After about a decade climbing the ladder, some good report cards and candid discussions about my ambitions, last week my boss offered me a promotion.?Champagne corks were popping that night, to both celebrate and lubricate the debate as it’s a promotion unlike any I’ve had before – they offered me a role building our new offering and office in Asia.?We’re a boutique hedge fund, headquartered in Mayfair but with expansionist dreams.?Our executive will stay in London as they’ve got family commitments here and need to continue to serve our clients in the capital, so I’ll be their woman in the Far East.?I’m a bit torn though – whilst it seems great on paper, am I leaving the London limelight and will it be a case of out of sight, out of mind????
YES!?Do it, you won’t regret it!?The author is speaking from personal experience here: this is a great thing both professionally and personally.?I understand why you may be apprehensive, but a stint abroad will broaden your mind, your experience and your life, and is something you should grasp with both hands.?
Let’s consider a few things to allay your concerns:
- You mentioned that your company has big plans overseas – this puts you, as their first international employee (and a senior one at that) at a huge advantage.?You have the opportunity help shape and define their international proposition, with a structure and learnings that can be used the world over and with you at the centre (perhaps even as leader of all of the international offices down the line)
- You also mentioned that you were concerned about being away from the cut and thrust of the head office, and the stature and profile that comes with that.?Don’t worry about this for one second. ?Again, they see global expansion as central to their future and trust, respect and rate you high enough that they think you’re the one to deliver those plans.?What a great show of faith in you.?Far from being out of sight and out of mind, you’ll be on the agenda of each and every board meeting from now on.?Also, don’t let anyone tell you that experience outside one of the two major financial capitals isn’t of the same value as that within – all companies are looking East for their future growth and the naysayers are simply jealous snobs
- Anecdotally, when you look at the profiles of senior leaders in a lot of professions many of them have completed an international posting – this is no coincidence.?The many and varied skills they learnt and the profile they grew helped propel them up the ranks and set-up their careers for great things.?This can be you too.?Business is global and you’ll have an obvious edge over your contemporaries by having first-hand experience of working in a different culture and environment
And now let’s consider some of the ways you can really maximise this moment:
- Success starts with you and the way you approach this.?A positive, open mind will be foundation to everything good that comes your way.?It won’t always be plain sailing but try and see events as challenges to overcome rather than insurmountable obstacles, and remember that you can take learnings from everything.?As you no doubt heard when growing up, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger
- Don’t try and recreate your life at home, find comfort in the exotic.?This will be a very exciting time in life
- Your role will now change and grow exponentially.?No longer just responsible for a relatively small piece of the pie, you are about to become chief of your own fiefdom, and your remit will be very wide as a result of this. The buck for recruitment, promotion, new business, P&L responsibility, staff management, company culture, client and fund management, legal and tax affairs, office location and fit-out, corporate strategy, potential management of multiple offices in the future and more now ultimately stops with you.?What an exciting learning curve to be on.?You’ll need imagination, resilience, flexibility and a healthy dose of humility (view the team in London as a resource and don’t be shy asking them for advice) but remember, it’s up to you to make it work in your new surroundings so keep trying new things.?What worked in London might not necessarily be right for Asia; fall in love with the outcome, not the process, and be adaptable in your approach
- You’re running a business now and should be compensated properly - ask for equity.?Nothing motivates like having skin in the game, and if you don’t ask, you don’t get
This is a great adventure and with your life taking a new and exciting path you’ll be rich with stories.?So many people dream of life in a foreign land and you get to live it; go forth and embrace!
NEXT WEEK: PROCUREMENT WANT TO MEET… SHOULD I PULL UP THE DRAWBRIDGE?
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