Taking up a new post is a key step in a career, but when it comes to settling in another country, the stakes are multiplied. Beyond technical and managerial skills, cultural differences, implicit expectations and the need to adapt quickly to a new professional environment make these first 100 days particularly tricky.
Everything has to be reinvented: your habits, your relationships, your management style, your leadership style... Mistakes can be costly, but the right strategies can open doors you never imagined possible. Understanding these challenges and anticipating the pitfalls will enable you to build a successful transition. While certain strategies are often mentioned - such as winning the trust of teams or achieving quick and easy victories - other, more subtle keys remain largely underestimated. In this article, I'd like to offer you some practical tips, based on real-life experience, that can make all the difference when you're on an international move, whether you're a Frenchman going abroad or an "international" arriving in France.
Contents
The keys to success on an international level
The art of strategic patience: observe before you act during your first 100 days in the job
In your home country, you already know the implicit codes of the company and the market. Abroad, every interaction can be open to misunderstanding: a proactive attitude can be perceived as intrusive, and silence as a sign of disinterest. So you need to adapt to a different rhythm and avoid projecting your own cultural references onto the local environment. Easier said than done!
During your first few months in the job, every action you take can help to establish your legitimacy. But beware: trying to change everything quickly is a trap that will make you look at best out of touch, at worst arrogant. Some successes come not from immediate action, but from your ability to let relationships mature, to wait for the right moment to propose a new idea or take a key decision. Don't confuse speed with haste: adapt your tempo! In other words: act like a guest before you try to be a leader.
That doesn't mean you can't find one or two "quick wins" that demonstrate your value while respecting local sensitivities. These victories will be your calling card and will prove that you are there to provide concrete solutions, not just abstract ideas. I think back to a German executive who was sent to France to head up a marketing team, and whom I accompanied a few years ago. The first concrete project she decided to take on was the lack of appropriate digital tools for her business. multicultural team. So she had a collaborative tool installed to simplify her team's day-to-day work. Quick win!
So your first month isn't about shining, it's about learning.
- Listen to your teams: what are their expectations, their fears?
- Observe the implicit rules: how are decisions circulated, who influences whom?
- Ask questions: what works here and why?
- Avoid stereotypes: don't assume that all members of a culture act in the same way. Take the time to understand everyone.
- Quickly identify one or two feasible projects that will have a visible impact on your teams or your local customers.
Tame the local culture without losing your DNA
Whether you're a Frenchman moving abroad or an "international" arriving in France, you can't simply apply the methods that have proved successful at home. One of the classic pitfalls (and I'm not blaming you, as you've been there before...) is believing that your method is universal. Every culture has its own way of making decisions, communicating and working as a team. You have to juggle the sometimes contradictory expectations of your parent company and the local market. This is what Baruch, Peltoniemi and Vuori theorised about in the early 2000s, when they stressed the importance of balancing global strategy (global) and local needs (local).
And misinterpreting cultural signals can quickly lead to tension. For example, in some Asian cultures, interrupting an interlocutor is perceived as impolite, whereas in other Western countries it may be seen as a sign of engagement. If you want to find out more, you can take a diversion via Geert Hofstede's model of cultural dimensions, available online. He has identified six cultural dimensions (hierarchical distance, individualism vs. collectivism, masculinity vs. femininity, avoidance of uncertainty, long-term orientation, indulgence vs. restraint) that influence management and international job taking.
How do you go about it?
- Invest some time in familiarising yourself with intercultural notions before you take up your new post, for example with the support of your human resources department.
- Create a "cultural checklist" before you leave and adapt it according to your observations on the ground. It will be your compass for avoiding blunders.
- At strategy meetings, ask two questions: "How does this align with the overall strategy?" and "How does this meet local needs?"
- Identify a local mentor, someone who can explain the implicit codes to you.
- Stay true to yourself: adapting does not mean deforming yourself, but adjusting the way you communicate.
Learning to read between the lines when taking up an international post: deciphering implicit communication
The subtleties of body language vary from country to country. What is considered a sign of confidence in France may be perceived as aggression elsewhere. A poor grasp of these codes can lead to misunderstandings and damage credibility.
In some cultures, such as the Middle East and Asia, communication is often indirect. Messages are not always expressed clearly, but are conveyed by innuendo or subtle gestures. Quickly deciphering implicit behaviour while avoiding jumping to conclusions based on one's own cultural biases is a daily challenge. And ignoring these nuances can lead to embarrassing misunderstandings.
Are you sure you know how to interpret all the silences? A sign of polite disagreement or tacit agreement? Are you sure you know how to interpret every "yes"? In some Asian or Arab cultures, it may simply mean "I'm listening", without guaranteeing real agreement.
Preferred strategies :
- Familiarise yourself with local communication styles (direct or indirect) and don't hesitate to ask for confirmation to avoid any ambiguity.
- Pay attention to weak signals: a silence, a smile, a nod... there are many things that can help you to decode a situation.
- Learn the subtleties of body language: in some countries, a firm handshake is a sign of trust, in others it may seem aggressive. A steady gaze can be perceived differently in different cultures. In Germany, silence often signifies deep thought, whereas in Brazil it may be perceived as unease.
Building an alliance with key decision-makers... and invisible allies
In a foreign business environment, your network of contacts is often more important than your technical skills. But be careful: it's not just a question of meeting lots of people, but of building solid alliances with those who have a key influence in the organisation and in the local market. Without local alliances, you risk finding yourself isolated and struggling to make an impact. Understanding the informal hierarchies and influence of different stakeholders is essential.
And of course, there's the specific challenge of this international environment: developing alliances... without mastering the cultural subtleties and sometimes without sharing the local language!
It's also worth noting that the dynamics of relationships can vary greatly. In China or the Middle East, establishing solid personal relationships is often a prerequisite for any professional collaboration. Trust is built slowly and through repeated informal interactions. This is not the case in France!
Another avenue to explore is informal influencers who are not necessarily on the organisation chart but who play a key role in the internal dynamic. These people can be experienced assistants, long-standing collaborators or even well-connected junior employees. If you can build up a good relationship with someone who knows the political workings of the company, it will help you to avoid a number of organisational faux-pas and pitfalls.
What actions should be taken?
- Identify the internal influencers, those who "add oil to the wheels" through their knowledge of the organisational ecosystem.
- Be strategic in your first projects, giving priority to those that will give you quicker and more visible wins.
- Multiply informal interactions by respecting local social practices: a dinner, a café, a sporting event... that's where real alliances are made.
- Invest time in building relationships beyond the stage of polite superficiality
Don't underestimate the adjustment curve during the first 100 days of an international posting
Culture shock not only affects daily life, but also professional expectations. Working rhythms, perceptions of time and conflict resolution vary enormously from one country to another. Successful expatriation means mastering the art of discomfort. You must therefore be prepared to face a period of discomfort before finding your equilibrium.
Culture shock always happens, even when you think you've escaped it, because you're working in a "neighbouring" country. To avoid finding yourself in a situation where your team finds you "negative" when you think you're simply being "realistic", it's essential to identify where you are in your intercultural adaptation. Three phases were theorised in the U-Curve model by Lysgaard (1955):
- Initial euphoria: everything seems exciting.
- Culture shock: misunderstandings, doubts and frustrations.
- Adaptation: building a balance between your habits and those of the country.
Managing the impact on your personal balance
Your success also depends on the people around you. Changing countries is shaking up not only your professional life, but also your personal life. Far from your usual points of reference, you are exposed to increased loneliness and family estrangement. The same applies to your spouse or children, who are also immersed in a new environment.
A few points to watch out for :
- Anticipate the effects on the people around you: if your partner is out of work, he or she may feel isolated.
- Stick to your personal rituals: sport, meditation, hobbies... they'll help you stay on track.
- Create a support network: friends, expatriates, professional groups... to limit the risk of feeling alone
More personal and subtle keys to success
As well as the essential keys to success, it's also worth bearing in mind some lesser-known and more visible factors that can help you throughout your international career.
Managing energy rather than time
In an unfamiliar environment, mental fatigue increases tenfold - and that won't be specified on your job description! Rather than betting everything on productivity tools, the key to taking on a new job successfully is knowing how to conserve your energy by identifying the interactions and decisions that really count.
Cultivate "contextual intelligence" beyond appearances during your first 100 days in an international role
Cultural adaptation is important when taking on this type of position, but so is "contextual intelligence". This refers to your ability to understand not only the culture of the country, but also the specific dynamics of your organisation in that context. For example, a French company operating in India may have an internal culture that combines French values (orientation towards medium- and long-term results) with local practices (strict respect for hierarchies).
So rather than trying to focus everything on the local culture, take the time to decode the interactions between the organisational culture and the local context. This will enable you to act with greater finesse and relevance in your decisions.
Adopting a proactive, humble attitude
One of the common pitfalls of taking up an international post is wanting to apply directly what worked in your home country. However, each culture has its own specific characteristics and each team has its own internal dynamics.
Whether you're a manager or a leader, if you want to inspire confidence when you take up an international post, giving the impression that you know everything better than others would be fatal. Don't confuse confidence with arrogance. The people who succeed internationally are those who know how to listen and show humility before imposing their ideas. It's not up to them to adapt to you. So be curious, ask open-ended questions and show that you value local perspectives as much as your own international experience to advance your roadmap. By listening before you act, you show that you are ready to learn as well as to lead.
Knowing how to manage ambiguity as a strategic lever in your international career
As we said, everything is less clear-cut abroad: expectations are sometimes implicit, unofficial rules take precedence over official ones, and decisions may seem irrational by your usual standards. The ability to manage ambiguity is an underestimated but crucial skill for success.
If you're taking up a new position in Dubai, it's possible that what your company tells you in terms of deadlines is often flexible due to changing priorities linked to personal or political relationships. Rather than getting frustrated by this unpredictability, it's useful to learn to anticipate these changes and adjust your own objectives.
What is obvious to you is not necessarily so in your host country. Assuming that your colleagues have the same references or priorities as you would be a mistake. Asking questions and reformulating what you understand with your own frame of reference are very useful tools for taming ambiguities.
Harnessing the power of "micro-moments" to develop lasting relationships
Professional relationships are not only built during major meetings or strategic projects. They are often born in the micro-moments of everyday life: a shared coffee, an informal exchange in a corridor or an anecdote told over lunch. These moments are precious opportunities to forge links as a newcomer.
Another key to success is paying attention to the little moments that may seem insignificant but which are in fact the guiding thread of solid relationships, especially when you don't yet have a good command of the local language and feel a little isolated in a group meeting.
Create a "collective memory" right from the start
The final key, which is often overlooked, is the ability to create a collective memory with your teams as soon as you arrive, especially if you are joining a new company. This means initiating shared experiences - whether it's solving a problem together, defining the quarter's priorities together or taking part in a social activity - that will remain engraved in people's minds as a founding moment.
Planning events or activities will allow your teams to experience something interesting with you right from the start.
In conclusion
taking up an international post will not be a "long quiet river" (a typically French expression!). It will require much more than a simple professional adaptation, because it will not be based solely on technical or managerial skills acquired throughout your career, but on your emotional control (remaining calm under pressure), your active listening (showing a sincere interest in others) and your authenticity (being true to yourself while respecting local norms). Observing before you act, understanding the local culture, weaving tactical and strategic alliances, anticipating the adaptation curve, mastering non-verbal communication and balancing your professional and personal life are all essential levers to ensure a successful transition and avoid becoming a "casting error". With the right approach, it can become a powerful career accelerator.
