IT has been two years since I first set foot in New York City as an auditor. Now that my stint is over, the thought that I’ve thrived in one of the most challenging workplaces in the world gives me a deep sense of fulfillment.
Two weeks before I left NYC, I received an award from our practice of over 300 people (the Banking and Capital Markets group of Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) New York, USA, as its 2017 Global Ambassador. The criteria said this award is “given to a professional that develops and operates with a global mind-set, embraces the dynamic business environment and celebrates inclusiveness and diversity.” The award led me to reflect upon the importance of global acumen in the workplace.
My secondment (i.e., temporary reassignment) exposed me firsthand to what globalization means. My client in New York City is one of the biggest banks in the world, and its presence across five continents demonstrates how economic activities take place simultaneously and rapidly. It is astonishing how different cultures are linked together and work together every day. I have worked with client contacts who are based in different locations and timezones. My day would normally start with an 8 a.m. client call in Chennai, then another in Johannesburg, followed by a combined meeting between contacts in New York and London. We have also worked with counterparts in the United Kingdom, Singapore and South Africa to devise better audit approaches, as well as with our service teams in Kolkata and Tampa.
As a professional from an emerging economy, I realize that globalization is real, and its reach, inevitable. Companies are now very diverse: In order to survive and advance in professional modern workplaces, developing global
acumen is crucial.
In fact, “global acumen” is among the Five Dimensions of the PwC Professional Framework, PwC’s global framework for defining and encouraging individuals to become leaders and professionals at all levels. Global acumen, according to PwC, is the ability to operate and collaborate effectively with a mindset that transcends geographic and cultural differences. A global citizen understands differences while working with diverse people—either culturally or geographically—to produce the best results.
In the regional front, the full integration of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation economies is expected to increase activity between our country and our Asian neighbors in the future. A flourishing Philippine economy changes economic power and demographics, which means that global acumen is necessary as Philippine corporations globalize themselves. From my point of view as a millennial, who has survived a two-year assignment in the concrete jungles of New York, these are my suggestions for improving one’s global acumen:
Be a student of how the world works. Gear up for more knowledge by being curious on how the world works through reading, traveling, watching foreign films, studying other languages or a variety of other ways. This will help you learn about other cultures, standards of behavior, business practices and global trends. Use this as an opportunity to learn the similarities and differences between our culture and that of other cultures.
For example, when I contacted someone from Chennai, I observed that they are very polite, both in e-mails and phone conversations. On the other hand, Americans, and particularly New Yorkers, are more straightforward and are not into long pleasantries—they just get straight to the point. I also had to prepare, every Sunday night, an answer to the “What did you do over the weekend?” question because, without fail, someone from the team will ask.
I enjoy reading a lot. I read the morning news through business apps in my phone. During my commute to work, I first check what happens on the other side of the globe, then morning briefings and the top trends. I suggest subscribing to publications that you find interesting and that suit your profession, and read articles and books that help improve your cultural awareness.
This column accepts contributions from accountants, especially articles that are of interest to the accountancy profession, in particular, and to the business community, in general. These can be e-mailed to boa.secretariat.@gmail.com.