Exploring a Real Manager's Approach with a Global Leadership Lens

This piece discusses the intersection of global leadership (GL) research and real managers and observational approaches to highlight connections among the disciplines. I first review the historical and more recent observational findings of both global and US-based leaders and managers. I note how publishing patterns in the GL field coincide with some findings from real managers' work in the areas of human resources and communication and disconnections from other important findings on networking and traditional managerial approaches. I discuss the contributions from such research that could extend current GL work and how GL researchers might adopt such approaches to focus on the foundational behaviors of those working in global contexts. I also highlight the important concepts from global research that could be applied to observational and real managers approaches, regardless of the setting. Finally, I end with recommendations for mutual linkages that could advance research in both fields. I also include implications for future practice and research.