A Regional role – where a person oversees a practice area or
a client relationship over a large geography – is an aspired role in today's corporate world. A regional role enables a person to work
across different cultures across a large geography, and provides wide net-working opportunities. Not surprisingly, a
regional role - because of its high visibility - is often seen as a stepping
stone to “higher” things – a global role, or a role in the corporate
headquarters.
However, a regional role comes with its own set of unique
challenges – a reason why not every person in a regional role is able to do full justice to his role. Here are the lessons I learnt from hard experience as to why a “rookie”
person often stumbles in a regional role :
1.
Trying to force the direction without aligning
with the local Line manager : A regional role typically is a staff role, and
they need to work closely with the line managers who hold the P&L responsibility
(and who therefore wield actual control) in the various countries comprising
the region. Regional people are
therefore required to use their influencing powers - a mix of charm and active
persuasion to accomplish their objectives.
The mistake an inexperienced regional person makes is in trying to aggressively push
through his objectives without ensuring that the line manager is aligned.
2 Losing touch with the team in the various
geographies : A regional person cannot be everywhere – so there are periods
when he is not “visible” to the team he is expected to work with in the various
countries. The regional person therefore
has to go out of the way to maintain touch over phone and video conferencing so
that the personal connect does not get lost. Being in touch with the challenges on the ground, and maintaining his relevance for the local teams scattered across the region is the critical factor - and this cannot be achieved just over email.
3.
Getting his role mixed-up : The role of a
regional person is to help his team in the various countries to achieve
the P&L. P&L is sacrosanct in
today’s corporate world. The trap that a
rookie regional person gets into is assuming that his role is in driving
top-line, and therefore becoming a number-chaser with the various local
teams. Local teams typically have their
hands full fending off the revenue pressure from the local country head – and the
last thing they want is someone from a distance asking why the numbers have not
been achieved. They need help from the
regional person in terms of emotional support, sourcing relevant expertise, experience and client
connections to help win business – and not merely additional pressure. The local teams should see the regional
person as an ally and friend – a person who eases their pain and opens doors –
and not as a number chaser who merely mouths help without really rolling up his
sleeves.
4.
Projecting a wrong perception of whose priorities is
he pushing : The regional person needs to be extra careful in not being perceived as pushing the agenda – or working in the
interests of - a particular sub-region or country - usually the country or sub-region that he is based in. Typically as the regional person is based in a country that is
usually a “heavy weight” in terms of its contribution to the region, by default the regional person ends up getting closer to the teams and leaders of the host country and subscribing to their views. A
regional person has to clearly come across as a neutral person who acts in the
larger interests of the organization and client– in terms of either the time and attention he devotes to each sub-region or the way he influences allocation of resources – or else the
regional role would degenerate into a largely ceremonial role for the "other" countries.
With adequate sensitivity and maturity, a
regional role provides immense satisfaction and scope for the growth for the
individual. Regional roles when well
handled can also provide a lot of satisfaction and career growth. The individual can take pride
and satisfaction in making a real difference in influencing a diverse region with differing priorities to align and work in the common interests of clients.
Disclaimer : These are my own views - and not necessarily that of organisations that I have worked with.
