Without Borders: Building a
Cohesive Global Culture

Intentionally shaping and managing a unified company culture is critical for CEOs who run global organizations

Ricardo Lillo, CEO
DOOR International

Tracy Skousen, Senior Partner and President International Division
Partners In Leadership

A strong global culture aligns an organization regardless of where employees “sit” relative to geography. It provides a roadmap for employees to understand and support the company vision, mission, and business results, whether that’s increased revenue growth or new product development. Further, it aligns the organization around the global strategic vision and facilitates operations across divisions, regions, and countries.

While the benefits are unmistakable, it can be challenging to design a global culture. How do company leaders agree on what that culture looks like? Once they do, how do they build a global workplace culture while respecting geographical cultural nuances? Does global culture ever translate well across borders?

We offer a five-step process to show leaders what it takes to create a united global culture that is clear and consistent for all employees, no matter where in the world they work.

Identify organizational key results with the global leadership team

An important first step to building a global culture is identifying the top outcomes, or key results, that the organization must achieve as a whole. These are the measure of a company’s success. They are the “must deliverables” that sustain the organization’s health, well-being, strength, viability, and growth. They guide every employee’s daily decisions, providing the clarity needed for everyone to align around priorities and contribute to the company’s success.