Spouses can be supportive assistants and major inexpensive "bonuses" contributing to an impressive management performance. Or, partners can pressure and distract managers, interfering with their performance and ability to fulfill their assignment contract. Spouses and/or partners can, "make or break" an assignment abroad. Supportive personal coaching helps expatriate spouses and partners become positive team players.

Top Benefits and Results of Personal Coaching

Corporate/Organizational     Individual/Personal Enhance expatriate manager’s ability to achieve strategic business objectives   Accelerate spouse and family member adaptation Reduce costly premature returns and mediocre performances   Remove barriers, nurture receptivity and establish healthy routines Assure overall assignment success   Reduce severity of relocation stress and culture shock Create stable, secure and supportive family environments   Develop stress tolerance and coping skills Keep family members functional, enthusiastic and "on track"   Build emotional endurance, resilience, autonomy and self-confidence

It is in the best interest of corporations and expatriate managers to recognize spouses and to ensure that they are functioning well and satisfied with their daily life abroad. From this perspective, the investment in personal coaching for expatriate spouses is another "hidden" advantage, like an insurance policy.

Spouse/Partner Hardship

Spouses usually struggle more than their children (attending their new schools) and their employed partner (working in a new foreign work environment). Typically, partners struggle with disappointment and experience more relocation stress.

Partners endure more intense relocation stress. Often, expatriate spouses suffer more because they:

	Grieve personal losses
	Sacrifice careers
	Immerse themselves faster and deeper into the foreign culture
	Have less daily structure, support and attention
	Bear more sustained social isolation and change
	Receive less acknowledgement
	Grapple with identity confusion
	Experience deeper and longer culture shock
	Endure more intense relocation stress

In addition, spouses are more likely to become disillusioned and disappointed. A common relocation outcome is frequent expression of intense negative feelings and exertion of emotional pressure on their sole ally, the expatriate manager. This turmoil can distract and distress the expatriate manager, rapidly impairing work performance and productivity. The overwhelming cause of expatriate failure or early return (approximately 20%) is spouse dissatisfaction and inability to adapt satisfactorily.

A Coach Provides Valuable Assistance

Offering the next level of effective expatriate support, personal coaching for expatriate spouses, is a practical method to ensure assignment success and to avoid the risk of failure. No other intervention can adequately provide the same guidance and positive impact. Ongoing personal coaching, from the pre-departure period through to an acceptable adjustment abroad, makes common sense, provides great value and assures return on investment.

Don’t underestimate the power of this unique and specialized type of coaching. Realize the rewards from sending expats overseas. Strive to be the best employer and reap the highest return.

If spouses and partners face serious challenges and represent a valuable part of the "expatriate team", how are your spouses recognized and assisted?

Contact Revel Miller Consulting for more information today.

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