International career
Multicultural and International Management
Your international career challenges
Developing an international career expatriation is no longer just a one-off experience. Instead, they follow a structured path, alternating periods of mobility abroad with time spent in their country of origin, while evolving in multicultural environments, often matrix-based, on a regional (such as EMEA or LATAM) or global scale.
The central issue in this dynamic is the ability to managing your career path in an interconnected world, striking a balance between mobility, cultural roots and career development. At this stage of your career, you're not just looking for a job, you're looking for coherence. As well as having an international background and a good command of the local language, this requires a detailed understanding of organisational contexts, constant monitoring of geopolitical, economic and managerial changes, and the ability to create value in increasingly complex environments.
Contrary to a strictly national career, including in France, this approach requires a ability to adapt continuouslyA clear strategic positioning and proactive management of international employability. The career then becomes cross-border, influenced as much by the company's internal dynamics (e.g. stakeholder mapping) as by the local issues of the countries in which it operates.
international career coaching is not just about preparing to leave for a new job or move to a foreign country. It involves strategic thinking about the overall direction of your career and your place in a changing international environment. This coaching is part of a process of projecting, aligning and consolidating a transnational career path over the long term.
Our approach to supporting your
international career
The main objectives of my support are to
To give coherence to your career path between missions, geographical areas and personal aspirations.
Repositioning or develop its role within complex international structures.
Raising your profile internationally
Strengthen its influence in heterogeneous cultural and political environments.
Adapting communication, management and leadership to international projects
The advantages of my individual coaching for multicultural management
- We start by getting to know each other to see if we'd like to work together, during an initial one-hour meeting. If we decide to work together, we're in! If we decide not to work together, I don't charge for this first meeting.
- I offer tailor-made coaching: I define the number of sessions, duration, frequency and location (face-to-face or remote), depending on the context and needs of each individual. I can also suggest (or not) exercises to do between sessions.
- I work in French or English.
Your company plays an active role during the coaching process: the line manager and/or HR are present at the start to frame the coaching process, and then at the end of the coaching to share the results.
I propose a systemic approach to all my business coaching, taking into account both the organisational environment and the relational aspects between employees.
The methodological framework of coaching is guaranteed by a contract and by my commitment to respect the ethical commitments of the International Coaching Federation, in particular regular professional supervision, coupled with intervision between certified peer coaches.
How does one-to-one coaching work?
Duration and frequency
in general, 6 to 12 sessions of 60 to 90 minutes over 4 to 12 months. In the case of coaching financed by the company, these sessions are accompanied by two 1.5-hour tripartite sessions with your N+1 and/or HR Director to validate the coaching objectives.
Location
If the position is taken up in Paris, face-to-face in premises that protect the confidentiality of exchanges (Paris 15th arrondissement). If the position is taken up in France or another country, remotely via Zoom
Let's work together!
Support for your international career
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Find out more about international careers
What soft skills are essential for international success?
Succeeding in an international career requires much more than linguistic or technical skills. You need to develop fine-tuned, progressive soft skills, in particular an in-depth knowledge of intercultural issues and internal politics.
Key skills include
- Intercultural intelligence going beyond cultural stereotypes to understand the dynamics of power, the logic of influence and decision-making processes in different contexts.
- The ability to adapt to organisational complexity The ability to evolve in matrix environments, work with multiple stakeholders and operate simultaneously at several levels (local, regional, global), whatever the professional project or sector.
- Diplomacy and cross-functional leadership Federating without direct authority, influencing from a distance, building multicultural alliances.
- Flexibility in relationships Adjusting your communication style and positioning to suit different cultures and audiences, without losing your professional identity.
- The systemic vision Understanding interdependencies in an international context and adjusting leadership positions in a constantly changing economic environment.
What are the main advantages and disadvantages of a long-term international career?
The benefits
- Development of a rare and sought-after profile: the ability to think globally, act locally and integrate diversity into decision-making.
- Access to strategic positions within international organisations or international companies: global or regional positions offer increased visibility, international influence and extended responsibilities, in or outside the home country, with international career prospects even from one's own country.
- Personal enrichment: hybridisation of cultures and values, consideration of different points of view, development of relationships in different ways.
Limits and points to watch out for
- Risk of diluting local or sectoral roots: a career with an international dimension can sometimes be perceived as being "out of touch" if it becomes necessary to return to a local market.
- Complex personal and professional balances: frequent lifestyle changes, family estrangement, difficulties in stabilising a rhythm of life and maintaining cultural and identity references.
Unlike a one-off expatriation, building an international career requires a long-term vision, fundamental consistency and a clear understanding of your strengths, aspirations and limitations. To do this, you need to start by asking yourself the right questions!
When do you get involved?
I intervene before departure, during the expatriation or on return during the impatriation phase.
Who do you work with?
I support both employees who are on the move and their spouses who are looking for work.
Are you really a specialist in all countries?
No, of course not! I work from an 'anchor culture' that I know, the French culture. If you're an international coming to work in France, a French person going abroad or returning to France after an expatriation, I can help you. I also have a great deal of experience of Anglo-Saxon culture. But if you're asking me to accompany a Mexican manager working in Germany with a Turkish team, I'm not the right person for you!
Do you also offer training courses?
Yes, I also offer intercultural intelligence and multicultural management training courses for international organisations, to develop their intercultural knowledge and skills. Dedicated training organisations can help you learn a new language.
