Anti-global rhetoric has played a big role in elections around the world. Dynamic world powers are looking inward at their own countries. However, despite the rise of anti-global thinking, the truth remains: the world is more globalized than ever before. It’s up to us to understand this rich international exchange and rapid flow of information, culture, and goods, rather than fear it.
Developing a global perspective is increasingly vital to thriving in the 21st century. We can apply this international mindset to our travels, work, how we give (charity), and what we pay attention to (the news and media we consume). Because whether we like it or not, we share this planet with billions of other people. The more you have a global perspective, the more you understand that. There’s no need to fear what’s different. It’s just different.
What is a global perspective?
A global perspective is a comprehensive lens through which you see the world around you. It shapes how you perceive and understand your identity and the identity of people you interact with as you begin to understand what goes into shaping culture. A global mindset also encompasses the understanding of globalization and how interconnected each region of the world is economically, politically, and socially.
What is globalization?
Globalization is the trend toward increasing international interconnectedness among people and entities worldwide. Wikipedia defines it as “the process of international integration arising from the interchange of world views, products, ideas, and other aspects of culture.”
How can I become more globally-minded?
There are many ways to foster a global perspective. Traveling or interning abroad are effective ways to expand your worldview, step outside your comfort zone, and experience a different culture and society. Prolonged interactions with a foreign culture force you to accept a new normal. You can start to see the different forces that shape a culture and how differences in values and circumstances influence certain behaviors. Interning in an office abroad can broaden that understanding as you see how a company operates under a different cultural influence. You gain professional experience in international business practices, which is important as organizations grow into other countries.
Listening to international music, watching foreign television shows or movies, reading foreign literature, and taking international classes are other sublime ways to experience another culture and gain a more global perspective.
Why is a global mindset important?
We live in a globalized world. If you want to be successful, it’s vital to see and understand how the world works and how we are all interconnected through trade, media, the internet, travel, and politics. Broadening your sense of normal, your idea of how to interact with others, seeing a company operating in different regions of the world. All of these things are hugely beneficial to be employable in the 21st century. Doing an international internship lets employers see you have a global mind-set, which makes your CV stand out against others.
