Why third culture kids have potential for leadership

First let’s establish what the term ‘third culture kid’ (TCK) means. If you’ve heard of TCKs it’s probably because you are one or have produced one!

Unless you’ve grown up in a ‘third’ culture which is different to that of your parents, you won’t understand how this can shape your worldview. As a third culture kid, you must learn to be resilient. Transient friends come and go, as parents move overseas on to new assignments. It’s all part of living abroad. As the bearer of multiple passports raised in a foreign culture and attending international schools, third culture kids have a truly unique sense of identity and outlook on life.

The specific characteristics of third culture kids such as a go-getting high achieving personality are by and large extremely positive. Studies have shown that their international lifestyle can in many cases equip these children with the attributes needed to go on to become effective leaders in the future.

There are many highly successful and famous people who were spurred on to greatness by their international start in life. Actress Joanna Lumley and evolutionary scientist Richard Dawkins are just two examples of expat children who spent their formative years in India and Africa respectively.

There are numerous studies exploring the correlation between the international lifestyle of expat kids living abroad and their potential to be great leaders on the global stage. The most well-known work was produced by Patricia Stokes, in which she outlines eight specific TCK qualities. Here’s a quick summary of the characteristics of third culture kids:

Exposure to business

Many TCKs are born to parents who are leading lights within the international business community, who have lived overseas for maybe 10 years or longer, in multiple locations. This gives them a unique insight into the demands of business and how corporate decisions affect their lifestyle. Making them extraordinarily well equipped for becoming decision makers in their adult life.

Organisational and time management skills

By leaving behind family in their parents’ home country and being separated from numerous friends in different places throughout their childhood, means that TCK often have acquaintances, close friends and family in far flung corners of the world. Keeping in touch across multiple time zones is no easy feat, and takes a certain amount of organisation. These are transferable skills that are necessary for leadership.

Thirst for knowledge

Third culture kids’ curiosity tends to know no bounds. They scavenge for information, with a constant thirst for knowledge that can help them create their own identity and to understand the world. An appetite for self-improvement and the ability to soak up new information is a useful skill in leadership.

Remote communication is the norm

No one understands the latest communication techniques better than third culture kids. Keeping in touch with relatives and friends across different continents requires an aptitude for remote communications, be it video calls or SMS. The skill translates well into a global leader’s lexicon of skills.

Diversity

The world is increasingly becoming a smaller place, with an increasingly multicultural society. Whereas some people and societies resist diversity, TCKs understand and embrace it. With the practical experience of feeling comfortable in multicultural societies, third culture kids see the differences and view them as positive and inspirational.

Language skills

Often TCKs speak their parents’ language(s) and also that of their adopted country, often understanding local dialects. The ease at which they slip between different languages often encourages them to become proficient in additional languages. The ability to communicate with people in a number of different languages is a valuable skill for those in positions of power and leadership, whether making small talk to a foreign dignitary or liaising with a global workforce.

Easily identifiable as a leader

It’s a tried and tested premise that during general elections voters tend choose someone who they see as sharing their experiences. With TCKs, their culturally diverse backgrounds give them an air of being all things to all people. They offer something that everyone can identify with.

Ability to manage change

One of the key attributes of a good leader is the ability to manage change. This is a way of life for third culture kids, since most were made to relocate in their formative years and forced to adapt to an alien culture. The skills cultivated to thrive in an unfamiliar culture equip third culture kids with the ability to cope better and to inspire others by example. The ability to empathise and manage any negative effects of change is another key leadership skill.

To summarise, third culture kids might have been brought up under different circumstances than most of us, but they do tend to have great qualities. Not only in general, but also qualities required to be a good leader in today’s multinational business market.