10 Ways to Succeed as an Expat in Emerging Markets

It has been almost 17 years since I left the Netherlands and started my first expatriation assignment: Shanghai. Being the avid traveler I couldn’t imagine a more exciting destination – and it sure was. Through the difficulties of learning another language and culture I experienced more personal growth than ever before.  From Shanghai I moved to Vietnam and then Pakistan. From Karachi I have been lucky enough to work with companies throughout Asia, the Middle East and even a few in Africa.

The one thing that connected most of these countries was that they were emerging markets. Working in an emerging market is very different than working in developed ones. On the plus side, anything is possible and you have the ability to make a huge impact if you get it right. On the down side: it never goes the way you expect it to go!

Over the years I have seen plenty of expats. Some have been largely successful while others were drastic failures. From these examples I have distilled 10 lessons for expats to succeed in emerging markets.

Within a couple of months I can often predict which expats will be successful  and who won’t.

Keep on smiling! What ever expat life throws at you keep on smiling. Your frustrations won’t change anything anyways, so it’s better to go with the flow and have some fun during the journey.

The second trap expats in emerging markets fall into is the fallacy that they are there to ‘teach’ others how to do things. This is true in regards to transferring knowledge but your way is not the only way.  Accept that things can be done differently while achieving similar results. Don’t impose your views and solutions. Let people come up with their own ideas and ways of doing things.

Dive right into the culture. Learn the language. Disclaimer: after two failed attempts in China and Vietnam, I decided to stick to English in Pakistan and now of course after ten years in the country I still don’t speak a word of Urdu! Understand and practice the do’s and don’ts. This doesn’t mean that you need to go overboard and don a Thawb, the long garment Arabic men wear, but respect and implement the basics.

I love the expats who after a couple months proclaim that they now understand the culture, notwithstanding the fact that this culture has evolved over thousands of years. Don’t patronise a culture, just accept that you will never fully understand it’s intricacies. In China I felt that the longer I stayed the less I actually understood the Chinese culture. And even after 10 years in Pakistan I still don’t fully understand all the finer nuances of the society.

The only way to survive in an emerging marketing is to thrive on chaos. They’re called emerging markets for a reason: everything is in motion and there are no fixed or right ways of doing things. And if there is, it can change any minute. That’s the wonderful thing about these markets, what is not possible one day, will be possible the next (and vice versa). Use this to your advantage.

For most people going to a new country, taking on new responsibilities, joining a new organisation and meeting with new people is a daunting challenges. Add the parent company’s expectations to deliver and you’ve got your plate full. As a result an expat’s initial focus is primarily the job. We often end up forgetting the family and assume they will sort themselves out. Remember that the changes are as big (or even bigger) for your spouse and children since they don’t have the familiarity and support of a workplace. Make sure your family is settled since they will be the backbone for your success in the country.

I remember my induction course in Unilever way back in the 80’s. During this course a Dutch expat was sharing his ‘life as an expat’ experience. One thing I’ll never forget was his story about this sailing boat he wanted to buy over there. He had been in doubt for a long time about making the investment. As his expatriation was about to finish he decided to not buy the boat but admitted that he always regretted the decision since his contract was extended for 2 years afterwards. Morale of the story: live your life as if you’re going to stay in your expatriation for ever. And if/when it’s time to leave, just unwind your life and do it all over again in your new location.

Build a support network of like-minded expats that you can hangout with on a regular basis. These are the people you’ll be able to share your frustrations with, get help from and who can point you in the right direction. Little tips like when the latest imported products have arrived and sharing the passion of a home sport can make a big difference. Don’t hide yourself in the expat network but use it when you need to.

My most important lesson: develop three successors. I have seen so many expats who need to be succeeded by another expat after their contract expires. In my book that’s a failure – a failure to develop local talent. What should the local team think if expatriate after expatriate comes over and enjoys life in the company and their country? Your main responsibility as an expat is to make yourself redundant and provide opportunities for local managers to take over.