What does globally responsible leadership and integrity mean to me?

By: Juan Pablo Valdivia Centrum Catlica Business School - Per GRLI Partner Serious recent affairs on a global scale, reflected in the global economic crisis and the failure of the existing economic model or free market, have contributed to a crisis of confidence in the system and some of their representatives, who have failed in honoring their status as leaders and their ethical commitment and have been exposed to public criticism almost immediately due to the development of global communications. At the same time, the feeling of generalized uncertainty has been source of conflicts, as a result of the lack of credibility. We can see many of them around the world on a daily basis. On the other hand, as stated in the call to this important event, the overall responsibility and sustainability have become irreplaceable criteria in assessment for business development, for countries and companies. The search for leaders is not only an important issue for private enterprises, but for Governments, and in particular for multinational corporations that should reach agreements through win win negotiation mode. Before giving an interpretation of this new concept we need to do a review on the three components that make it up. First we will talk about leadership, understood as the ability to generate and transmit a vision and get followers to adhere it. However, this is not enough. As D'Alessio (2009) affirmed, the need for leaders in this highly competitive economy is a priority and also important is that these leaders should produce results. They are inherent in the leader and a goal in itself, but results must not push ethical behavior and legal aspects aside as well as the social implications of his decisions. This one is because the new orientation of the leadership is the art of motivating, communicating, empowering and convincing people to accept a new vision of sustainable development, and apply the necessary changes this development implies (GRLI, 2008). We find secondly the "global" term that is strongly related to globalization, whose origin goes back to the economic conditions generated in the new international panorama, the decrease in trade barriers and the opening of the borders between countries. All of that arose after the World War II, but it clearly accentuated in the 1980s, with the emergence of the World Wide Web and the new telecommunications technologies to set information to the scope of ever more people, turning world in a global village. But this process has two edges. On the one hand, it might be seen as a generator of wealth and socioeconomic stability, while on the other hand, as a factor of inequality, social injustice and conflict (BeM Management School, 2009). In the third place, at the same time that states have yielded up part of their governance regulation capability to the advance of the growing power of companies and their

businesses, it is also true that it arose in them the need for self controlling to comply with a number of minimum requirements of the countries in which they wish to settle. This reflects a change of approach to the business management of freedom with responsibility, probably not very widely spread at this moment, but with long-term perspective (BeM Management School, 2009). Thus the responsible attitude is understood to be morally acceptable behavior that is aware of the decisions taken and is capable of responding to them and their consequences. The integration of the three previous concepts results in synergy between them. And it consequently emerges the concept of global responsible leadership, understood as a need for change of mindset in the new leaders and the way they perform business, and a permanent attitude to make local decisions without losing sight of the global environment, or worse even ignoring it, and to assume the consequences they will have in the future. In a phrase, the new leaders must appreciate our planet not only as a source of wealth and economic activities, but also as a main partner of the business of the 21st century (Meier M.Q., 2011). This should be the main driver to sustainability. Since its launch in 2003, the GRLI has become a dynamic academic movement formed by a network of Business Schools and companies interested in scrutinized the training of responsible managers. Thus, Global Responsible Leadership implies a prior process of development of new leaders, statesmen and change agents who have a future-oriented vision for the sustainability of society institutions, the environment, and the human development as a priority and embedded in that vision will be the sustainability of the company or business. In that sense, leadership is one of the most important subjects in the MBA program at Centrum Catlica Business School, member of the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) and subscriber of the GRLI. From the beginning students receive permanent professors influence and they become our leaders and give us feedback on this matter, so that it incorporates in our culture and our way of action, in a natural way. At the same level of relevancy of sustainability there is another strong value supporting responsible leadership. This is integrity. According the Oxford Dictionary (www.oxfordadvancedlearnersdictionary.com), integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. Starting from this formal definition, and in an international business environment, we have identified the following aspects characterizing it: Respect for diversity in the global environment. It implies overcoming and tolerating all kind of cultural, biological or ecological differences Transparency: Say what you do Consistency: Do what you say Defining and exercising a single high quality standard, including ethical and legal scope Keeping planet Earth as main partner in business.

Sincere solidarity. Not simple charity or looking for political compensation.

Thats why this is a unique opportunity to meet representatives of many other nations and cultures, sharing with them our approach to the meaning of global responsible leadership, learning from their experiences and also exchanging information that will help to find new ways to solve social conflicts. It is a privilege to represent Peru and a young but prestigious business school as Centrum Catlica and Im sure that this event will provide us a complete and inclusive scope of this matter. Of course, an additional expectation is to share this knowledge with my colleagues from Centrum Catlica and help encourage spreading the culture of global responsibility, leadership, best practices in this aspect and sustainability as a goal in all of our activities. Despite not having international experience, I feel that my professional experience of over 25 years gives me the ability to talk about different styles of leadership, since my early days as a field supervisor until present time as manager of others, and along this route I have learned that a leader is made of the various circumstances that he plays and lives, day by day. I feel especially involved in this effort since I would like to share my experience as a worker in a multinational gold mining company during the last eight years in a Peruvian region considered with one of the lowest poverty indexes. A final mention about my experience as student in Centrum Catlica. It has been two and a half years of great intensity, living, sharing and promoting interesting discussions with many other excellent people, women and men, each one with their own background, knowledge, experience and expectations. But always with one aim: team building and looking for consensus. My gratitude to my School and all of my colleagues. It is also a experience to share. References BeM Management School. (2009). The AlphaBeM of the responsible Manager. Bordeaux, France. Retrieved from www.grli.org D'Alessio, F. (2009). Leadership and management attributes: an approach of management. Pearson Education. Lima. Per. GRLI. Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative. (2008). A World in need of Globally Responsible Leadership. Brussels. Belgium. Retrieved from www.grli.org http://www.oxfordadvancedlearnersdictionary.com/dictionary/integrity M.Q. Meier, M. (2011). The Earth, main "partner" of the business of the 21st century. In: El Comercio. Monday 11 July 2011. Section ecology and development, a10. Lima, Per.