ABSTRACT
Savvy is an essential characteristic of global leadership. Savvy traces its roots to the French expression, savoir faire, which literally translates as “know what to do.” There is no escaping that successful global leaders know what to do, and know how to get things done. They possess unique knowledge and skills that set them apart from the rest. Again and again, we heard about the importance of savvy in our interviews. Whether in Frankfurt or Chicago or Singapore, employees described exemplar leaders with statements like “He just seems to know what to do,” or “She has a golden touch—everything she does is a success.”
