Dear friends,
We’ve received so many questions about what we have been working on. The best answer? A whole lot more than we bargained for!
As many of you know, in August 2019 I left my position in Japan after almost 20 years with UCB. It was a tough and heart wrenching decision, but I’m proud to say that we have pressed forward in the same fashion we’ve done everything else: filled with good intent, planning, and a bit of dreaming. To the best of our abilities, we’ve navigated the chaos of an international move, the complexities of a global crisis, and serious health concerns for my wife. She’s fine now but it was touch and go for a long while.
So much life, lessons, and reflections have been piled into 10 short months. It’s been both a wonderful and challenging experience. That which does not kill you…
Now, we find ourselves, like billions of people, warily watching the future while trying to press forward with plans for today.
So just what have I been up to? Well, I have been working on a few professional projects that will define the next years:
- The academics: I’ve been finishing up another degree – this time in organizational design and leadership. I’m focusing on industrial psychology, people development, coaching, and the more academic side of leadership. It does feel great to be back in the (virtual) classroom.
- The credentials and experience: Through a rigorous and academic approach I gained certification as an executive coach. I have been working with clients who are living overseas and working through the complexities of life abroad in Senior Director and VP executive positions. I’m both honored and delighted to help those who are embarking on such a complex and life changing opportunity.
- The research: In addition, I’ve spearheaded an exciting project with a small team. We have been interviewing global senior exec expats from around the world. This has been both fascinating and enriching. We’ve already discovered common stories and situations that every expat exec faces – both at home and while abroad. Working hard for your company and for your family leads to many similar struggles, triumphs, setbacks and successes. Even though every international assignment is unique, there are clear shared experiences. We’ve even evolved our interviews into finding some fantastic data and insights. Some of this has already been shared in a few places and I plan on sharing more of this insight very soon!
- The framework: All of this work has culminated into a framework that is helping expatriate executives navigate the many challenges of international leadership – including, but not limited to:
- Meeting the extraordinary corporate demands placed on expat leaders
- Helping expat leaders’ families thrive before, during, and after the assignment
- Developing highly functioning cross-cultural teams
- Accelerating your career and leadership skills
- Finding balance for both professional and personal growth
All of these projects have culminated into the formation of Cranberry Leadership International. Cranberry focuses on enhancing performance of expat execs through the science of intercultural psychology and our experience in international leadership. Our process helps expat execs learn about their inherent biases, cultural hurdles and workstyle preferences that can inhibit productive cross-cultural communication.
Cranberry’s customized training is carried out through coaching, workshops, team encounters and more. By focusing on senior level expat leaders, we hope to impact the individuals, families, and companies that invest so heavily in the huge endeavor of uprooting and replanting people all over the globe.
To the many who have helped during the last 18 months please accept my gratitude. I’ve been looking forward to sharing the insights we have gathered! I’m excited that we no longer are “working behind the scenes,” and that Cranberry Leadership is finally here to give you resources, insight, and expert guidance on the expat exec experience.
Our goal: to help you achieve international success, faster.
I look forward to seeing you at www.cranberryleadership.com.
Many thanks!
Tom
