Approaching cultural differences with curiosity and openness is fundamental to leading with a global mindset. Scott Samels '92, global delivery lead within the global enablement team at McCormick & Company, Inc., oversees approximately two hundred people halved between North America and Europe, specifically in Poland. So for Samels, understanding the cultural differences in the countries that his company operates in and how that impacts the employee workforce is an important factor in developing his global mindset and leading a global team.

People with a global mindset have spent time understanding, accepting and leveraging similarities and differences among cultures and business practices. For Ernst & Young Managing Director, and Global Service Coordinating Partner, Ellen Polansky ’87, developing this mindset starts with breaking down stereotypes and barriers and for some, fear. No one’s success equations should be based on fear. As a Maryland Smith graduate, success comes from being “Fearless” exclaims Polansky.

A global mindset is essential for success in an increasingly interconnected world. For Kristin Fallon '11, that means developing boundaryless thinking, with no set geographical reference. “It is about thinking outside of your immediate world and really accounting for the world at large. We are in the U.S. and so we are thinking about the world from the perspective of the U.S. – as someone from Europe looks at the world from a European perspective. However, trying not to have a fixed perspective is key,” says Fallon, the director of content and storytelling at GE Healthcare.

Heather Maier, MBA ’91, has always had a creative and business-oriented mind. Her interests in design and art were balanced with her skills in math and finance. And now, her year-old business, Hedy’s Gems, combines all of these. Maier was born and raised in the DC area and earned her bachelor’s degree in math & business from Wake Forest University. After college, Maier moved back to DC and worked in retail banking with the goal of making a career in the world of finance.

For Nick Gardner ’18, a marketing degree was the perfect opportunity to pursue two of his passions: storytelling and connecting with others. “Marketing is really about communicating a message through a story,” he said. “Whether that is through video or podcast, it’s really about trying to connect with someone.” Now a podcast host, and video producer and editor at Adweek in New York City, Gardner has turned his passions into his profession.

For senior global trade compliance manager, Larry Legates, MBA ’04, developing a global mindset goes far beyond the workplace. Legates studied abroad in Spain, Chile, and Mexico. His work has included on-site projects in Brazil, China, Japan, the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia, and Peru and he is fluent in Spanish, proficient in Portuguese, and has translated two books on Mexican customs requirements.

At Hilti actively seeking out opportunities to leverage different cultures and geographies is an important part of being inclusive in the workplace, according to Julia Barge an undergrad alum of Smith. In order to take full advantage of these opportunities one must have a global mindset and be adaptable. “Adaptability is absolutely important and is key to success in today’s global market. It could be the more global your role is the more you need it [adaptability], but really its necessary for everyone.

Global mindset is a point of view that embraces diversity. For associate Brand Manager, Michael Marcus a global mindset can be defined using three different viewpoints: business, operations, and people. From a business point of view, Marcus says “it’s about understanding your mission, your products, and your campaign and how they are developed and positioned holistically and globally; and then how they’re adapted and applied regionally to be culturally relevant to the people there”.

Seble Alemayehu, PTMBA ’12, and Felekech “Fei” Biratu, PTMBA ’13, started as high school friends. After a similar journey through life, a move around the globe and MBA degrees from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, they now are proud cofounders of Yenaé, an online high-end fashion jewelry brand.  Alemayehu and Biratu grew up in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and moved to the United States on the same plane after completing high school.

What separates the top performers from everyone else? According to Googler and Maryland Smith graduate Arhaan Saksena, MS '15, it's a focus on the big picture. "Always ask yourself, what is the larger problem that you're trying to solve?" he says. "It's crucial to define the overarching goal first, and work smartly to resolve the issue." Otherwise, he says, you will end up spending time and resources on tasks that may not be aligned with the actual problem.