Partners accompanying Executives

There is a real, clear difference between the position of the executive and his/her partner.

The executive on the move has an employment contract, a defined task, new colleagues to talk to, some knowledge about the new assignment, and there may well be some acquaintances or former colleagues in the new company abroad.

The partner, on the other hand, has to find his/her own way in a new and probably strange country and culture, often isolated and insufficiently occupied during the day, without support, and sometimes not even knowing where to begin.

It is a well-known fact that many assignments abroad fail on account of unexpected difficulties faced by the partner. There may be challenges to face in finding one's way, literally and figuratively, finding adequate employment, engaging and managing domestic staff, becoming aware of, and sensitive to local expectations in relation to appropriate dress for men and women, fitting behaviour of both sexes in business and social occasions, from suitable greetings to the manners and conventions of eating, drinking and getting to know one another.

Accompanying partners often seek gainful employment locally, but finding something suitable, related to one's qualifications and experience, may present another major challenge. Lack of gainful employment or similar positive engagement is sometimes a cause of major upset.

Any series of unexpected challenges can add to the pressure on the accompanying partner, rendering him/her least able to offer emotional support to the working partner at the time it is most needed. On the other side, the working partner may be pre-occupied with issues arising during the working day, and may be simply unable to offer adequate emotional or practical support to the accompanying partner.

The outcome, in such scenarios, is not difficult to predict.

To provide a safe and confidential space for the accompanying partner to:

• Explore the new situation with the help of an experienced coach
• Assess their needs and options
• Prepare for the move, beginning well before departure
• Develop a greater awareness of matters likely to arise
• Adapt to their new life as smoothly as possible
• Decide for themselves the most satisfying way of investing time and energy in local activities

• Coaching, an ideal process for building self awareness, is used throughout
• We have developed a coaching process that will uncover the core issues and integrate them into competent crosscultural communication.
• We are available pre-departure, upon arrival and during repatriation on short notice
• We remain flexible and available, on the spot and via telephone, as and when the need arises.

In every case the accompanying partner will - together with the coach - draw up his/her own action plans, based on their own very specific situation.

The coach will:

• Support the accompanying partner in anticipating and clarifying the new situation, taking into account his/her professional interests, the whole family, especially any children, and recognising the new responsibilities and ways of doing things
• Strengthen the client in supporting the working partner as he/she runs into the usual difficulties in the workplace e.g. coming home from a business meeting feeling confused, and needing support in the mother tongue to reflect on this drawback, while the children linger nervously, sensing difficulties, feeling homesick and missing their friends
• Be a trustworthy, confidential sounding board, a source of encouragement and strength to the partner.