EDITORIAL PAGE — Expatriate management

Geologists, engineers, drillers and miners are generally a hardy lot.

Braving the elements and taking on tough challenges in remote and rugged areas is all in a day’s work.

Many prominent mining executives have “paid their dues” Up North, or in small mining towns elsewhere, where the only outlet for relaxation after hours was the local bar and billiards room. And these hard-nosed managers today expect the same dedication to the profession from their employees.

While some miners genuinely love the great outdoors and prefer remote postings, many grit their teeth and bide their time until they can accumulate sufficient experience to land a plum assignment close to home. A few others make the switch to Bay or Howe Streets.

These days, however, geologists and other mining professionals are expected to head off to remote parts of the world and face challenges they’ve never faced before. These postings may require long periods of separation from loved ones, and may increase exposure to health risks, such as malaria and various intestinal disorders.

But overseas assignments are not for everyone. While some relish the challenge and excitement of being in exotic locations, others have trouble adjusting to foreign cultures and pine for the comforts and familiar routines of home.

Mining companies working overseas have learned — some, the hard way — that it is worth the time and effort to screen out candidates who are not suited to foreign assignments, for while technical expertise for the task at hand is the primary consideration, it is counterproductive to send someone who is unable to interact and work with people whose social values and work skills were developed in the local culture.

As many expatriates know, the most difficult challenge of working abroad is managing people, and this can be especially tricky in developing nations. For example, many mines in the Third World have a workforce of thousands, compared with a few hundred at a North American operation of comparable size.

Typically, at these operations, the local mine manager is a benevolent godfather who spends most of his time dealing with social issues, as well as technical matters. The challenge for the expatriate manager is to create an organizational structure that frees him up to manage the mine while, at the same time, delegating others to tend to social concerns.

Some elements of the local workforce may express hostility to what they perceive as “foreign interference,” and inexperienced companies sometimes overcompensate by trying to encourage teamwork and a flat organizational structure. In some parts of the world, this will work, but, in others, the manager runs the risk of being perceived as weak and compromising. This, in turn, can generate disrespect and an environment of insecurity.

Many large mining companies now offer intercultural training to help employees feel comfortable in new cultural settings, with the goal of avoiding expatriate burnout.

In today’s global economy, learning to navigate cultural differences is an important skill for any mining professional. There is no one recipe for success, though an open mind and a positive attitude are essential. If done right, the rewards can be enriching for both sides.