Prior to moving to the foreign land I now live in, I read about expat wives.

• I read about their maids and their drivers.
• I read about how they filled their time with shopping and the spa and expensive vacations.
• I read about women that became alcoholics or drug addicts from boredom.

Wow what a picture!  …Expat wives sounded spoiled, pampered, snooty, lonely and sad.

• I didn’t read anything that highlighted their brilliance, their ability to adapt to change or how critical their role is in providing stability for their husband and children.
• I didn’t read anything that highlighted the variety of situations they have had to navigate and how they were tested or how they grew stronger.
• I didn’t read about their wisdom, their compassion or their grit.

But oddly enough every contact I made with experienced expats prior to my move was positive.  Complete strangers offered advice, encouragement, pictures, stories, recon, support, and hope.

In my first week here we had dinner with another couple that has moved 9 times in 12 years to 6 different countries.  Prior to becoming expats her background was in HR.  Immediately I thought of how often HR and hiring mangers frown on hiring people that have been out of the workplace for any period of time.  And then I thought about:

• How often executives and hiring managers have told me that the biggest challenge to growing their organization is people.  …AND how often I’ve watched those same people pass up great candidates because they aren’t mining for towering strengths in uncommon packages.
• How many organizations are in the midst of change and struggling.
• How Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman taught me to mine for, develop and unleash strengths in people.   …And how those lessons helped to transform an under-performing group of individuals into a high performing team that exceeded all of their goals and lead multiple company-wide organizational development projects.

So today I’m launching a new series about “The Real Housewives of Expat Men!”