathize with and understand the emotions of others.

Tactic:  “Use storytelling to open yourself up more to your colleagues through sharing of experiences and connect with them on a more personal level.” I attended the Global Peace Readings that occurred following the terrorist attacks in Paris. This event presented the opportunity to connect to individuals of several cultures in one of their most vulnerable states, attempting to process tragedy and grief.  In attending this event and listening to the peace readings, I emotionally connected with not only the readers but the authors of the pieces, fostering intercultural empathy.

 

Competency: Interpersonal Impact requires experience in negotiating agreements, strong networks with people from other cultures, and a strong reputation as a leader. While, as a business student, I understand the importance of networking and have come to learn many tips and tricks, my network still has lots of room to grow.

Tactic: “Grow your network through connections you already have.” In order to expand my network, I attended networking events at the Smith School and read up on how to update my LinkedIn profile. Through these tactics I made valuable connections that contributed to my interpersonal impact.

 

Competency: Diplomacy is comprised of the ability to easily start conversations with strangers, integrate diverse perspectives, and eagerly collaborate with others. I feel that I am a very diplomatic individual. However I can sometimes be awkward around strangers. Therefore, I chose to focus on the ease of conversation component of this competency.

Tactic:  “Learn icebreakers you can use to start conversations easily.” I practiced some of my conversation skills at the Language House’s weekly coffee conversation hour. In putting my language and conversation skills to the test, I developed my diplomacy.

 

To learn about how I executed on each of these strategies, please visit the Beyond the Classroom page in my portfolio, which describes in detail my experience in developing each competency..