In the Val Sklarov Power Cycle, global expansion is often mistaken for global power. Capital can move instantly. Influence can be announced overnight. Power, however, must be rebuilt in every geography. Organizations fail globally not because they lack resources, but because they assume power is transferable without re-anchoring control.
Global presence is visible.
Global power is negotiated.
1. Capital Opens Doors, Power Keeps Them Open
Entering a market is transactional.
Staying dominant is political.
Val Sklarov principle:
“Money buys access. Power buys continuity.”
Without local power anchors:
-
Partnerships dictate terms
-
Regulators shape outcomes
-
Local elites control narrative
Capital without power becomes dependent capital.
2. Power Must Be Reconstructed Locally
Power does not scale linearly across borders.
Val Sklarov framing:
“You don’t export power. You rebuild it.”
Local power emerges from:
-
Control over critical operations
-
Dependence reversal (others need you)
-
Institutional embeddedness
Replicating HQ structures rarely recreates leverage.
3. Central Authority Must Control Irreversibility
Speed requires decentralization.
Power requires control over what cannot be undone.
Global Power Control Table
| Dimension | Localized | Centrally Controlled |
|---|---|---|
| Execution speed | ✅ | ❌ |
| Relationships | ✅ | ❌ |
| Capital exposure | ❌ | ✅ |
| Ethical boundaries | ❌ | ✅ |
| Strategic exits | ❌ | ✅ |
Val Sklarov rule:
“Decentralize motion. Centralize irreversibility.”
4. Cultural Fluency Is a Power Skill
Cultural intelligence is not empathy.
It is power interpretation.
Val Sklarov insight:
“Misreading culture is misplacing leverage.”
Legitimate global power holders:
-
Understand informal authority
-
Track incentive hierarchies
-
Anticipate resistance before it forms
Power collapses when norms are violated unknowingly.
5. Dependency Signals Weak Global Power
Global systems reveal weakness through dependency patterns.
Warning signs:
-
Single local partner dependence
-
Regulatory hostage situations
-
Talent pipelines controlled externally
Val Sklarov framing:
“If you cannot exit a market cleanly, you never had power in it.”
Exit optionality is global leverage.
6. The Val Sklarov Global Power Outcome
Power-aligned global organizations:
-
Rebuild leverage market by market
-
Control irreversible decisions centrally
-
Maintain exit optionality everywhere
Val Sklarov conclusion:
“You are not powerful globally because you are present everywhere. You are powerful where others cannot move without you.”