6306 Project 
By: Katy Corcoran
HARNESSING 
YOUR 
HELICOPTER 
VIEW 
Learn about and reflect on 
your proficient and deficient 
leadership skills
Brains anyone?
No, just a healthy snack…
Would you want to 
find a piece of this in 
your dinner?
You would if you wanted 
a salty snack!
The light at the end of a tunnel?
No…a pencil sharpener!
A dodge ball?
No sir…a fly’s eye!
It’s all about 
the view… 
An effective 
leader utilizes a 
helicopter view of 
themselves, 
others, and any 
organizational 
decisions.
eeing Differences 
EFFECTIVE LEADERS 
OBTAIN THE ABILITY TO 
SEE DIFFERENCES
Step 1: Cultural Awareness 
First 
Understand 
that 
leadership 
practices are 
molded by 
your 
surroundings 
Then Realize that 
there are 
diverse and 
equally 
workable 
ways of 
achieving 
common 
goals 
Finally 
Embrace a 
learning 
environment 
that is open 
to new 
information 
and 
experiences
Step 2: Invite the Unexpected 
Personal discipline 
and preparation are 
required to even 
notice the unexpected 
Learn from 
counterparts 
Unexpected 
Immerse yourself in 
diverse social and 
business cultures 
Intentionally 
anticipate the 
unexpected
Are you ready for the 
new view? 
• Have any of your 
assumptions about 
leadership been challenged 
when you have observed 
dissimilar leadership 
practices? If so, which 
ones? 
• Do you recognize the 
existing strengths of diverse 
people and practices before 
introducing your own ideas? 
• How does your own cultural 
background shape your 
leadership style?
losing the Gap 
EFFECTIVE LEADERS 
MUST LEARN HOW TO 
ADDRESS VARIANCES TO 
ACCOMPLISH 
ORGANIZATIONAL 
PURPOSES
Close the gap by building 
relationships… 
Follow local 
relationship-building 
practices 
Access 
local 
networks 
Let others 
help you 
Obtain an 
objective 
cultural 
guide
Close the gap by frame-shifting… 
Be prepared to have 
new frames of reference 
and modify your 
approach to various 
environments without 
losing sight of your 
primary business 
objective 
Modify 
perspective 
and 
leadership 
methods as 
needed 
Alter 
communication 
style and tactics 
as needed
Look forward to taking 
off! 
• Are you authentically 
committed to relationships 
with counterparts from 
different cultures, 
environments, or 
backgrounds? 
• Do you prioritize 
relationship-building with 
colleagues from other 
backgrounds ahead of your 
own agenda? 
• Do you maintain the same 
leadership style wherever 
you go, or modify your style 
in different environments?
pening the System 
EFFECTIVE LEADERS 
APPRECIATE THE VALUE OF 
EMPLOYEES BEING AWARE 
OF THE 
INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF 
OWNERSHIP AND LIABILITY
Step 1: Expand Ownership 
Organization Employees 
Goal: achieve the optimal balance of centralization and 
decentralized authority
Step 2: Develop Future Leaders 
Identify and 
cultivate 
high-potential 
individuals 
Leader 
Be strategic 
Widen 
scope of 
those who 
are driving 
the change 
Champion 
for others 
Goal: work yourself out of a job
Up and away! 
• Do you set guidelines that give 
employees a degree of 
freedom in shaping projects 
while also defining limits 
based upon their ability to 
contribute effectively? 
• Have you created 
opportunities for high-potential 
local leaders to 
serve in more strategic 
regional and/or global roles? 
• Do you develop future global 
leaders from various cultural 
backgrounds based on their 
performance and potential?
reserving Balance 
EFFECTIVE LEADERS 
PRESERVE A BALANCE 
THAT ENTAILS KNOWING 
WHEN TO ADAPT AND 
WHEN NOT TO ADAPT
Preserve balance by adapting 
and adding value… 
Challenge the 
status quo 
Introduce different 
perspectives 
Ask questions 
Invest the time to 
learn about the 
new environment 
before beginning 
something new 
Build a foundation 
of mutual respect 
and inquiry
Preserving balance by embracing 
core values and flexibility… 
First… 
Identify your essential core values 
Then… 
Be ready and willing to understand 
and embrace culturally diverse values
What a trip! 
• Can you manage effectively 
within different cultural or 
environmental context while 
also raising good questions 
about the way things are 
normally done? 
• How do you balance learning 
and teaching? How do you 
incorporate the ideas of 
colleagues and customers from 
other locations while also 
offering new information and 
ideas? 
• Are you an effective advocate 
for key personal and corporate 
values, even in other locations 
where these differ from local 
norms?
stablishing Solutions 
EFFECTIVE LEADERS 
EVENTUALLY DELIVER 
RESULTS
Establishing solutions by 
influencing across boundaries… 
Influence across functions 
The ability to influence executives and entry level 
alike 
Freedom to 
experiment 
Opportunity to try new 
ideas 
Creative 
Resourcefulness 
Finding solutions with 
varying external 
circumstances 
Role expansion 
The ability to play the 
role of human 
relations, international 
business strategy, 
retail, etc. 
Ambassador Role 
Represent the 
business internally and 
externally
Establishing solutions by utilizing 
third-way solutions… 
Ability to 
put 
everything 
together 
Be a 
catalyst 
Be 
transparent 
Discover 
common 
ground 
Generate 
real 
solutions 
Act as 
a 
bridge 
Place needs of 
organization 
and customers 
first 
Welcome 
input from 
various 
sources 
Build upon 
worthwhile 
input from 
any sources 
Communicate 
assumptions 
Convey 
expectations 
Be 
consistent 
in your 
actions
Look at that view! 
• Have you created a process 
that incorporates the ideas 
of team members from 
different backgrounds to 
create the best solutions for 
the organization? 
• How do you persuade 
people across geographies 
and organizational lines to 
get the job done? 
• Are you sufficiently 
transparent that colleagues 
from like and different 
cultures understand your 
expectations?
Seeing differences 
1. Cultural self-awareness 
2. Invite the unexpected 
Closing the gap 
3. Results through 
relationships 
4. Frame-shifting 
Opening the system 
5. Expand ownership 
6. Develop future leaders 
Preserving balance 
7. Adapt and add value 
8. Core values and 
flexibility 
Establishing solutions 
9. Influence across 
boundaries 
10. Third-way solutions
Has the SCOPE of 
your leadership 
knowledge 
broadened? 
Describe your new 
helicopter view of 
yourself and your 
organization. 
How will you use your 
new knowledge and 
personal reflection to 
better yourself as a 
domestic and/or 
global leader?
References 
Gundling, E., Hogan, T., & Cvitkovich, K. 
(2011). What is global leadership? 
Boston, MA: Nicholas Brealey.

Harnessing Your Helicopter View

  • 1.
    6306 Project By:Katy Corcoran
  • 2.
    HARNESSING YOUR HELICOPTER VIEW Learn about and reflect on your proficient and deficient leadership skills
  • 3.
  • 4.
    No, just ahealthy snack…
  • 5.
    Would you wantto find a piece of this in your dinner?
  • 6.
    You would ifyou wanted a salty snack!
  • 7.
    The light atthe end of a tunnel?
  • 8.
  • 9.
  • 10.
  • 11.
    It’s all about the view… An effective leader utilizes a helicopter view of themselves, others, and any organizational decisions.
  • 12.
    eeing Differences EFFECTIVELEADERS OBTAIN THE ABILITY TO SEE DIFFERENCES
  • 13.
    Step 1: CulturalAwareness First Understand that leadership practices are molded by your surroundings Then Realize that there are diverse and equally workable ways of achieving common goals Finally Embrace a learning environment that is open to new information and experiences
  • 14.
    Step 2: Invitethe Unexpected Personal discipline and preparation are required to even notice the unexpected Learn from counterparts Unexpected Immerse yourself in diverse social and business cultures Intentionally anticipate the unexpected
  • 15.
    Are you readyfor the new view? • Have any of your assumptions about leadership been challenged when you have observed dissimilar leadership practices? If so, which ones? • Do you recognize the existing strengths of diverse people and practices before introducing your own ideas? • How does your own cultural background shape your leadership style?
  • 16.
    losing the Gap EFFECTIVE LEADERS MUST LEARN HOW TO ADDRESS VARIANCES TO ACCOMPLISH ORGANIZATIONAL PURPOSES
  • 17.
    Close the gapby building relationships… Follow local relationship-building practices Access local networks Let others help you Obtain an objective cultural guide
  • 18.
    Close the gapby frame-shifting… Be prepared to have new frames of reference and modify your approach to various environments without losing sight of your primary business objective Modify perspective and leadership methods as needed Alter communication style and tactics as needed
  • 19.
    Look forward totaking off! • Are you authentically committed to relationships with counterparts from different cultures, environments, or backgrounds? • Do you prioritize relationship-building with colleagues from other backgrounds ahead of your own agenda? • Do you maintain the same leadership style wherever you go, or modify your style in different environments?
  • 20.
    pening the System EFFECTIVE LEADERS APPRECIATE THE VALUE OF EMPLOYEES BEING AWARE OF THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF OWNERSHIP AND LIABILITY
  • 21.
    Step 1: ExpandOwnership Organization Employees Goal: achieve the optimal balance of centralization and decentralized authority
  • 22.
    Step 2: DevelopFuture Leaders Identify and cultivate high-potential individuals Leader Be strategic Widen scope of those who are driving the change Champion for others Goal: work yourself out of a job
  • 23.
    Up and away! • Do you set guidelines that give employees a degree of freedom in shaping projects while also defining limits based upon their ability to contribute effectively? • Have you created opportunities for high-potential local leaders to serve in more strategic regional and/or global roles? • Do you develop future global leaders from various cultural backgrounds based on their performance and potential?
  • 24.
    reserving Balance EFFECTIVELEADERS PRESERVE A BALANCE THAT ENTAILS KNOWING WHEN TO ADAPT AND WHEN NOT TO ADAPT
  • 25.
    Preserve balance byadapting and adding value… Challenge the status quo Introduce different perspectives Ask questions Invest the time to learn about the new environment before beginning something new Build a foundation of mutual respect and inquiry
  • 26.
    Preserving balance byembracing core values and flexibility… First… Identify your essential core values Then… Be ready and willing to understand and embrace culturally diverse values
  • 27.
    What a trip! • Can you manage effectively within different cultural or environmental context while also raising good questions about the way things are normally done? • How do you balance learning and teaching? How do you incorporate the ideas of colleagues and customers from other locations while also offering new information and ideas? • Are you an effective advocate for key personal and corporate values, even in other locations where these differ from local norms?
  • 28.
    stablishing Solutions EFFECTIVELEADERS EVENTUALLY DELIVER RESULTS
  • 29.
    Establishing solutions by influencing across boundaries… Influence across functions The ability to influence executives and entry level alike Freedom to experiment Opportunity to try new ideas Creative Resourcefulness Finding solutions with varying external circumstances Role expansion The ability to play the role of human relations, international business strategy, retail, etc. Ambassador Role Represent the business internally and externally
  • 30.
    Establishing solutions byutilizing third-way solutions… Ability to put everything together Be a catalyst Be transparent Discover common ground Generate real solutions Act as a bridge Place needs of organization and customers first Welcome input from various sources Build upon worthwhile input from any sources Communicate assumptions Convey expectations Be consistent in your actions
  • 31.
    Look at thatview! • Have you created a process that incorporates the ideas of team members from different backgrounds to create the best solutions for the organization? • How do you persuade people across geographies and organizational lines to get the job done? • Are you sufficiently transparent that colleagues from like and different cultures understand your expectations?
  • 32.
    Seeing differences 1.Cultural self-awareness 2. Invite the unexpected Closing the gap 3. Results through relationships 4. Frame-shifting Opening the system 5. Expand ownership 6. Develop future leaders Preserving balance 7. Adapt and add value 8. Core values and flexibility Establishing solutions 9. Influence across boundaries 10. Third-way solutions
  • 33.
    Has the SCOPEof your leadership knowledge broadened? Describe your new helicopter view of yourself and your organization. How will you use your new knowledge and personal reflection to better yourself as a domestic and/or global leader?
  • 34.
    References Gundling, E.,Hogan, T., & Cvitkovich, K. (2011). What is global leadership? Boston, MA: Nicholas Brealey.