Why World Action Teams?

The mission of World Action Teams is to develop leaders who create value for business and society. We do this by partnering with corporations to design and deliver discovery experiences for leaders in rapidly growing global markets.

Massive changes in the global economy require new approaches to building leaders at all levels of an organization. Business and leadership strategies that work in developed markets often don’t work, or need to be adapted, in developing ones.

World Action Teams programs are custom-designed around a corporation’s leadership development, business development and social innovation goals. Programs range from 4-28 days and include hands-on, immersive work in urban and rural settings of Asia, Africa and Latin America.

We believe that success in emerging markets hinges on leaders who can lead multi-cultural teams and navigate the complex relationships between business and society. We believe that immersion, experience-based learning and action are the best ways to build this new generation of global leaders.

On a World Action Teams program, participants work with community leaders, entrepreneurs and public officials who are applying business principals to address the most challenging societal, environmental and educational issues facing developing markets.

The leadership styles and business tactics of these social innovators help World Action Teams participants learn how to lead without formal authority in fast-paced, resource-constrained settings. In the process, participants re-envision aspects of their business from understanding the local customer to new product introductions and logistics.

World Action Teams programs include immersion in a series of different community settings, depending on the needs and strategic goals of your organization.  We can implement programs in over 50 countries and offer an expansive list of pre- and post-trip curriculum and leadership assessment options, delivered virtually or in-person, to meet the development needs of your workforce. World Action Teams staff has significant experience in international safety and risk management.

Our programs cross borders – nations, cultures, and the silos in your organization – and integrate a range of business challenges.

Our classrooms range from a Masai boma in the African grasslands to the Dharavi slum in Mumbai or an open market in Shanghai. Participants eat with locals and sleep in a range of accommodations, including family stays.

Our project partners range from business incubators for women entrepreneurs to innovative companies that are supplying potable water to underserved communities. Presenters in our programs include journalists, politicians, local business executives, artists, social entrepreneurs and community leaders.

Our techniques range from skillsbased service projects to needs assessments in rural communities, where executives listen carefully to a full range of community stakeholders. We use a variety of leadership assessments, including Hogan Assessments and the Global Mindset Inventory, to strengthen leadership development and talent management for your organization.

World Action Teams cannot guarantee safety nor can it eliminate the inherent risks of international travel. However, we strive to responsibly manage risks through first aid training, satellite phones and safety equipment, established emergency procedures, staff training and development, and other efforts. For information regarding program activities and associated risks and risk management, please contact us by email, here.