Inclusion in Action

My name is Patson Kuntambila, currently based in Lilongwe, Malawi. I wish to raise for discussion the issue of cross-geographical flexibility in the recognition and advancement of members.

Given the increasingly global nature of professional practice, our competencies, experience, and leadership potential are inherently transferable and should be recognised beyond jurisdictional boundaries. However, there appears to be an element of structural rigidity that, in certain instances, constrains the effective mobility of talent and the sharing of expertise across geographies.

Such rigidity risks limiting the full value that capable members can contribute to the profession and its stakeholders globally. A more flexible, principles-based approach to promotion and recognition would better align with global best practice and enhance the institution's relevance, inclusivity, and impact.

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Patson Kuntambila
Other
SADC Secretariat
Gaborone
+26775193276 00000000
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Hi Patson, thank you for bringing up this topic. As I read your post, I realized how very little thought I've put into this area. 

As our profession becomes more interconnected, the idea that leadership potential and technical excellence are bound by geography feels increasingly out of step with how we actually work. Talent, judgment, and integrity travel well. The ability to create value for stakeholders is not confined to a single jurisdiction.

At the same time, many of our structures were built in a more regionally defined era. It's worth considering whether some of this rigidity is now unintentionally limiting mobility, collaboration, and the full contribution of capable professionals across borders.

I don't have a solution and my firm doesn't hasn't hired outside of the US. So I'm curious how others have experienced cross-geographical mobility in practice. Where are we seeing it work well, and where are there opportunities to modernize our frameworks?

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Karen Lewis
Director
Katz Sapper & Miller LLP
Chapin SC
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