REFLECTIONS ON CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP

258 REFLECTIONS ON CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP

confl ict. Expectation management seems to be a salient factor in ensur-

ing that assignments in other countries are successful. Research in this

area confi rms that another critical success factor in expatriation. can be

their having had early exposure to other cultures and management

development for global assignments.

The Reaction of the Family

Another extremely important element of an expatriate executive ’ s success

or failure is the experience of the spouse and children. The most frequent

reason for an executive ’ s failing to complete an assignment in another

country is the negative reaction of his or her spouse. Apparently, in the

majority of cases, family circumstances account for expatriate failure.

Despite this, only 50% of American companies interview spouses during

the selection procedure, and a far smaller percentage include spouses in

training programs (Tung, 1988a, 1988b ). Although I realize that the role

of the spouse is only one factor considered among others, the failure to

recognize it can be a costly omission for both the company and the

family.

In a situation where the executive risks fi nding him - or herself cut

off from other relationships, a supportive spouse and family can be the

essential factor in enabling him or her to make the necessary cultural

adjustments. Of course, actually marrying into another culture provides

a person with intensive long - term experiential training in cultural

empathy and diversity!

Upbringing and Personality

With the coming of a ‘ fl a t w o r l d ’ — the increased movement of people

due to greater ease in travel and communications — there is an ever -

growing number of individuals rooted in more than one culture. The

more intercultural experiences children have early in life, the more likely

they are to develop the kind of cultural empathy necessary for leadership

effectiveness in a global setting. Exposure in childhood to different

nationalities and languages can be a determining factor in how well an

adult deals with cultural diversity later in life. Children of mixed - culture

marriages, bilingual parents, diplomats, or executives who move fre-

quently also have an advantage because of their exposure to diverse

cultural contexts.

Children who have changed countries several times when young

have a very different sense of belonging than those who are born and

grow up in the same place. Given the impact of childhood socialization

on adult development, it is to be expected that such early exposure will