We recently celebrated International Women’s Day with the campaign theme of #EmbraceEquity, a topic that warrants more than a newsletter to discuss. In my work with clients, I strive to collaborate with women to help them overcome bias and thrive as their most authentic selves. Embracing equity is a key element both in my personal daily work and with others.

As international women in business, we face unique challenges in the workplace, including bias against race, ethnicity, and origin. Often, we might not always have a clear understanding of how to embrace equity, especially in a patriarchal system. For example, we may act differently when there are men in the room versus when we’re amongst other women. Likewise, we may not always be of support to other women, as a result of our scarcity mindset. This is why understanding the differences between equality and equity and having a focus on gender-equity is so important. With March being Women’s History Month, I look forward to diving further into this theme with you.

Which brings me to the themes of this year which we will touch upon. With the year already in full swing, my coaching work with clients continues to teach me beautiful lessons. The conversations and topics we share, both one-on-one and in groups, have shaped and impacted so many women in leadership. They have also helped to shape their mindset. I’ve been touched by learning that for many, the newsletters, our conversations and our meetups provide a sense of unity and “home” for so many international women in business. Women from different backgrounds and languages have bonded with one another and our conversations have helped us learn how to respect and understand each other’s cultures. One woman I spoke with let me know that our work is helping her to become a more understanding person, allowing her to see the similarities we all share, more than the differences. After all, we are all more alike than we are different.

I’m using this deep sense of community as my inspiration to explore topics in 2023. Below are some of the proposed themes which I’ve been working on. I’d love to know more about which ones resonate most with you.

For example, this year, we will explore the challenges of working across global time zones and boundaries with ourselves and others. How can we be global, international workers and still create boundaries?

We will also discuss how to grow your career in a global environment and identify international employment opportunities, especially for those who are either newly unemployed or in transition. We will identify positive international companies that appreciate and uplift women executives and value what we can bring as international women to the workplace.

Together with this, we will reflect on the relocation process and how to choose suitable locations to create multiple home bases. We may even delve into the world of real estate here. How do we co-create multiple homes with heart and mind? Which global locations/cities are friendlier to expats and have programs and policies to support women business leaders?

Another topic which I feel is incredibly important is how to increase one’s CQ (cultural intelligence), including one’s understanding of invisible identities and how to navigate trends, including gender issues, through a multicultural lens. These topics are incredibly important to discuss in today’s world, where the state of democracy is being globally challenged in the face of nationalism.

Last year, many of you enjoyed our focus on cultural prisms in certain regions around the world. I’d like to pick this back up in 2023 with the possibility of doing a deep dive on cultural prisms in regions of the world we have yet to explore, for example Australia, Vietnam, Middle East, and Africa.

2023 Roadmap to Success:

April: Embrace Equity & Build New Norms
May: Intentional Career Transitions
June: Global Career Opportunities
July: Relocation & Multiple Home Bases
August: Multicultural Family Relationships
September: Cultural Prisms in Africa
October: Managing Global Teams
November: Global DEI Culture & Mindset
December: Global Perspective on the State of Democracy

Finally, my goal is to also create more in-person meetups and encourage others in our community to spontaneously engage and meet up in person more frequently. I’d love your support in helping to create these IRL opportunities with others. Drop me a line if you’d like to organize one or have a suggestion, I’d love to hear from you.

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