Working Abroad: What Is Your Vantage Point?

My careers in the U.S. Navy, project management, and engineering management have taken me all over the world. I have had the privilege of traveling to 48 of the world's 196 countries, experiencing many different cultures, and seeing wonders in all of them. My exposure to these different cultures has shaped my livelihood. Recently, I developed information technology (IT) infrastructure in Afghanistan, and now I am an energy consultant in Kenya. In addition to separate cultures, all of these countries have unique policies, regulations, and laws, which compounded challenges in finding common ground to work together successfully. The key I have found to working with the citizens of other countries is to view situations from their viewpoint, changing my vantage point.