From diplomat to detective: How can HR achieve cross-functional global leadership amid re-globalization?

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Achieving collaboration and knowledge-sharing at a global scale is both culturally and practically complex. Amid speculation that deglobalization is on our doorstep, it is perhaps more accurate to acknowledge that our global interconnectedness is shifting, rather than disappearing. In truth, organizations now require cross-functional global leadership more than ever.

Breaking down silos, setting up avenues for ongoing knowledge-sharing, and developing our understanding of cultural differences must now be an ongoing priority for HR and people leaders working at global organizations.

Joey Price, CEO & Founder of Jumpstart HR, and co-host of the “While We Were Working” weekly podcast, joins the HRD live podcast to explore how HR leaders can encourage cross-functional global leadership and sustain global interconnectedness as a long-term competitive advantage for their organizations.

Cross-functional global leadership: Breaking down silos, setting up knowledge flow

What do an HR Director and an international diplomat have in common? According to Price, there’s plenty, and it is this role that he most enjoys. Adopting this mindset, he argues, is the first important component of pioneering cross-functional global leadership. “I get to move and have influence through various aspects of the organization, try to build consensus, try to galvanize, and try to get people on the same page so that we can have a better workplace experience for everyone,” Price explains.

As an HR leader attempting to break down silos that exist across international boundaries and between teams, Price advocates for a top-down approach. “As crazy as it sounds, it’s top down, which is not always the best way to implement things,” he says. “But if you have a top-down approach… …you’re going to have better buy-in from your team.”

Having played the role of diplomat, Price argues HR leaders must then embody the role of a detective. “Hold your org chart up, put it on a wall, and just stare at it almost like a crime scene investigator stares at clues on a wall,” he begins. It then becomes easier to visualize the relationships that are strong and those that need work.

Tune in to the rest of the episode to hear Price’s full analysis of what it takes to foster cross-functional global leadership, including the importance of celebrating wins, sustaining collaboration into the long term, and how such connections can help achieve organizational goals.

Timestamps

00:09 – Introduction

00:53 – Why is fostering cross-functional global leadership crucial for HR leaders, and how can it transform HR approaches?

02:27 – What steps can HR leaders take to break down functional silos and promote knowledge flow across their organizations?

07:17 – Do you have any examples or stories of organizations who have got it right?

08:47 – How did they sustain these connections into the long-term rather than as a one-off exercise?

11:36 – Which technologies can help establish global leadership connections?

13:34 – How can increasing these types of connections help HR to achieve organizational goals and drive business success?

16:14 – What trends and emerging practices for global connection should HR leaders keep on top of?

Joey Price is an award-winning Human Resources Executive and thought leader. As well as his role at Jumpstart HR, he co-hosts the “While We Were Working” weekly podcast for leaders in the workplace who wish to be better at handling people issues. A seasoned HR professional with hands-on experience in multiple organizations, Joey advocates for businesses to translate their goal into high ROI through happily engaged staff members. He also serves on the Advisory Board for the HR Department at the Forbes School of Business and Technology, the UKG Workforce Institute, and the Ethics in AI Board at Arena Analytics.

Benjamin Broomfield As Senior Editor for HRD, Benjamin is intimately connected with HR’s foremost thought leaders and senior HR leadership from the world’s largest organizations. He produces industry-recognized commentary, Q&As, and case studies that help HR leaders to solve core challenges and increase their value to the business. Benjamin is the host and producer of the HRD Live Podcast.

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