The biggest risk is not taking any risk... In a world that changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks. – Mark Zuckerberg
This week when we had a lunch and learn with the new Asia head to learn his new adventure at HK with the new role, he ended the session with this famous quote by Facebook’s CEO.
I am not talking about running a new startup, becoming an entrepreneur etc, after all, not everybody can be an entrepreneur. I would like to focus on what will concern most of us a ordinary people. Let’s say changing jobs.
The head accepted the offer and relocated with his family from US to HK, which is a total new territory, culture for him. But he embraced the change and accepted the offer. He has been traveling crazy with the new role and has started to show huge impact on the organization. He’s a great asset and the right caliber for that position.
Many people may think he’s high up there, the opportunity is always great, and the company takes good care of his family. But in reality, relocation hasn’t been easy for him too. He experienced the first typhoon in HK, he had to huddle up with his family in the house, and tape the window so the window didn’t fly away. He felt the apartment building was swinging, definitely not a good experience. And as spouse of his, his wife also didn’t get used to the life in HK right away. She had to go back to the State to rethink about it, and finally decided to go back to HK.
Relocation may sound like a rosy esp when it’s associated with promotion. But before you make the decision, there are lots of things to consider:
- Different culture and different language. It’s a long learning process but could turn out to be some positive things. At the beginning you may feel frustrated and make mistakes, you would have to prepare yourself for this change. And the worst scenario is that you don’t like it there. Usually most companies won’t give you a trial out period and allow you to change your mind and come back. This is long term commitment not short term for sure.
- For spouse, it could be the most difficult change. Esp if the spouse has job and after relocation, may end of staying home at the beginning. When Kids go to school, she/he will be alone home. It would take time to fit in. As if without the support from your spouse, you will burn out soon and eventually fail.
- Re-patriate would be tough too. If there is no immediately opportunity, you may take much longer time than what you have had expected to find the right opportunity to go back.
When you are excited about the great opportunities laying in front of you, you may want to take a second to think about potential challenges and scenarios. Usually family factor is the biggest killer. However if you get fully support from your family, and have mentally and physically gotten yourself ready, I would say go for it, oversea’s experience is a great addon to your resume.
I’d like to end my post with another quote that Mark Zuckerberg said:
"I mean a lot of people, I think, think that ... Whenever you get yourself into a position where you have to make some big shift and direction or do something, there always ... people are going to point to the downside risks of that decision, and locally they may be right. For any given decision that you're going to make, there's upside and downside, but in aggregate if you are stagnant and you don't make those changes, then I think you're guaranteed to fail and not catch up. So to some degree, I think it's really right that over time the biggest risk that you can take is to not take any risks."
I couldn’t agree more that change brings opportunity and staying stagnant would guarantee you to fail.