So the United States isn't the only country?

The meeting was going great at work. My boss updated us on some company news since the last meeting and the company had made some great progress. During the meeting we had several lengthy discussions about our current and future projects, and exciting stories of entrepreneurs and startups and what we can learn from them. Our team works well together and we all added value to the discussion. At some point in the meeting, usually the beginning or the end, my boss usually likes to get a conversation going about some outside topic to get to know us better and see how we think: sports, cars, travel, etc. Whatever the topic is, I always enjoy hearing what everyone has to say and contributing as well. This time the topic was politics.

Before starting the conversation, my boss asked each of us if we follow politics. I had been keeping up with the presidential campaigns from both parties and had recently studied up on all of their takes on important issues. I knew who I wanted to win as well as who I didn't want to win and why. So I said yes, I know politics.

I should have realized with an international team (our small team within the company has members from Greece, Mexico, Taiwan, and Venezuela) that the conversation would veer internationally. But growing up in the U.S., I was used to people "talking politics" meaning discussing American politics. Surely, that's what was happening, right?

At the meeting we discussed who we thought the best world leaders were, and frankly I was stumped. I know customs and cultures of many other countries (thanks mostly to the friends I made from abroad at Babson, Colgate and studying abroad in Denmark and to traveling with my family), and even keep up with their financial and economic news, but I had no idea who the leaders were of the countries I thought were run well. Luckily, due to my seat at the table I was able to just build off of the others, but the situation got me thinking more globally. I am reading more international news and current events, and trying to think of the world outside of our country.

Have you been in a similar situation? How do you manage to stay well informed in a global economy? Please share your thoughts below.