How to Manage Short Term Asignments

You are the rising star of the corporation. You are working at building a resume that will qualify you for the corner office in the next few years. You want to set the world record for being the youngest head of the corporation. In anticipation, you have started looking up models of corporate jets you could buy and the power suits you will need to order for the swearing in ceremony. In the midst of all this comes the email on the blackberry that your manager wants to know if you would be interested in a short term assignment to New Widgetovia, the country where your company has struck gold. You would need to be there for three months... maybe six... ummm ... a little bit more perhaps but hopefully not.Why me? You look up at the sharp eyes of your manager hiding behind those designer specs and try to judge the emotion. You have been hitting all your sales numbers and now all that will change. Who knows what it takes to navigate corporate life in New Widgetovia?You ask her if this is punishment for having spilt coffee on her desk last week? She says no. "It is because you are a star. It is part of our plan to develop you. You will get to build and lead a team. Explore the market. You wanted to be the youngest CEO ever... well here is a chance at being one in our newest geography."Your first thought surprisingly is now not about the assignment. It is about the mundane and the trivial. How long is this assignment going to last? You kick yourself politely under the table for having succumbed to pressure from Tina and given shelter to a homeless cat and her three kittens. Should you ask Tina to return the favor? Would your relationship survive the duration of the assignment since you are still at trading kitten pictures stage.  Do they sell your brand of medicines? If you mess up with the locals, would they grill you or simply spear your posterior? How would Head Office look at failure in this assignment... would they still love you? You wonder what they were thinking when your name was offered. Were you the messiah or the sacrificial lamb? Why do the first three letters of 'assignment' spell an animal you sympathize with? You brush away the nasty thoughts.Short term assignments (also called STAs) are a great way to build talent and transfer skills. The corporations use these to quickly set up the templated processes, systems and reporting structures that will enable them to swoop in and get the business running in the shotest possible time. All assignments need not be for greenfield operations. It could well be to run an existing business, to expand a saturated market, to revive a dead product or factory or business. Usually it involves a skill transfer for the assignee as well as for the local population.The short term assignments (ranges upto two years in some companies) offer a rich opportunity to help build understanding of different business and people challenges. If chosen carefully, it can be a great testing ground to prepare oneself for a sharp rise in the career trajectory. World At Work did a survey in Canada that says a shocking 58% companies said that knowing exactly which employees were on a short term assignment was in itself a challenge for a large MNC.Here are a few pointers that can help get the most out of the STAs for the organization and the employee:1. Agree on the duration of the assignment: Many assignments tend to keep stretching beyond the initial term agreed upon. It is just as difficult for single employees as it is for those who are married or have children. (read some of the comments on the article posted here) The problems are different. Agree on the motivation of each player - the employer and the employee. What do they both expect to get out of the assignment - the outcomes, learnings and possible challenges.2. Agree on the what if scenarios as best as you can: Knowing what role or assignment one could come back to is comforting and reduces anxiety of the assignee. If the business scenario demands a shoter term or extension of the time of the STA, agree on the what-if scenario upfront.3. Agree on allowances, benefits upfront:  The number of home visits, emergency trips back, allowances etc all need to thought through and agreed upon before proceeding on the assignment. It is important to stress how this may change if the duration of the assignment changes. It is also important to think of providing emotional support and anchors during the assignment to the employee and the significant other - especially if they are staying back.4. Encourage the assignee to talk to others: Especially who have been on STAs - especially if they have worked in a similar or neighboring geography. Assigning a buddy or an employee who they reach out to can help quell some anxiety. Some organizations assign a coach even for the spouse or partner or significant other.5. Insist on cross cultural training and preferably language training: This helps the assignee understand the sensitivities of working in a different environment and makes them aware of what might potentially be a deal breaker in the new land.6. Design a re-entry plan: It is hard to hit the pause button in your life and go away on an assignment only to return after the assignment and resume seamlessly. Even if the person comes back to the old assignment and role, the equations would have changed. The colleagues would have changed and certainly the world view of the assignee would have changed. It is a time for adjustment for all - colleagues, employer, employee as well as the family.STAs when handled skillfully can offer a win-win for the employer and the employee. Yet there are plenty of examples of the best employees failing at these. There could be broken homes, messy relationships, disappointments if there is no partnership between the organization and the assignee. So build in the support anchors before you need them. If nothing else, before you go say yes to the assignment, read this research report and then decide.Download a copy of the cartoon from hereRead more articles on Management by clicking here