The Global Leader Partners: What’s in it for me?

Some people don’t relocate for their own career but follow their spouse or partner on a new assignment. I am dedicating this post to those Global Leader Partners that have showed their support by moving abroad or to another city with them. But I also want to share these pieces of information to the Global Executive that, from day one, will need to sit down and discuss everything that the change implies for both them and their partner or spouse. Why is this important? Because today we know that one of the top reasons why expat assignments fail or finish prematurely is: spouse/partner dissatisfaction.

But what about me?

In my previous posts I mentioned the main approaches I base my Coaching on for Global Leaders, but it is important to point out that the Global Partner or Spouse equally goes through this major change with the related losses and the new Intercultural reality. But a big difference is that they are suddenly confronted with the question of how their role will change. We have 2 scenarios here, the partner that has a formal job responsibility and the partner that is dedicated exclusively to the home or family (and everything between).

In the first case, as a “trailing spouse or partner”, some of the first questions to appear are: should I put my own plans on the backburner? Am I going to give up that second income and the sense of personal satisfaction from having my actual job? Maybe taking my actual job to remote work abroad may be a possibility, but not all companies want to support this change. So the questions continue: Will I be able to get that work permit or sponsoring employer? Do I have to accredit my qualifications in the new job or country? Do I need to learn a new language? Finding any job requires time, perseverance, and patience, now imagine doing that in a new context, new city, new country.  One needs to remain resilient. The brighter side is that you will acquire real valuable skills.

If finding a job does not easily come your way, then maybe a possible loss of a professional identity may arise, joined with feeling unproductive, and questioning your sense of worth; you can even be labelled as a ‘dependent’ on your visa or migration papers, surely that doesn’t help. If you were accustomed to a strong contribution to family economy, this can lead to feelings of regret and doubt. Being aware of these feelings should be your first step to dealing with the changes before you, to fully own the following actions to assure the most successful outcomes before you.

And then, if you decide to not work or have always been the major contributor to family life, big changes are coming your way. As I mentioned before, there are still those losses and a new reality to face.

Think outside the box

So, if you do decide to put your career on hold, how can you fully take advantage of your new-found freedom? If you are the stay-at-home spouse or partner, what awaits you in this new experience? One of the first elements that is a must for the new global partner or spouse is open-mindedness and thinking out-of-the-box attitude when experiencing new things. Remember we have been faced with the opportunity of a white canvas. There are so many exciting possibilities to explore. Let’s just list some of them here:

• Take a sabbatical
• Build a new network
• Find a Project do something you always have wanted to try, with a sense of identity
• Further your studies Invest in yourself and gain new knowledge and skills; maybe an online certification, a new language, an MBA
• Start their own venture freelance those skills you have always had. Maybe some consulting, keep yourself involved in your field and in your network
• Do some Community work support a worthwhile cause
• I could go on forever…

There are so many opportunities for you, and if you bring along children, the discoveries become exponential. We’ll touch that subject on my next post but take an active part and join them. No, it won’t be easy, but we’ll touch on that in two weeks.

Seize the opportunity

Be grateful recognize this change as an excellent opportunity, the possibilities of getting to know new places, cultures, to see a constant stream of “life is good” moments, states of thankfulness and appreciation when seeing life through new different looking glasses.

As an Intercultural Coach I can support you to gain better insight about yourself, establish those new personal goals mentioned above, get that out-of-the box thinking flowing, and help you decipher how to face the everyday challenges before you and thrive in this new world that unfurls before you. Send me a note. I’ll be happy to help.