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By Tara Neilsen
In choosing a home we all know the three essentials are location, location, location. Well, in managing your own assignment effectively the assignee - and just as importantly the spouse - should bear in mind that the three most important elements are communication, communication, communication.
Surprised? Were you thinking perhaps I'd be mentioning items such as setting expectations, having a positive attitude, doing some research, being prepared to be adaptable? Well, they're all very important, but if any couple going on assignment doesn't talk sufficiently to one another, then bridging the gap between the assumptions made by both will be complicated and difficult.
One of you will likely be spending eight plus hours in an unknown office with unknown colleagues, tackling an unknown job. The other may not be spending any time in an office, maybe for the first time in your career. And this person is going to be on the front line for child care and education issues, shopping challenges, transportation trials, and the concerns, questions, and tribulations of tackling this new environment.
Start by having a thorough discussion about the focus of the assignment and its probable result, career-wise. There's likely to be assistance from your corporation for the assignee to tap for data, but the conversation between assignee and spouse will set the tone for everything that follows. It's important that both of you see the value in the assignment. Some sacrifice is inevitable in pursuing any worthwhile goal, and a realistic assessment at this point is very helpful.
Then tackle that tough subject: what's the spouse to do?
Until experienced, one scenario can be difficult to fathom: the trepidation of entering this new culture is paralyzing - almost literally. A hitherto active, intrepid, independent person waits at home for company before venturing out on the most innocuous of errands. Maybe you want to be out and about, but are nervous of venturing onto the underground alone, fear an embarrassing public episode trying to buy something, don't want to be labeled every time you open your mouth, and generally feel uncomfortable. Understand that you're not alone, this can happen to anyone.
Upon reflection, however, you'll see that your options are wide open. The U.K. is an excellent location for spouses wishing to work, since getting working papers is relatively easy. On the other hand, there's the opportunity for some downtime. Some people take to the leisure easily, filling their time with a backlog of books not read, plus artistic events to attend, places to visit - satisfying their cultural curiosity on a daily basis, while having additional time for the children and pursuing educational opportunities from the culinary arts to language training to, perhaps, an advanced degree preparatory to re-entering the job market upon return home.
Here's where the communication skills, and honesty, of both parties are vital. Now might be a good time to assess where the spouse wants to be, work wise, at the end of the assignment and determine what avenues to actively pursue that will help. Then you have a focus and a direction to follow.
Let's mention a few of the negatives: For assignees coming from the United States it's important to remember that there are more failed assignments between the US and the UK than any other two places in the world - mostly because everyone expects it to be the same. And it isn't. There are subtle differences, such as the quality and pace of life, and it's helpful to anticipate these distinctions. For the non-English speaker, the language can be difficult, but there are many training opportunities available, often through the assignee's company.
Once settled in, most expats and spouses relish the differences between home and England. There's the opportunity, when stepping out of your own element, to let go and allow things to just be. Looking at your values and beliefs in a new environment can lead to positive changes in yourself.
London and England are a glorious first introduction to the pleasure and fun of assignments. For an individual alone, England is one of the safest places to wander, and you can easily meld into the background until you're comfortable enough to assert yourself. Then, there's a feeling of immense satisfaction taking the working partner and family back to visit some lovely place that you discovered on your own.
And, thinking of the children, your attitude is going to color theirs. It's true in every culture, the children will be happy if they see that their parents are happy. Carefully evaluate their personalities and figure out how you can boost their confidence and help them get the most out of this location.
Once you've gotten out of the house and feel comfortable exploring your local environment, take the next leap. England is a great jumping off point. There are dozens of airports all over the country with flights over the English Channel. For less than USD 200 per person and, with special deals, sometimes half that, you can visit France, Spain, Italy, Germany and, with a little extra time and money, Eastern Europe, Greece and Turkey. The British think nothing of a two- or three-day weekend away, and the advent of the Euro means only carrying along one currency in addition to the pound sterling.
London may be the most culturally diverse city in the world. It truly offers something for everyone, including opportunities to develop new friendships, discover different political perspectives, and expand understanding of Europe's past, present, and future impact on the world we live in. Everything considered, Great Britain is an excellent assignment location. Enjoy!
Tara Nielsen is Director of Global Alliance Management for GMAC GRS. She has lived in Europe and North America and travels extensively worldwide. Tara has a B.A. in politics from Salve Regina University, a Masters in Public Administration from George Washington University, and a Graduate Certificate in International Business from Boston University- Brussels, Belgium campus. She speaks Lithuanian, Danish, Spanish, French, and her native language of English. Tara is a member of the Employee Relocation Council, Association for Psychological Type, and is on the Board of the SIETAR New York chapter. She is a certified MBTI facilitator and has completed two summer sessions at the Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication and one session with the Intercultural Management Institute in Washington, DC. Tara is a regular speaker at the IMI conference in Washington, DC held each spring. She has also been a speaker at conferences in Poland, Bulgaria, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
Together with managing the direct delivery of intercultural services, Tara is responsible for The Country Club, a bi-monthly strategic training initiative to discuss the cultural dynamics that can pose a unique challenge when communicating with colleagues and clients from other countries. Each gathering is a practical tutorial highlighting a specific target country. Developed to provide important insight into the communication and work styles of other countries, the program has met with overwhelming interest within the company as well as from clients as it has universal applicability. The Country Club sessions are accredited by ERC and can be applied to continuing education credits. For more information on how you can join The Country Club, contact Tara Nielsen tara_nielsen@gmachs.com.