Source: Fortune
Summary
Colgate-Palmolive is rotating employees through global assignments to strengthen its culture and develop leaders with a broader perspective. One in 12 salaried employees has worked in two or more countries, and half of senior leaders have held roles across multiple international locations. The company believes global mobility is essential for senior leadership and aims to avoid developing leaders with narrow, single-market expertise.
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The numbers tell one story.
Colgate-Palmolive is deliberately moving employees around to create a more agile leadership pipeline. Sally Massey, the company’s chief human resources officer, says this approach helps leaders understand the business through a broader lens. The goal is to develop leaders who can navigate the complex global economy and make decisions at a global scale. One-third of division and country-hub leaders now work outside their home countries. The company’s 220-year history and operations in over 100 countries have created a global footprint that is reflected in its workforce.
Leadership development is a euphemism for “we need people who can handle chaos”.
Author: Evan Null
