If you think it’s hard to acquire the skills necessary to become a successful business manager in the U.S., wait until you head abroad to manage a company, division or department. You may need a few lessons on how to be successful managing abroad.
That’s where Keith Perry comes in. Perry teaches the Global Dimensions of Business class at San Jose State University in San Jose, California and also is the chairman and chief executive officer of a software firm in Bangladesh. His over 30 years of international experience has taken him to 29 countries.
We tapped into Perry’s extensive expertise for our new article, “Lessons for Managing a Company Abroad.”
“I’ve worked for Fortune 500 companies, small companies and start-ups and highly recommend working as a manager abroad,” Perry tells us. “I think the international management experience gives you far more upward mobility within your field. It is especially good to have international experience early in your career.”
Perry thinks, though, that managing abroad is not for everyone. “This work is for people who are overachievers,” Perry says. “These are people who are going to spend their full day at work and then go looking for other things to do. Managing abroad requires a lot of hours and hard work.”
Perry explains that there are many challenges and obstacles international managers need to be aware of when working abroad in high risk and high reward environments. “There are more pitfalls in following a global career than there are following a national one,” Perry says.”
These pitfalls and challenges come in all shapes and sizes when working as an expatriate manager. Understanding the culture of the country and its business culture, learning the local language and understanding how to motivate different types of people are the first steps to learn if you want to avoid the pitfalls and improve your chance of success.
Whether you’re a corporate manager, a manager working for a local company in your new country or managing your own business, Perry’s advice will help you be a better manager.