Synchronization of connected oscillator networks under global and local cues is ubiquitous in both science and engineering. Over the last few decades, enormous attention has been paid to study synchronization conditions of connected oscillators in chemistry, physics, mechanics, and particularly in biology. However, the influences of global and local cues on the rate of synchronization have not been fully studied. It is widespread that synchronization is achieved in the simultaneous presence of both global and local cues, such as intercellular coupling signals and external entrainment signals in terms of biological oscillators, and inter-neighbor coupling signals between follower nodes and central guiding signals in terms of groups of mobile autonomous agents. We prove in this paper that the strength of the global cue is the only determinant of the rate of synchronization. More specifically, we prove that a stronger global cue means a faster rate of synchronization whereas a stronger local cue does not necessarily make the synchronization rate faster. Our results not only apply to the noise-free case, but also apply to the case that the oscillator natural frequencies are subject to white noise. The analysis does not require the interplay to be symmetric or balanced. Simulation results are given to illustrate the proposed results. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.