International Relocation Expert on Building Strong Relationships Abroad
Cathy Heyne is the winner of our National Protocol Officer Week "Protocol Emergency" contest with her entry exploring “Tips to Build Strong Relationships Abroad: Your Global Health Treatment Plan for Success!” As partner and managing director for marketing and development for Living Abroad, an extensive online database of business and cultural intelligence in regards to international relocation, Cathy has done business with a variety of people from all walks of life, and in nearly every part of the world.
We asked Cathy a few questions about the life of an expatriate and what someone can expect when doing business—and living—abroad.
Cathy, tell us a little about your background and how you ended up working with expatriates and international relocation. My grandparents emigrated to the U.S. from Lithuania and while I was growing up, my family always valued international experiences – through cuisine, language, and travel especially. As an adult, I’ve lived all over the United States. I went to college for civil engineering in California, worked in the oil fields of Texas, and sold commercial real estate in New York City. Along the way, I’ve experienced a wide variety of international business customs and cultures. My multicultural knowledge and skill sets led to my current role at Living Abroad.
What is Living Abroad? Living Abroad provides international corporations, colleges, government—and every type of organization in between—with destination-specific information for globally mobile employees and their families.
Cathy, as an expert in international relocation, how important is it for a soon to be expatriate to follow the business protocol and customs of a new host country? Working with human resource professionals from companies around the world, I have seen that the largest concern about international relocation is a “failed” assignment. Companies invest heavily in international relocations, and failed assignments can cost millions of dollars. Cultural intelligence and agility is an area that is sometimes neglected, and yet is crucial when moving abroad.
What do you mean by “failed assignment?” A failed assignment is typically one in which the assignment’s goals are not met, and an unhappy expatriate and family may even return home early. While failed assignments can happen for a variety of reasons, often they occur because expatriates have too much difficulty adapting to a new culture. The support of an employer, sometimes in the form of services like Living Abroad offers, can counter some of that difficulty. Anyone can commit a cultural faux pas, but mindset and attitude go a long way in making up for it.
In general, is cross-cultural intelligence easy to learn?Cultural intelligence can certainly be developed, but it’s crucial that one has interest and curiosity. When moving abroad, it’s important to suspend judgment of the destination and its particular customs. Yes, expatriates hit lots of roadblocks, both logistical and cultural. But if they persevere, they succeed.
Cathy Heyne will be joining PSOW to attend Protocol Officer Training later this month. To view Cathy’s winning entry, click here.
For more information about Living Abroad, visit www.livingabroad.com