Will Any Lack of Talent at the Corporate Leadership and Managerial Level Hold Back the Globalization of Services?

Working effectively across borders, managing providers rather than delivering processes — many of these skills are not in the DNA of high-performing functional managers. Yet globalization of services means that new capabilities are necessary to affect the changes that global services represent. The superstar of yesterday may not have the profile to direct and manage these complex programs.

“It’s a double whammy for organizations,” says HCI’s Schweyer. “Just as the pace and growth of virtual work expands and accelerates beyond traditional work — the supply of people who can manage it seems extremely limited.”

The thought leaders Schweyer has polled on this topic identify “a pretty severe shortage particularly of people experienced in managing remote virtual workforces.”

Unfortunately, developing the virtual management skills in-house isn’t a sure thing. “Equally worrisome, only a portion of good traditional-type managers will naturally become good, global, virtual managers,” adds Schweyer.

Often the challenging nature of virtual work management is not well understood by hiring managers who are domain experts but lack global sourcing expertise. HR departments, which have outsourced discrete processes such as payroll or benefits administration, often lack knowledge about offshoring, virtual management or the demands these roles place on executives.

A successful global services manager must possess skills in “performance management, engagement and motivation —better than a manager who has the luxury of having his or her team around him,” says Schweyer. “It really is a rare individual who is highly effective at this new reality of work.”