Author: Greg Shrewsbury

I’ve always heard that the value of networking is unmatched when it comes to finding great careers opportunities.   This is definitely true.

I’ve had the privilege of engaging and interacting with the Houston International HR Roundtable over the past year.   What it has afforded me is the realization of a very important career goal—true international exposure via a two year assignment in Paris, France!

I was approached about this opportunity through a contact at the roundtable.  Because of the roundtable connection, I was interviewed and ultimately offered the role of Vice President of Human Resources at Technip-North America…a journey that will start in Paris.

I can’t stress the importance of networking with colleagues at the appropriate level.  I feel the International HR Roundtable is the best organization in Houston that addresses international issues and mobilization for senior HR leaders.

We are all presented with prospects, and we have to take advantage of them as they arise.  This is true in our personal lives and our professional lives.   Participating in and supporting the right organizations are essential.

I would like to thank Larry and the roundtable for “getting me connected” with the right international career opportunity.  Merci!

I wish the Larry and the roundtable continued success.

À la prochaine!

[Editors Note:  We are happy to welcome back Greg Shrewsbury as a Guest Author.  Greg is now Vice President, Human Resources-North America for Technip.  We wish Greg the best of luck on his new adventure in Paris.]

Author:  Shari Lewis Fish

All of the excitement, nerves, adjustments and transitions accompanied with moving to a new country can be quite overwhelming.  As expatriates focus on adjusting to a new business climate, time zone, culture, living conditions, language, food, and home, their wellness should not be, and does not need to be, sacrificed. This column is designed to provide information and ideas so that expatriates can create and maintain healthy, positive lifestyles no matter where they are assigned.

You may be relieved to learn that some stress is actually good for you.  It can increase your intensity, your senses and your focus.  However, too much stress can have dire health consequences.  Fortunately, you can actually decrease your stress level in as little as five minutes with the relaxation techniques outlined below:

1. Take a “time-out”.  Find a quiet place to sit or lie down. Maintain focus on your breath as you inhale slowly through your nose, feeling your entire belly, sides and lower back expand. As you exhale completely, feel your belly, back and sides contract as you maintain focus on your breath and quiet your mind. Repeat 7-10 times.
2. Take a “mental vacation” – Close your eyes and picture yourself in an environment that elicits peace and pleasure.  Visualize this “place” in great detail. “Hear” the birds, the rustling of leaves, the waterfall; “feel” the sand between your toes or the snowflakes hit your face.  The more realistic and detailed your daydream is, the more relaxation you will experience.
3. Muscle releases – Scan your body for areas of tension.  Focus on tensing and relaxing a major muscle or area of tension.   Repeat for 60 seconds.

These techniques are available to you at home, on a plane, worldwide.  They are free,  no equipment is required and in five minutes or less you can feel like a new person.  Remember, you are your number one asset!!

Enjoy and Be Well!

We tend to agree that the Houston International HR Roundtable is an excellent resource for “all things international HR.”  As part of our new membership program,  “Get a Membership – Give Back in the Process,” if you join in December, a percentage of your membership dues will be contributed to FIGT.  FIGT stands as the global leader in providing educational resources and support for families, as well as other international organizations and service providers.  Join the Houston International HR Roundtable today and help us support our global community.

FIGT will hold their 2010 Conference here in Houston and has announced a truly stellar line-up of speakers and sessions.  The conference provides a truly unique forum where members of internationally mobile families gather with those who assist them: human resource personnel, relocation experts, educators and counselors.  Together they develop strategies for dealing with the challenges of cross-cultural living.  Please visit them online at www.figt.org for additional information, great resources on families in transition, and to register for the conference.

My sons had a unique experience as TCKs.   They had to deal with at least three very different cultures when we lived in Hanoi, Vietnam.  They attended the French International School in Hanoi where the teachers only spoke French (they really only spoke French), the classes were all in French, and the “culture” of the school was French; they were in the capital city of Vietnam and everyone around them spoke Vietnamese, e.g., they took Tae Kwon Do in Vietnamese and the driver who took them to school only spoke Vietnamese (Mr. Tam); and their “family” was American.  Attend the conference in Houston and you’ll learn how to best handle these types of situations as an expatriate and also as an international HR professional.

Author: Greg Shrewsbury

Greg Shrewsbury

I personally enjoyed the level of interaction at this month’s roundtable that focused on international HR career management.  Having a group of peers come together to share thoughts and experiences is definitely an invaluable opportunity!

My takeaways from this session reinforced my own views relating to personal international HR career management.  During our discussions, the following components to achieve success in this endeavor materialized as follows:

1. In order to develop a complete “international career portfolio,” it is critical that HR professionals experience expatriate assignments for themselves.
2. Like with all good things in life, goal setting must be a priority.  This is particularly true with successful career pathing and management.
3. Mentors and role models are valuable as we create and establish our personal brands in the global market.  We all need coaches to help champion our careers!
4. “Cross-cultural” awareness and sensitivity are important as we engage the global workplace.  In order to achieve this, we must become flexible in our dispositions, understandings and relationships.

These items give us real and tangible objectives to consider as we manage our careers!

Finally, as a newbie to Houston, I appreciate the hospitality given to me by the International HR Community!  Thank you for sharing your insights!  I wish everyone a great Holiday Season.

[Editors Note:  We are happy to welcome Greg Shrewsbury to Houston and as a Guest Author.  Greg was part of our panel this month on Managing Your International HR Career and is the Senior Director of Human Resources for Global Engineering, Procurement, and Construction hub for Aker Solutions.  He is responsible for talent acquisition that supports domestic and international EPC projects and core businesses (key leadership, engineering, procurement, project controls, commissioning, and HSE).  Greg has 18 years of human resources experience that includes Fortune 500 experience with The Clorox Company.  His tenure with Clorox included HR leadership in two of the Company’s principle subsidiaries—Kingsford Manufacturing and Glad Manufacturing.  He served as Division HR Manager for Glad, Clorox’s largest subsidiary.  Greg has an MBA from West Virginia Wesleyan College and a BS-Business Administration from Bluefield College.  Greg is also a member of our Advisory Committee.]

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This is the future of communication for international assignees!  OurWorldConnect is the world’s first private social network designed for people moving overseas. Specifically built for companies and organizations, OWC’s software platform delivers tools and resources for their international assignees in addition to the networking interface. Relocating someplace where you do not know anyone can be traumatic. Assignees tend to join work-related social networks, but spouses and family members have a much harder time making local contacts. International assignees and their families can connect to others moving to or living in the same destination and use the latest in online social media to get and stay connected. Like college students who know their classmates and roommates before showing up for school, connecting in advance of a major relocation can benefit the whole family and lead to a more successful assignment.

The Houston International HR Roundtable was a guest at the Global HR Executive Leadership Workshop™ yesterday.  Thank you to Ed Cohen for his hospitality!  Two of the highlights of the conference were the panel on global EAP and Michael Cadden’s presentation on OurWorldConnect.  OurWorldConnect is likely to change the way international assignees communicate with each other AND with their companies.  If you manage international assignees you need to see one of Michael’s presentations. You might even get to meet the Moose!

Brats Movie on YouTube

TCKs are defined as someone who, as a child, has spent a significant period of time in one or more culture(s) other than his or her own, thus integrating elements of those cultures and their own birth culture, into a third culture.  Barack Obama is probably the most famous TCK in the world. My own children are examples of TCKs.  I was born in the US and their mother was born in Vietnam.  My sons were two and a half and eight months old when I moved from Houston to Hong Kong in 1992.  During the time I lived in Hong Kong, they attended the Peak School (following a British curriculum) and Carmel Day School.  Then in 1994 I moved to Hanoi, Vietnam where they attended the French International School (French Curriculum “en Francaise”).  Well, after they were settled in Hanoi and fluent in French and Vietnamese, we moved to Kobe, Japan in 1997, where they attended Canadian Academy.  After that, it was back to Houston to finish elementary, middle, and high school (well almost).  Today, both of my sons have a global view of the world.  In honor of my sons, I’ve created a webpage just for TCKs and their families.  Let’s hear your stories too!

Forbes magazine recently compiled a list of the 10 best retirement havens, based on a wide variety of criteria ranging from safety to retiree-friendly visa requirements to decent medical care. The countries on their hit list: Austria, Thailand, Italy, Panama, Ireland, Australia, France, Malaysia, Spain and Canada.   Australia was mentioned as the most livable country, but … it’s REALLY far for those that want to visit the U.S.   Take a look at the article and decide for yourself!  Where would you retire to?

Dinner time?

One of the greatest joys of my international assignments was the opportunity to learn and experience different cultures and FOOD!  My favorites are the simple foods – Pho in Vietnam, fresh baguette in France, kimchi in Korea, or ice cream in Italy.  What are your favorites?