Foreign assignments often seem exotic and enticing, especially to workers who have studied the local language and customs. But despite everyone’s good intentions these critical career moves often fizzle out, resulting in an expensive setback for the employer and a career-hiccup or worse for the employee.
One problem is the vast majority of overseas assignment candidates start with little more background than a travel guide and a passport. A lack of preparation isn’t considered by management sufficient cause to delay an assignment. Karen Beaman, founder and managing partner of the Jeitosa Group cites stats that “Between 16 and 40 percent of American international workers fail to complete their assignments.” And she asserts that, “Of those Americans who do complete their international assignments, 30 to 50 percent are considered ineffective or marginally effective by their companies.” Is it possible that Americans need extra help and guidance in global situations?
“Absolutely, they do,” says Beaman. Americans often lack international experience, she says, “it’s not an aptitude thing.”
And yet, identifying who is ready and who is not isn’t always obvious. “Some people I thought would be successful weren’t,” she concedes. “People could have all of the skills in the world but if they were rigid in their way of doing things – nothing would happen.”
Why do so many foreign assignments fail? According to Jeitosa, problems creep up, such as these:
- Unable to adapt to new physical or cultural surroundings
- Spouse unable to adjust to new physical or cultural surroundings
- Family problems
- Narrow or parochial perspective
- Emotional immaturity
- Lack of people skills
- Unable to cope with foreign responsibilities
- Lack of clear goals/objectives
- Not technically/functionally competent
- Lack of motivation for foreign assignment
It’s unlikely that a consultant can prevent or resolve some of those issues, but at least surfacing them in advance gives a foreign assignment candidate a fighting chance to prepare.
Beaman says three factors in particular are key to foreign assignment success, including:
Personality traits – it’s whether you’re flexible and accommodating or not.
Spousal (or family) pressure – If the spouse isn’t happy, that puts all kinds of pressure on the employee.
Job context -The nature of the job matters. People who sit in a corner and write code could be much more successful in a foreign assignment than other people who travel or face challenging social interactions.
Beaman contends that companies that send an ill-prepared employee on a foreign assignment risk hundreds of thousands of dollars and worse, “wasting the best talent – because the managers who are selected to go overseas are typically the best and the brightest.”
Let us know how you or your company avoid boosting the foreign assignment failure rate.
Saying no is tough to do but it worked for me. A few years ago I turned down an opportunity to work for a company in Hong Kong. My boss at the time was not looking out for my best interests. No one talked about training me or what would happen when I returned.
It sounds like you prevented a disaster, Sara. I once tried to create a position for myself in London, but lacking executive sponsorship, I didn’t get very far. Once a company decides to establish a gateway between countries, it’s a lot easier to transfer (at least temporarily) because at the very least you have legal and HR watching your back.
I just visited Costa Rica on a business trip and head the pleasure of meeting 3 US expats running operations for their companies down there. From very large companies to 100 person firms. These folks are risk takers, adventurers in a sense, but guess what, their career opportunities will expand dramatically once they’re done with their assignments. Worrying about training and what happens 2 years down the road is all fine and good, but no risk, no return!
Great synopsis, Rusty, of the issues with Americans working abroad.
The comment about Risk-Taking is also a big one. Research has shown that successful international workers are not only flexible and accommodating, but are also extroverted and risk-takers. You have to be open and willing to approach and embrace the new culture and oftentimes that can be frightening and/or intimidating.
Other research has also shown that advanced cultural or language training has little effect on the success of an international assignment. Personality traits like flexibility, risk-taking, and extroversion, as well as corporate and familial support, are much more highly correlated with successful international engagements. It appears that people who are motivated and accommodating and who have sufficient professional and personal support networks are much better positioned to make their assignments successful. But then I guess that’s true of most things in life, isn’t it?
Bravo to My Global Career for providing a forum and a network for international workers to obtain some of that much needed support. Allé! Weiter! Vamos!