Episode Description
In this episode, Ben focuses on the role of global mobility professionals and how they can strengthen their visibility and influence within the organisation. The episode explores why doing a great operational job is often not enough — and how documenting work, using data, and telling a clear story are essential for earning a meaningful seat at the table.

What This Episode Covers
• why global mobility professionals often struggle with visibility despite high performance

• the role of data in shifting from execution to strategic influence

• documenting work to make value visible beyond the global mobility team

• choosing metrics that reflect decisions and outcomes, not just activity

• using data to tell a compelling story to senior stakeholders

Three Practical Takeaways
• document patterns and recurring work to make impact visible

• focus on metrics that support decision-making, not just reporting

• translate numbers into insights that explain risks, trade-offs, and value

Key Insight
Influence in global mobility does not come from being busy or indispensable. It comes from being able to explain what you do, why it matters, and what difference it makes. Data, documentation, and storytelling are essential tools for professional credibility.

Why This Matters
As expectations of global mobility continue to rise, professionals who can connect operational delivery with evidence-based insight will be far better positioned to shape conversations and decisions across the organisation.

Host
Hosted by Benjamin Bader, Professor of International HRM and co-founder of MasteringGM®.

Subscribe
Subscribe to Evidence, Insight, Impact — TheMasteringGM® Podcast for short, focused episodes that connect research, insight, and real-world global mobility practice.

Episode Description
In this episode, Ben explores the concept of psychological contracts and why they are central to understanding success and failure in global mobility assignments. The episode explains what psychological contracts are, how they form, and why they are particularly fragile in expatriate contexts. Drawing on current research and ongoing work in this area, it highlights why managing expectations is just as important as managing policies and processes.

What This Episode Covers
• what psychological contracts are and how they differ from formal contracts

• how unwritten expectations shape employee behavior and commitment

• why expatriate assignments intensify psychological contracts

• key moments where psychological contracts are most vulnerable in global mobility

• why many global mobility challenges are relational rather than technical

Key Insight
Many global mobility problems are not caused by poor policy or weak processes, but by misaligned or unspoken expectations. Psychological contract breaches can undermine trust, commitment, and performance long before issues become visible in formal metrics.

Why This Matters
As global mobility becomes more complex and less linear, organisations that understand and actively manage psychological contracts will be better positioned to retain talent, support expatriates effectively, and create sustainable mobility programs.

Host
Hosted by Benjamin Bader, Professor of International HRM and co-founder of MasteringGM®.

Subscribe
Subscribe to Evidence, Insight, Impact — TheMasteringGM® Podcast for short, focused episodes that connect research, insight, and real-world global mobility practice.

Episode Description
In this episode, Benjamin Bader reflects on what global mobility really needs as organisations move into 2026. Rather than focusing on disruption or the next big trend, the episode argues that the coming year is about direction, focus, and strategic clarity. It explores how global mobility functions can move from constant stretch toward more intentional, sustainable ways of working.

What This Episode Covers
• why 2026 is about direction rather than disruption

• the limits of continuously stretching global mobility teams

• the importance of focus and clear prioritisation

• why judgment matters alongside policy and process

• capability, credibility, and confidence as key differentiators

• moving from reactive delivery to intentional strategy

Key Insight
2026 is not about doing more in global mobility. It is about doing things differently. The shift from stretch to strategy requires clearer priorities, stronger judgment, and more space for evidence-based reflection.

Why This Matters
As expectations of global mobility continue to rise, teams that create focus, build capability, and articulate their value clearly will be far better positioned to influence talent and business decisions in the year ahead.

Host
Hosted by Benjamin Bader, Professor of International HRM and co-founder of MasteringGM®.

Subscribe
Subscribe to Evidence, Insight, Impact — TheMasteringGM® Podcast for short, focused episodes that connect evidence, insight, and real-world global mobility practice.