Organization induced expatriation (OIE)	Self-initiated expatriation (SIE)
Categories of assignment	• Talent development focus—work abroad for the purpose of getting a project or opportunity to develop yourself • Expatriate assignment—traditional, long-term (average two–five years) • Relocation to another ­country for work • Permanent/one-way transfers—relocation to another country • Short term assignment—up to 12 months • Intra-regional role—covering ­various countries within a region • Global Nomad—move from nation to nation, typically without returning to home country	• Staffing focus—hired to work abroad to meet a staffing need. • Permanent/one-way ­transfers—relocation to another country • Short-term stay—­example, study abroad • Intra-regional role—covering various countries within a region • Global Nomad—move from nation to nation, ­typically without returning to home country
Being considered as a candidate	• Expatriate selection processes often poorly structured • Less accessible to women because of home country barriers • Companies are looking for alternatives to traditional expatriate roles	• Challenging to identify ­appropriate roles • Good way to overcome home country barriers
Moment of expatriation	• Indefinite period of time to be considered for such roles	• Timelines can be determined and managed
Regulatory environment	• Organization sponsors work permits, visas, tax equalization, and so on	• Have to be self-managed • Host country employer has to justify international hire
Level of support	• Greater security and organizational support	• Limited security and ­organizational support • Relocation for international work, as well as the return home have to be self-managed
Cultural ­adaptation	• Takes more conscious effort because traditional expatriates often work and live in expat circles	• More natural adaptation due to intensive interaction with host country nationals
Networking	• Active career management within the organization (known territory)	• Active networking in the intended host country (unknown territory)
Mobility	• Build career within the ­organization	• Mobile across organizations

Sources: Vance, McNulty and Chauderlot (2011); Hu Mo and Xia Jian-Ming (2010) and Mercer (2018).

The Benefits of Working and Living Abroad

Many questions will undoubtedly cross your mind when considering an expatriate role, with a central question being: “What do I stand to gain, or lose, from living abroad and working in a different culture?” The WiSER overwhelmingly indicated that they believe that expatriate opportunities help individuals grow, both personally and professionally (Figure 1.1). This sentiment is partially attributed to the fact that they increased their network and developed competencies and skills at a hastened pace, in a unique way that enriched growth, outlook, and personal life as well. ­Significantly, the majority of the WiSER we interviewed were married and/or had children. Those with children suggested their international assignment provided their family with a valuable experience that could not have been achieved any other way. Although the WiSER shared with us some of the challenges they faced, they ultimately agreed that the ­benefits ­outweighed any negatives.

Figure 1.1 Was your career enhanced by your international assignment?

The Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) conducted a similar survey and asked assignees, “How far was your international assignment helpful for your personal and professional growth?” (SHRM 2004). More than 90 percent of the respondents indicated their assignment had been very helpful for their professional growth, especially in terms of global awareness, cultural workplace savvy, leadership skills, and career development. In addition, assignees indicated that leadership skills and managerial skills could be developed more efficiently during long-term expatriate assignments, as opposed to shorter assignments. As far as personal growth was concerned, more than 95 percent of respondents rated global assignments as very helpful, especially in increasing or creating cultural awareness, strengthening the ability to adapt and increasing flexibility.

If you were to ask people what their most valuable asset is, more often than not, the most common response would be a material item, most likely their house. In all actuality, a professional’s most valuable asset is their earning potential. International experience is an undeniably positive investment to grow one’s earning potential as it increases skills, capabilities, and experience. During expatriate assignments, the WiSER acquired and/or enhanced skills, knowledge, and competencies that were valued upon return, and their experience made them more valuable to their own organization, while also attracting the interest of other organizations. In short, it enhanced their careers. Let’s take a look at the five most frequently mentioned benefits of working and living abroad.

Accelerated Learning and Development

Working and living abroad offers a unique, accelerated learning experience that is difficult to find otherwise. The current pervasive philosophy around learning and leadership development is the 70-20-10 model developed by Lombardo and Eichinger in 2000. The model demonstrates that 70 percent of learning is provided through the use of challenging assignments and on-the-job experience. An expatriate role is an ideal opportunity to develop leadership capabilities because it offers many challenging work experiences, exposure to new thinking and approaches, constant training on the job and an opportunity to build relationships and expand networks around the world. This is the essence of the new leadership profile.

“The fact is, you will be absorbing a lot of information very quickly.” WiSER Andrea said. “It’s about being able to learn something new and understand something differently than you did before.” She indicated that gaining a broad range of experience was the true value of working abroad. WiSER Andrea added that, if she had remained in her native ­Brazil, she would have needed to work at many different companies to accumulate the variety of experiences she gained through one international assignment. “This [fact] that you deal with different people in their own environment … that’s very rich,” she said. “It’s different than if you always stay in your own country.” WiSER Hermie agreed. “It’s a great learning opportunity, both personally and professionally,” she said. “It’s a quantum leap in learning. What you would learn over many years, you learn in a very short span of time.” Meanwhile, WiSER Julie Anne revealed that she had unique experiences in Latin America she couldn’t have gained through a domestic assignment. “In Latin America the organization is smaller, and it’s a growing operation, and [that] is when there’s a lot of what we call white space or opportunities that haven’t been tapped yet,” she explained.

So, even as a middle management person you’re making decisions that would ordinarily … be made by people two levels higher than you. The learning is so much richer in that kind of environment where there’s a lot of freedom and flexibility to make decisions and make an immediate impact on your business.

Competitive Advantage

For many of the WiSER, the competitive advantage of an international role was obvious. Acquiring and/or refining skills and competencies during an international assignment is not only beneficial within your current organization, it also positions you as an appealing candidate for other organizations. This is confirmed by a study where expatriates were asked what the career impact was of their international assignment: 40 percent said that they were promoted faster than their peers, 36 percent indicated that it was easier to obtain new positions in the organization, and 16 percent indicated they changed employers more often, thanks to their improved competitive position (Brookfield 2012, p. 16). WiSER Anne noted that, within two years of her return to the United States, she was headhunted for the job of president and CEO of a global non-profit organization. She recalled: “They were looking for someone who actually had a lot of hands-on experience overseas—and I had almost 20 years of it—and someone who would help run a very large organization, and I had done that with my chief of staff job for a year and a half.”

Leadership Skills

Working and living abroad cultivates leadership skills by testing leadership capabilities in many ways. The popular theories around situational leadership, as developed by leadership gurus Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard, state that there is no single best style of leadership. Rather, successful leaders are able to adapt their style to the task, person, or ­situation at hand. When operating in a foreign environment situational leadership takes on a whole new dimension. “I believe that an international assignment can accelerate my career because not everybody has had that experience,” said WiSER Allyson. “It has taught me valuable skills especially on the communication front, how to motivate and lead different types of individuals from vastly different backgrounds.” The next generation of leaders will be required to possess a global mindset because they will be managing an increasingly diverse workforce. The characteristics required for global leadership are learned, and they can be developed rapidly in international roles. Working and living abroad, you will encounter different ways of thinking, communicating, collaborating, leading, and accomplishing small to large goals, just to name a few. This forces you to reflect on your own ways of doing and being. “I believe an international assignment can accelerate or enrich your career because it makes you a better person,” WiSER Stacy indicated. “I think it will do wonders to enhance your career. It will make you more open and more aware of your own assumptions and how at times they may be false.” Intimately experiencing new cultures will lead to a greater understanding and appreciation for different viewpoints and approaches resulting in improved methods of collaboration and issue resolution. “An international assignment is absolutely worthwhile,” said WiSER Nina.

It will lead to better cooperation and problem solving that you cannot solve in just one nation. It will lead to a different kind of society because people who are internationally skilled … and have been exposed to an experience in another country, have this certain openness that I think is needed. We have this vision of the global citizen … maybe somebody who can, without forgetting about his own background, nationality, or ethnic identity … still be open. I would go as far as saying that this may lead to a more peaceful world.

Financial Rewards

Expatriation packages can be very comprehensive, dealing with many aspects related to your move. There are many resources available to assist you with the logistics of your move abroad, including relocation firms. The issues you may need to contend with may include negotiating your expatriate contract, solving tax issues, or finding a house. Download the Women Leaders Toolkit from the BEP Publishing website for additional tools and resources.

If you receive a comprehensive expatriate package, you may feel as though you have hit the jackpot. After all, when is the last time someone paid for your rent or your car? Bear in mind that as an expatriate, you may incur costs that you typically wouldn’t have. When WiSER Alicia moved to Germany, she found “the biggest challenge we had was, quite frankly, the cash flow. You had to have such a huge cash outlay for everything because this country does not operate on credit as you do in the US.” Whether you are self-initiating expatriation or supported by your organization, be aware of hidden costs and cost of living differentials.

Personal Growth

As the WiSER agreed, there are many benefits to an international assignment. “Absolutely, international experience benefited my career,” said WiSER Nina. “But the greatest benefit was for my personality. I became a much more self-confident, fulfilled person.” WiSER Annes shared: “I definitely took advantage of living far away. I learned that I can live anywhere in the world,” she revealed.

I learned that people across the world are very helpful and receptive, and caring, and that it depends on how you approach them. I realize that the world is a really small place but a really interesting place. I have learned a lot and I really have loved the journey.

As per a recent HSBC report, 52 percent of expats report having a better overall quality of life (BGRS 2016). “Personally, it gave me the opportunity to meet some needs and motivations that I had—that have really made me feel … much more content,” said WiSER Diane. “And as a person I feel more satisfied with my life.” Additionally, when you are living in a different country—with different norms, values, and ways of doing things—you start appreciating many of the things you associate with your native country. WiSER Carrie. “It definitely shaped our lives. We know people now. We know cultures now. We know a lot of things we never would have known before—and your view of the world, it does change, and it also helps you truly appreciate what you have at home.” She added that she has learned to recognize many of the assets of her native country. “Canada is a fantastic country,” she said. “I always thought it was and I do even more so now.” Being farther away from home can also strengthen relationships with family and friends. An old proverb says, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder,” and this is very true when you live abroad. As WiSER Andrea discovered. “The positive thing is that some of the relationships actually grew stronger, with my parents, with my sisters, because we don’t have daily issues,” she said. Moreover, with modern technology it is relatively easy to maintain and nurture contacts at home. As WiSER Pauline shared: “The international, expatriate experience is a fantastic one, simply because it just completely changes your lens on the world.”

We focus on an in-depth examination of global leadership behaviors that contribute to the success of female expatriate leaders. We have uncovered that WiSER share an additional four competencies that help women excel in their expatriate assignment: Self-awareness; ­Conscious imbalance; Active career management; Operating outside your comfort zone.

As a woman considering an international job, developing these four global competencies will lead to greater success in an international role. Specifically, it will position expatriate women to:

• Achieve peak performance
• Accelerate assimilation into your new environment
• Facilitate a smoother transition

It’s a Wrap

In today’s business environment, leadership’s top concern continues to be attracting, retaining, and developing talented leaders. In the face of a growing leadership shortage, the solution lies in diversifying talent pipelines. Specifically, women who represent approximately 50 percent of the potential workforce are a resource to be targeted. There are many benefits to including more women in the leadership ranks and addressing the leadership crisis is foremost among them. Expatriate experience is an underutilized approach to accelerate development and get ambitious, talented women in the talent pipelines at a higher and faster rate. There are two main ways to expatriate, self-initiated or organization induced. Regardless of the path, the journey is career enhancing. Working and living abroad provides intense learning and development of leadership skills, and a global mindset. There is a long term professional competitive advantage, as well as financial rewards. Notably, expatriate opportunities help individuals grow, both personally and professionally.