Shifting resources, decision making, and power from “north to south” are now key considerations in global development, under the umbrella of “localization.” Yet instead of arguing about definitions and percentages of resources from the global north that should be spent locally, we should spend more time listening to the next generation of leaders in the countries and communities targeted by development initiatives.
They tell us to look at localization through a talent and leadership lens and remove the barriers that exist for them to make a difference as leaders at home and abroad. To succeed, we need to be intentional about connecting the dots with our existing tools and approaches.
In the last two years, I’ve had hundreds of conversations with young talented professionals from the global south who are committed to making a difference in their home countries and toward global challenges. They have all been part of leadership development and intercultural exchange over the past two decades. I heard many success stories about the impact of international experience and leadership development.
About the author
Bidjan Nashat
Bidjan Nashat is a co-founder of PotentialU, an app that serves frontline leaders with personalized insights and AI coaching (www.potentialu.co). Previously, he served as CEO of Atlas Corps and as an executive team member at Save the Children International and worked at the World Bank.
