Communicaid presentation selection_and_assessment_totally_expat_show_2014

How Global Mobility can help to select the right candidate for the right location 19 May 2014© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2014

Are We Sending the Right People on International Assignments?

How Global Mobility can help to select the right candidate for the right location


Speaker

Matthew Hill

• Communicaid Intercultural Consultant

• Trainer, author and coach• 20+ years’ experience

working with international organisations

• HR & International recruitment background

• Worked and trained in 20+ countries


The Problem

“Many assignment failures are probably due to thewrong candidates being picked.”EY, Global Mobility Effectiveness Survey, 2012

“Although existing studies on international mobilityrecommend the assessment of softer aspects suchas a desire to adjust, tolerance, or cultural opennessof candidates, in practice these appear relativelyneglected.” PWC and Cranfield School of Management, Measuring theValue of International Assignments


Assignee Selection

• Selection and assessment of expatriates:

– Are we doing it correctly?

– Could we improve?

– Are there any quick wins?


Overview

• Skills and competencies

• Testing intercultural competencies

• Training and development

• Core intercultural competencies

• Conclusion


Skills and Competencies


Selection

• Certified experience

• Work experience

• Commercial knowledge


Why are we hearing about this?

• “If organisations are going to be effective global competitors, the competence repertoire of expatriate managers will play an integral role in the effective development and implementation of the organisations’ strategies”

• “Research shows that selection for soft skills (such as cultural empathy, cross cultural team building, international negotiations, understanding of conducting business in foreign countries) must be included in the assessment alongside technical skills”

Source: Harvey and Novicevic


Where is the gap in experience?

• “Although criterion-related studies address the question of what personality variables act as determinants of overseas behaviours, they do not address the question of what managers or selection decision-makers consider to be important”

• Openness to Experience, although shown to have a positive correlation to expatriate success (as defined by the decision makers), was not considered important. This suggests that managers are not fully aware of what contributes to a successful expatriate assignment.

• “...managers do not systematically assess those personality traits shown to predict overseas criteria [for successful assignments]”

Source: Viswesvaran, 1999


Reality

• Business skills are predominantly the only skills formally considered in selection process

• Retention rates are rarely measured

• Success of an assignment is only measured against tangibles

• Impact of culture is rarely considered

• Where does the responsibility lie?

Source: Communicaid research 2014, survey of clients, “Selection and Assessment of Expatriates”


What tools are there available?

• The International Profiler– Competencies tool highlighting

development opportunities and focus points

• Culture Wizard– Self-profiling

• International Readiness Check– Clear structure

• Others– Comparing cultures, measuring,

profiling


How do we use them?

• Not a “Yes” or “No” tool• Not static over time• An indicator• A developmental guide• Part of the process• ‘Springboard’


Which intercultural competencies?


Intercultural Competencies

StabilitySteadiness in chaos

Adaptability Ease of coping with the new

VarietyOpenness to the new

Tolerance and reachAttitude to other people

CoreStrength and toughness

AmbiguityFlexible in strange circumstances

Goal drivenOutcome orientation

Flexible thoughtMental agility around difference

EmpathyEQ, positively interactive

Reading peopleSensitive to the message of others


What can we DO?

• Technical skills?

• Cultural skills?

• Do we include the partner/dependents?

• What are we looking for?

• What do we do when we find it?


Conclusions and Review


What can we change?

• Assessing for intercultural competencies may have positively influenced 95% of failed assignments

• Preventing early return saves money

Source: EY, Global Mobility Effectiveness Survey, 2012

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Causes for failure of expat assignments


Review

• Skills and competencies for the job

• Intercultural competence

• How can we fruitfully use them?

• Learning and development

• Coaching, practice, dialogue

• Selection, mobility and development


Conclusion

• Inclusive approach

• Past, present and future

• Common sense is not so common

• Continuous improvement

• Managers, trainers, mobility, recruiters and HR

Any questions?


Thank you


For more information about Communicaid’s training solutions, please contact:

[email protected]+44 (0)20 3370 8580

www.communicaid.com

Training, coaching and consultancy in global leadership, intercultural, language and international

business skills

Education

Communicaid presentation selection_and_assessment_totally_expat_show_2014