What Is Wibbeke's Geoleadership Model?

Welcome to Mind Tools' Video Learning Series.

Managing a culturally or geographically diverse team can be both rewarding and challenging.

In this video, we'll explore Wibbeke's Geoleadership Model, designed by management expert Dr. Eileen Wibbeke to help managers in this situation.

The model outlines six key principles: Care, Communication, Self-awareness, Contrast, Context, and Change. Let's look at the first three in detail:

First of all, Care. In Wibbeke's model, Care means getting to know your stakeholders: from team members to customers and people in the local community.

Care and understanding comes from being interested in others, and taking the time to learn about their values, needs and expectations.

The second principle is Communication. You need to be able to interact effectively with the people around you.

For example, it's important to think about your tone of voice, volume, and body language. Standard behaviors in one culture might be considered unprofessional, or even offensive, in another.

You might not be able to learn the languages of the people you work with, but knowing even a few key phrases will show your interest, and generate goodwill.

The third key principle is Self-Awareness. The more skillfully you can manage your own emotions, the more easily you'll be able to take into account the needs and wants of others.

This is particularly important when you witness unfamiliar behavior – you might feel suddenly threatened or offended and not understand why.

To learn more about Wibbeke's Geoleadership Model, including the final three principles, see the article that accompanies this video