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.]

Most organizations working internationally learn soon enough that ignorance of cultural requirements can put a very costly international venture at great risk; nevertheless, recent budget and time pressures have produced a marketplace of intercultural services that claim to provide cultural competencies without the critical investment of real training.

Dean’s presentation will evaluate the marketplace of intercultural services and products available, and the deliverables that they claim to provide.  Cultural training insures high-levels of competencies, that promote deep and longterm value for the entire organization, while cultural survival interventions, like coaching and passive webtools, provides no longterm value for the organization beyond the transactional success of the individual assignment.

By the end of the presentation, you  will be able to evaluate the benefits of various intercultural products and services, and assess their ability to provide real ROI, for both the international assignees and the organization, or just superficial cultural survival.

ABOUT DEAN FOSTER

As president of Dean Foster Associates, New York, Dean Foster conducts cross-cultural training worldwide and consults on intercultural business issues with most Fortune 1000 companies in the United States and around the globe.

For over twenty years, Dean has played a major role in the development of the intercultural training field: formerly he was founder and Managing Director of Berlitz Cross-Cultural Worldwide, Vice President GMAC/Windham Intercultural, and founder of Cross-Cultural Consulting Associates, New York. Dean is a frequent guest on CNN, CNBC and other TV and radio shows, and keynotes at major international professional conferences. interviewed in major publications, such as Newsweek Magazine, the New York Times,USA Today and others, Dean is also a frequent Guest lecturer at Harvard Business School, New York University, Columbia University Graduate School of Business, and other educational organizations.

Dean has written many articles, as well as the four-part Global Etiquette Guide book series (John Wiley & Sons), which includes The Global Etiquette Guide to Europe, the Global Etiquette Guide to Asia, the Global Etiquette Guide to Latin America, and the Global Etiquette Guide to Africa and the Middle East, and the book, Bargaining Across Borders (McGraw-Hill),which the American Library Association voted as one of the top ten business books of 1994.

Dean is a Contributing Editor for National Geographic Traveler, writing the CultureWise monthly column, Contributing Editor for American Express Executive Travel Magazine, and Senior Contributing Editor for the International webpage of Monster.com. Dean is adjunct Professor at the American University, Intercultural Management Institute, Washington, D.C., and received his M.A. and is a PhD candidate in Sociology from the Graduate Faculty of the New School for Social Research, New York City.

Talent, Talent, Talent (Presented by: John Burke, Lee Hecht Harrison & UH HRD Advisory Board)

Do you know the health of your talent? Do your leaders know how to manage change while retaining and engaging key talent? Most companies spend their budgets in human capital resources on the top and bottom 10%. However, that means 80% of your employees may feel ignored. Can you imagine how productive your company will be if 80% of your employees are just 5% more efficient/effective?

The bottom line: know your talent – where is it and where do you want it to be?

Don’t just do something – SIT THERE! (Presented by: Dr. Peter Bishop, Associate Professor of Futures Studies, University of Houston)

That’s right, sit…and think. Spend just 2-3% of your time focusing on the future and you will be better prepared tomorrow. It’s easy for businesses to forecast where they want to be in 10 years – financially, socially, politically, but what about people? What skills will our workforce need 5 or 10 years from now? What will the client of the future expect of your company? What if, contrary to what we expect, the internet becomes so plagued with spam, that companies re-focus their learning events towards pre-recorded (instead of Live) learning? What are you doing today to meet the future expectations of your company’s leaders and clients? How much is 2-3%? It’s just 10-15 minutes a day. Get ready. The future is now.

Cross-Cultural Learning (Presented by: Beatriz Arnillas, Head of Educational Production and Outreach, University of Houston)

Not all learning is received equally. Did you know that most trainers teach or “facilitate” using their preferred learning style? Along with our individual learning preferences, we each have our own innate cultural preferences when it comes to learning. Therefore, in order for learning to be effective, we need to analyze the learner characteristics in relation to the specific business needs and the context in which the solution will be delivered. Not only do we need to be aware of learning preferences, industry’s culture and context country by country, but also region by region within that country (yes, I mean the United States too!). Make sure you understand the context of learning and HOW people in your audience have learned most effectively in the past.

Storytelling: Ties that Bind (Presented by: Steve Dowdall, Cardtronics & UH HRD Advisory Board)

How have MOST cultures learned in the past? Storytelling. Think back to our first recorded history found on cave walls and scrawled on tablets. These early historians were instrumental in documenting what happened, but more importantly, they provided future generations with a cultural narrative to preserve HOW the group was expected and known to act.

So…How is your company leveraging the power of stories to teach others valuable lessons within the context of your business? What stories have you and your leaders created to preserve and steer your culture in a positive direction? Think about it.

Learning and Development in India – Presented by: Madhuri Kumar, Director of Instructional Technology and Adjunct Instructor of Human Resource Development, University of Houston

India has the second largest population in the world, the 11th largest economy, hosts a population with a wide range of religious, urban and rural, modern and pre-modern, ethnic and language backgrounds (though English is the official one,) and is expected to soon become one of the largest, most influential economies in the world and it is already to preferred outsourcing location for Western corporations. The sub-continent’s cultural context is significantly different from Western cultures, exhibiting lower individualistic index and a very long-term orientation index. How is a Western company to approach learning & development for Indian professionals who will work in the West? How to develop those who will work in India?

We want to thank Jim Molloy, a member of our Advisory Committee for his assistance with the program. Jim is also on the UH HRD Advisory Board and is a Senior Manager, AERS Learning & Development at Deloitte.

If you seek expertise on assessing, training or growing your human capital, consider collaborations with students, faculty and staff at The University of Houston’s Human Resource Development Program and Futures Studies in the College of Technology. Dozens of interns and faculty members are actively supporting our community working with small non-profit organizations to Fortune 500 companies.

If you like more information, please contact Beatriz Arnillas at The University of Houston’s College of Technology, 713 743 4637.

You are invited to the September education program of the Houston International HR Roundtable:

Introduction to International Organizations Impacting Labor Relations

Following this session, you will have a basic knowledge of the international labor aspects of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the International Labor Organization, Free Trade Agreements, non-governmental organizations, industry codes of conduct, and many other international bodies and global standards.

This program has been submitted to HR Certification Institute for review.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Please see our recent blog post on the value of networking and membership in the Houston International HR Roundtable.
• We have announce new membership fees for the remainder of 2010. Our memberships and sponsorships are for the calendar year.
• We have several graduate students seeking mentors from the group. Please contact the Chair or our Mentor Committee, Steve Youngblood, if you are a member and would like to sponsor a student. Please include a short bio.
• Please join us on Facebook and Twitter.
  

Directions and Parking Information: Heritage Plaza is across from the downtown Doubletree Hotel.
Parking is available at the Doubletree hotel or Heritage Clay Street
Parking Garage, 200 Clay, Houston 77002.You can park at the Doubletree hotel and walk across the street to the building – proceed to the 45th floor. Alternatively, park in the Heritage Clay Street Parking Garage – address of the garage is 200 Clay Street, Houston, TX 77002. If you park in the Clay Street Garage, park in any space that is not marked “Reserved.” Take the elevator in the Clay Street Garage to the Basement (‘B’). Upon reaching Basement level, turn left and follow the hallway until you reach the wall with the large ‘H’ on it. Turn left and immediately on the right you will see two elevators. Take the elevator to the Sky Lobby (‘SL’). Once you reach the Sky Lobby, turn right and proceed to the middle bank of elevators. Proceed to the 45th floor to the Deloitte reception area – this is the floor where the meeting will take place.

2010 Host Sponsor - Deloitte Tax LLP

Please contact us regarding other sponsorship opportunities.

The Human Resource Development Program at the University of Houston

Your source for experts in training and development, and organization development

Succession planning, mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning, are all critical topics on the minds of today’s HR Leaders. The University of Houston (U of H) remains one of the few universities embedded within an urban community to help ensure that local organizations have the resources necessary to succeed locally and globally. The Human Development and Consumer Sciences department at U of H currently offers both an Undergraduate (B.S) and a Master’s of Science (M.S.) degree in Human Resource Development (HRD). This article provides information on the following four topics:

1. Faculty
2. Program
3. Advisory Board
4. Students
5. Global Outreach

Faculty
Faculty members have expertise in the strategic disciplines of HRD as well as practical experience in the public, private, and non-governmental sectors. Consequently, students benefit because the faculty facilitates learning experiences that are relevant, meaningful, and authentic. Students are able transfer learning to their jobs and organizations.

Program
The HRD curriculum is unique because it retains its fundamentals in learning and performance but remains dynamic to ensure relevance and timeliness with business and industry. The curriculum is diverse and integrated. The program includes courses such as Instructional Design, Adult Learning, E-learning, Design of Organization Development Interventions, and Leadership. The integrated approach provides students a well-rounded perspective of learning, change, transfer and performance in organizations at the local and global levels. The blend of theory and practice, gives students strong problem-solving skills that allows them assess and adapt to any context. The program is also characterized by a concerted effort to helping students “learn how to learn”.

Advisory Board
What differentiates this program from other master’s degree programs is the advisory board. The program’s advisory board consists of experts that include consultants and practitioners in public and private organizations. The board regularly interfaces with faculty and students to provide additional perspectives on curriculum and applied projects, while sharing examples of business problems requiring HRD expertise and action. Advisory board members are also regular speakers in the HRD courses, and many serve as mentors. Advisory board members also provide leads on HRD internships and full-time positions.

Student Society of Human Resource Development
Along with having top-notch faculty and access to the advisory board, the student population has also taken ownership of the program’s success. The students manage the Student Society of Human Resources Development (SSHRD) and actively recruit students for the HRD programs. The SSHRD group is associated with the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), providing additional opportunities to network with industry professionals. SSHRD members lead and participate in service projects, and HRD events that promote the development of its members and related communities.

Global Outreach
To further the global reach of the HRD programs, a student mentorship program has been established in partnership with the Houston International HR Roundtable. The goal of the mentorship program is to foster new relationships and assist students in better defining their career paths. This mentorship program enhances the global presence and foci of the HRD programs.

If you are interested in furthering your career in Human Resource Development, please contact Dr. Consuelo Waight (cwaight@uh.edu) or Dr. Holly Hutchins (hmhutchi@Central.UH.EDU).

[Editors Note:  Thank you to the faculty of the HRD program for providing this information.  We look forward to working with the HRD faculty and students on a variety of initiatives as we continue to develop Houston as the Global Center of Excellence for International HR.]

Thank you to Tom Fox for allowing us to post a link to his recent webinar!

One of the key company lynch-pins in any FCPA compliance and ethics program is Human Resources. Most HR professional do not think of themselves as on the front lines for FCPA compliance and ethics. However the HR function is plays a  key role in “connecting the dots” for FCPA ethics and compliance. What policy does a company take to punish those employees who may engage in unethical and non-compliant behavior in order to meet company revenue targets versus what rewards are handed out to those employees who integrate such ethical and compliant behavior into their individual work practices going forward? One of the very important functions of HR is assisting management in setting the criteria for employee bonuses and assisting management in the evaluation of employees for the bonuses. This is an equally important role in getting out a company’s message of adherence to a FCPA compliance and ethics policy.

Does a company have, as a component of its bonus compensation plan, a part dedicated to FCPA compliance and ethics? If so, how is this component measured and then administered? There is very little in the corporate world that an employee notices more than what goes into the calculation of their bonuses. HR can and should facilitate this process by setting expectations early in the year and then following through when annual bonuses are released. With the assistance of HR, such a bonus can send a powerful message to employees regarding the seriousness with which compliance is taken at the company. There is nothing like putting your money where your mouth is for people to stand up and take notice.

If a company has an employee who meets, or exceeds all his sales targets, but does so in a manner which is opposite to the company’s stated FCPA compliance and ethics values, other employees will watch and see how that employee is treated. Is that employee rewarded with a large bonus? Is that employee promoted or are the employee’s violations of the company’s compliance and ethics policies swept under the carpet? If the employee is rewarded, or in any way not sanctioned for unethical or non-compliant behavior, it will be noticed and other employees will act accordingly. One of the functions of HR is to help ensure consistent application of company values throughout the organization.

In the energy industry, (and probably lots of other industries) there is the following archetypal story. It usually is told about a Regional Manager in the Far East or the Middle East who is alleged to have said some along the following lines, “If I violate the Code of Conduct I may or may not get caught. If I get caught I may or may not be disciplined. But if don’t make my revenue numbers for two quarters I will be fired”. If such a story is allowed to percolate throughout the company, employees will feel that all that matters is hitting their revenue targets, not acting in an ethical and compliant manner. Human Resources provides a vital front line function is providing consistent, across the board application of a values core values of compliance and ethics by training and then reinforcing that “hitting the numbers” in a manner which is antithetical to the company’s compliance and ethics program is not acceptable. But this must be done in both words and actions.

The HR Department in any multi-national company has a significant role in not only managing the employee base but in assisting to set the correct expectations regarding FCPA compliance and ethics. Consistent applications of these core beliefs and values will assist any company in remaining compliant and driving home the message that the company takes FCPA compliance seriously.

[Editors Note:  We are happy to welcome Thomas Fox of tomfoxlaw.com as a Guest Author.  Tom recently spoke to Houston International HR Roundtable on HR's role in FCPA compliance.  Tom will be presenting a webinar on The Role of HR in FCPA Compliance and Ethics on Tuesday, May 18, 2010 at 2 pm (CST) that will be of interest to international HR professionals.

Registration Link:              https://secure.confertel.net/tsregister.asp?course=509107

Tom has practiced law in Houston for 25 years. He is now assisting companies with FCPA compliance, Risk Management and international transactions. He was most recently the General Counsel at Drilling Controls, Inc., a worldwide oilfield manufacturing and service company.  He was previously Division Counsel with Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. where he supported Halliburton’s software division and its downhole division, which included the logging, directional drilling and drill bit business units.  Tom attended undergraduate school at the University of Texas, graduate school at Michigan State University and law school at the University of Michigan.  Tom writes and speaks nationally and internationally on a wide variety of topics, ranging from FCPA compliance, indemnities and other forms of risk management for a worldwide energy practice, tax issues faced by multi-national US companies, insurance coverage issues and protection of trade secrets.  Additional information on FCPA and compliance issues can be found at http://tfoxlaw.wordpress.com/.]

We have two great events planned for March.  We start off with the “Night Before” networking event on March 23.  PricewaterhouseCoopers will be our sponsor for this event.   Our Tough International HR Challenge Series continues with Foreign Corrupt Practice Act Essentials on March 24.  As always our educational event will be held at the Deloitte Center for Energy Solutions Conference Center.

Houston is also hosting two international HR conferences in March and we welcome Families in Global Transition and National Foreign Trade Council (along with HR Houston). Houston IS the Global Center of Excellence for international human resources.

We look forward to seeing you at our events.  Contact info@houstoninternationalhr.com with any questions.

Here’s a new one for you:
Houston is the Global Center of Excellence for International Human Resources.

For the past three years, I have been involved in the Houston International HR Roundtable. This is a fantastic group of individuals comprised of the HR community and the service professionals who work in partnership with them. During the time that I have been involved in this group, I have come to know its leader, Larry Scott, who has done an exceptional job at bringing great speakers and educational opportunities to the group. He has also incorporated networking Happy Hours, which has helped bring the members of this group together.

At the end of 2009, Larry Scott formalized the group, adding structure and varying levels of membership and sponsorship opportunities, while enhancing membership benefits. He now serves as president for the group and is the visionary for its future.

So, what is Houston International HR Roundtable?

Houston International HR Roundtable is committed to developing Houston as the Global Center of Excellence for International Human Resources. It is the leading education and networking professional organization in Houston for international HR professionals, including international and domestic service providers.

The vision of the group is to develop Houston as the Global Center of Excellence for international human resources.

I was absolutely thrilled when Larry approached me and asked me to Chair the Global Center of Excellence Committee. He felt that I would be a perfect fit, given my work within the Relocation Industry and the contacts that I have locally within the Houston Relocation and HR community.

The Global Center of Excellence Committee is focused on bringing increased recognition to Houston as the Global Center of Excellence for International Human Resources in accordance with the vision statement of Houston International HR Roundtable.   This committee works in conjunction with our other committees to promote Houston and its value as a global leader in international HR.  I am very excited to be the Chair of this important committee, and look very forward to assisting in bringing recognition to the Houston as the Global Center of Excellence.

If you are interested in membership or more information about Houston International HR Roundtable, please visit:
Houston International HR Roundtable.  To view upcoming events, please click here:  Events Calendar.

The above is reprinted by permission from the Houston Relocation Blog published by Michelle Sandlin, CRP.  Michelle is the Director, Global Relocation Services at John Daugherty.

Jordan’s presentations are always lively and contain real-world examples.  His presentation will provide an understanding of the relationship between US and non-US labor laws and how they differ in their application and purpose, and will equip the multinational employer with the right questions to ask before implementing terminations and other cost-cutting measures.

Jordan Cowman is a Partner in the Dallas, Texas, office of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. He specializes in international labor and employment law and counseling on employment litigation, international public policy, cross-border matters and corporate compliance.Mr. Cowman is a director of the Texas Business Hall of Fame, the Dallas Assembly, the Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations, and a member of the U.S. Council for International Business’ International Labor and Employment Law Committee. He was an employer advisor to the United Nations’ International Labor Organization in 2002, 2003 and 2004. He is past chairman of the Texas Lyceum Association.

This program has been submitted to HR Certification Institute for review.