Adapt and thrive: Lessons from abroad.

In Western cultures, we are used to things being done a certain way. We assume meetings will start on time, expect processes to be followed in specific ways, and often know certain rules will be respected.?

When you live abroad, however, you quickly realize that what you have come to understand as “the usual” is not always the case in other countries, especially those with non-Western cultures.?

Repeated visits or vacations to other countries can help us understand this. But only with extended immersion to a different culture can you really begin to see things differently and get an increased understanding that things work differently in other places.?

Of course, this also works the other way around; people from Latin America, Asia, and Africa all experience a similar “culture shock” when they are immersed in a different culture.?

Frustration as opportunity for reflection?

This is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I have found it to be quite the opposite. Although things being done so differently may be frustrating at first, you can only thrive if you learn to adapt, Also, new cultures and ways of living give us a great opportunity to reflect on how we do things back home, and how different approaches can benefit us.?

To do so, you have to get out of your comfort zone and enter situations with an open mind. Then, ideally, you can merge the good elements of both cultures, embracing what works and letting go of what does not.?

My experience living in Latin America allowed me to do just that. There, for example, schedules are not as rigid as they are in Western cultures, and my business partners would often arrive late for appointments. Whereas this initially made me restless, I noticed my Latin colleagues would quietly continue working. Slowly, I began to adapt, learning to live in the here-and-now when dealing with counterparts, and not worrying as much about being on time for my next appointment – knowing that they would understand any delay. It is almost what we now brand as “mindfulness.”?

Another example is the focus on relationship building. Where return on investment is a key parameter in Western business cultures, relationship building comes first in Latin America. Of course, business partners will still look for a win-win outcome, but without mutual trust and respect the discussion on KPI-s will not take place.?

The beauty of expecting the unexpected?

Experiences like these, spread over my many years living and working abroad, have taught me to deal with unexpected circumstances – as often times things did not go as planned. Rather than focus on the frustrating elements of this, I instead tried to focus on how it allowed me to become more flexible. And rather than trying to transform the unexpected into something that I felt familiar with, I learned to adapt.?

This, to me, is one of the biggest benefits of living abroad. Your acceptance of cultural difference skyrockets, driven by a deep understanding that people in other places do and view things differently. As a result, your ability to deal with different and unexpected circumstances makes you more resilient. Throughout my career that has helped tremendously, when working abroad and interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds.?

This might seem like common sense, but it is something I never truly understood until I experienced it firsthand. In turn, I have noticed that my problem-solving and communication skills have also improved, as has my self-reliance, as I have not always had a traditional support network to depend upon.?

An open mind and a deep breath?

Not everyone will have the opportunity to live or work abroad for an extended period of time. But this does not mean everyone cannot learn from other cultures – especially given the global nature of many organizations.?

In such cases, we can enter professional situations guided by the understanding that we should never assume our cultural backgrounds dictate what is “right” or the “best” approach when it comes to overcoming a challenge or navigating business relationships. Instead, an open mind –?and sometimes a deep breath – is all we need.