You Need Not Be Raised Abroad to Compete Globally

Many people shrink at the phrase "global talent." They picture someone raised abroad, fluent in several languages, with a foreign graduate degree. The reality around me looks very different.

I came from a high school in Shimonoseki where many graduates went straight to local jobs. One of my colleagues worked through years in Singapore while struggling with English. Several of our executives built their careers entirely on Japanese factory floors. None of us is a storybook elite, yet we now work alongside people from many countries.

What does global work really require? First, I believe, substance: work and a story worth telling. Second, the courage to communicate. Third, respect for other cultures. Language comes after that — and translation tools now fill the gap at remarkable speed. So mastering today's job may itself be the best preparation for the world. What do you work for?