Adopting a Growth Mindset: Shane Mai’s Global Leadership Minor Experience
Shane Mai ‘23 has always had a deep curiosity for learning across cultures. With an interest in supply chain management, a field that demands a global perspective, Mai decided the Global Leadership and Team Decision-Making Minor (GLM) would supplement his supply chain and operations management major. Through his experience in the minor, Mai further developed an acumen and understanding of soft and hard skills in the business world from a global perspective.
Discovering the value of cross-cultural teams
The minor is designed for students seeking to gain knowledge and understanding of leadership and team decision-making from a European global perspective. To do this, students spend a semester studying abroad in three different European countries while completing coursework that focuses on organizational teamwork, decision-making, and large-scale sport, tourism, and event management.
Outside the classroom, students engage in excursions and immersive learning alongside international organizations with a global reach.
“This minor prepared me to lead in global contexts by teaching me the value of working not only in cross-functional teams but also in cross-cultural ones. During our time in Reutlingen, Germany, we collaborated with ESB Master’s students on a case study, which emphasized that despite cultural differences and varying levels of experience, we are all fundamentally human, sharing similar values, morals, and motivations,” and “By understanding yourself—your leadership qualities and the type of team member you are—you can better recognize your team members’ strengths, roles, and what you all have in common. This builds mutual understanding, fosters collaboration, and helps everyone achieve their shared goals.”
According to Mai, the skills and concepts developed through the minor are imperative for all leaders to develop.
“Gaining a global perspective is essential for today’s leaders because, without it, you risk developing blind spots you may not even realize. Leaders with a global perspective can better understand complex issues that have differing viewpoints and cultural contexts,” Mai says. “Exposure to different cultures and ideas cultivate innovation, creativity, and understanding that reach beyond your own personal experiences, which is so important to business and the state of the world today.”
Adopting a growth mindset
For many, traveling abroad to new destinations and experiencing new cultures for the first time can be challenging. The opportunity to welcome learning experiences in a new environment provides some of the best learning experiences. This leads to a growth mindset, which Mai says the GLM experience helped him develop.
“It’s about embracing genuine curiosity, seeing challenges as opportunities, and valuing the process of learning,” Mai said. “This mindset pushes us to explore beyond the mundane, meet new people, explore new places, and take challenges head-on, rather than let fear control the outcome of our lives. Goals are a priority of life, but staying open, adaptable, and excited about the journey itself can change your goals in ways you never thought of.”
From the classroom to real-world experiences
One of the GLM’s most distinguishable elements is that it allows students to get out of the classroom and actively engage with global organizations that address global issues.
Mai’s hands-on experience in the GLM directly translated to his current role within the global supply chain team at Fedrigoni Group, a large paper manufacturer based in Italy. In this role, Mai manages operations across manufacturing plants in Europe and South America by using effective communication to align people from different backgrounds and ensure everyone is on the same page.
“While this comes with its share of challenges and complexities, what I’ve learned through this Minor has made these challenges both enjoyable and rewarding”
Equipped with the insight and skills developed during the minor, Mai now applies them to his everyday work.
“Recently, I started on a new venture within my company: collaborating with a global team to develop a business case that we’ll present to the CEO and executive leadership in Italy,” Mai said. “Traveling to Italy and connecting with coworkers from countries like Brazil, Colombia, Spain, England, Turkey, and Italy has been an incredible opportunity — one that feels like a perfect fit for a GLM alumnus. Together, we tackle complex business challenges, turning meaningful goals into real outcomes. The Global Leadership Minor prepared me perfectly for this kind of experience.”
Mai encourages future student leaders to consider the GLM as a way to step outside the classroom.
“I would absolutely recommend the Global Leadership Minor because it’s truly a great experience. You get to travel across Europe with a close group of friends, meet incredible people, explore new places, and fully enjoy being in a completely different environment,” Mai said. “Along the way, you learn so much — both from the amazing professors you wouldn’t typically encounter in your major and from the unique experiences the program offers. It’s a mindset shift that pushes you out of your comfort zone, broadens your perspective, and equips you with the tools to lead and work globally. The skills you gain go far beyond the classroom, preparing you for whatever challenges and opportunities come next in an increasingly connected world. On top of that, it’s just a fun and rewarding experience, if you decide to do it, you’ll miss it [afterwards], I promise. Be a global leader!”
The Global Leadership Minor is produced in partnership with the NC State European Center in Prague, and is open to NC State students of any major. To learn more about the Gminor, visit https://sheltonleadership.ncsu.edu/global-leadership-minor/.
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