Why Your Best Employees Sometimes Fail Abroad
Episode Description
Why do some highly successful employees suddenly struggle on international assignments?
In this episode, Ben explores why strong performance at home does not automatically translate into international success. International assignments fundamentally change the environment around a person — and with it, the capabilities required to succeed.
The episode examines how adaptability, expectations management, emotional resilience, and contextual intelligence often matter just as much as technical competence when employees move abroad.
What This Episode Covers
• why international assignments require different capabilities than domestic roles
• how ambiguity and unfamiliar environments challenge even strong performers
• the role of adaptability and contextual intelligence in expatriate success
• why unmet expectations can undermine assignment outcomes
• how organizations sometimes misunderstand international assignment struggles
Key Reflection Questions
• what does your organization primarily select for when choosing assignees?
• are past performance and international readiness being treated as the same thing?
• how well are expectations managed before employees move abroad?
Key Insight
International assignments do not just test competence. They test a person’s ability to adapt, recalibrate, and operate effectively in unfamiliar environments where familiar assumptions no longer hold.
Related Themes
This episode connects to broader conversations around expatriate adjustment, leadership development, psychological contracts, and the human side of Global Mobility.
Host
Hosted by Benjamin Bader, Professor of International HRM and co-founder of MasteringGM®.
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