The New Leader's 100-Day Action Plan: How to Take Charge, Build Your Team, and Get Immediate Results, 3rd Edition

APPENDIX VIII

The International Manager

ADAPTING AND BUILDING TRUST WHEN YOU'RE A FOREIGNER

The basics of (1) get a head start, (2) manage your message, and (3) build your team, apply in every case. What's different is what you need to get a head start on and the restrictions around that, the nature of your message and the context for that message, and the conditions and context of your team building.

International Moves

The nice thing about switching countries is that no one (including you) expects you to know anything. You are completely, certifiably, consciously incompetent. Don't laugh. It's a privileged state that you want to leverage while you can. But, while doing so you'll want to be making genuine efforts to adapt to the new culture.

As if transitioning were not hard enough, an international move adds an entire set of new variables. Some are obvious and others completely hidden. It would take an entire book, or series of books to address the many possible situations that could occur in an international move. After having made these transitions ourselves and worked with many clients who have done the same, we've built a framework that is adaptable to most situations and should go a long way to keep you out of trouble and expedite your international transition.

Get a Head Start—With the Move

Do not take a short cut in the personal setup time required for you and your family in an international move. Moves always take more time and energy than we think they will and that ...