Mediaboss Marketing

As President for the Americas and European Union Region, Odilon Almeida is responsible for Western Union Western Unions business across 98 countries, encompassing all the companies products and services in three macro regions: North America, Latin America and Caribbean and the European Union. Like many who have found success in leadership positions, he embodies the six characteristics that define what it means to be a 21st century leader.

We all can learn to realize these six characteristics by embracing the immigrant mentality that accounts for 40% of Fortune 500 companies, which were founded by immigrants or their children. Influenced by their cultural values, they had a distinct advantage in business and in life by being able to see opportunities everywhere opportunities previously unseen and that others didnt see at all.

In a recent interview, Odilon Almeida shared his perspective on the six characteristics that define this immigrant mentality and how they influence his leadership role to this day.

1. Keep your Immigrant Perspective (See Opportunity in Everything)

Glenn Llopis: A 21st century leader sees opportunities everywhere, every day, and makes the most of them. Many are opportunities others dont see.

Odilon Almeida:I hail from Sao Paulo, Brazil, and live in the US. For some, my home country may be considered a remote part of the globe. Immaterial of where you are from, immersing in diverse cultural and personal norms may sometimes make it feel that accomplishing a task is impossible. However in my view, impossible is not an absolute, and situations often require more time and a lot of resilience.

I have seen people struggle with reality and spend much time and effort to deny it. Denying reality is a loss of time and energy. From my life experience to date in several countries with distinct and unique cultures I have found that once you can develop a shared sense of the reality you are approaching, bringing people together to share a journey and a vision can lead to infinite possibilities.

Originally posted here:
Six Characteristics Define 21st Century Leadership