A top-level business consultant and author says that management skills need to be updated in order to compete on the changing global stage.

Dr Margaret Byrne, principal consultant for UGM Consulting and author of ‘Business Success in the Asian Century: A Practical Guide for Working in Asia’ will speak next week at the Australian Human Resources Institute’s National Convention in Sydney. Dr Byrne says there is a gap in the public discourse concerning the practical questions of tackling the need for greater cultural competence.

Professionals should develop a portfolio of quite sophisticated competencies to wll help them tackle new areas of challenge, Dr Byrne says. The portfolio could include high-level tasks such as managing post-merger integrations, building a high performance culture in virtual pan-Asian teams, or learning how to solve complex problems together, despite culture-based differences in thinking style.

Dr Byrne says Australia is, as always, the lucky country. The nation is placed to possess a unique competitive advantage and a sound platform for future security and prosperity, if it can embrace the skills of communication and collaboration with nearby neighbours.

“While this new Asian century is certain to present Australia with significant economic, strategic and social opportunities, it is already bringing challenge and risk as well. Cultural differences run deeper and are more pervasive than many realise. Australia urgently needs to build greater cultural competence: an integrated set of attributes, insight and skills for effective collaboration with Asian colleagues and counterparts,” Dr Byrne said.

The Australian Human Resources Institute’s National Convention is on in Sydney from August 19 to 21.