Articles - GORTcoaching.com

10/27/2025

That feeling of “faking it”? It’s called expat imposter syndrome

You were a high-performer in your home country. You were confident, respected, and clear on your value. You led teams, managed complex projects, and knew exactly what you were doing. Then you moved to the Netherlands. Now, you sit in meetings feeling a sense of dread. You second-guess your contributions, […]

10/27/2025

Surviving the Dutch meeting: How to speak with confidence

For an expat, the Dutch meeting room is often where imposter syndrome flares brightest. The pace is fast, the feedback is blunt, and you’re often trying to articulate complex ideas in your second (or third) language. You know you are smart. But when you speak, you feel like you sound […]

10/27/2025

Surviving the ‘Polderen’: A leader’s guide to the Dutch consensus meeting

You’re in a meeting. It’s been 90 minutes. You are discussing a minor decision. Everyone. Has. Spoken. You, as the leader, stated your preference an hour ago, but the debate continues. You feel your frustration rising. You just want to say, “This is what we’re doing. Now, let’s get back […]

10/27/2025

Recovering from expat burnout: How to rebuild your resilience

You can’t take a vacation from expat burnout. You live here. The cultural pressures, the visa anxiety, and the social isolation won’t just disappear if you take a week off. True recovery isn’t about resting; it’s about rebuilding. It’s about “meeting yourself again” and creating a new, sustainable strategy for […]

10/27/2025

How to Ask for a “Koffiegesprek”: A 5-Step Guide for Internationals

You know you need to build your Dutch network, but how? The idea of sending a cold message to a stranger on LinkedIn feels terrifying. What do you say? Won’t you be bothering them? What if they say no? This anxiety is a major obstacle. Let’s dismantle it with a […]

10/27/2025

How to “recalibrate” your professional value in the Netherlands

Imposter syndrome is a gap between your internal sense of self and your external proof of competence. Back home, you had years of proof: successful projects, promotions, and positive feedback. Here in the Netherlands, that external proof is missing. Dutch culture is famously sparing with compliments (“geen nieuws is goed […]

10/27/2025

From specialist to generalist (and back again): Why your career path is no longer a straight line

The concept of a career has long been defined by a straight line—a steady, linear climb up a ladder within a single, well-defined specialty. You picked a field, became an expert, and ascended. But in today’s world, defined by rapid technological disruption and shifting work models, that ladder has been […]

10/27/2025

Financial wellness is mental wellness: 5 core strategies for reducing money-related stress

The connection between financial stress and overall mental well-being is undeniable. Moving beyond traditional financial advice, these coaching-inspired strategies focus on shifting your mindset and relationship with money to foster greater peace of mind. By incorporating mindset-focused strategies, you can begin to address the psychological roots of financial stress, paving […]

10/27/2025

Feeling exhausted? It’s more than stress. It’s ‘expat burnout’.

You did it. You made the move, you landed the job in the Netherlands, and you’re living the “successful” international life. So why do you feel completely depleted? Why does every small task—like a confusing email from the gemeente or a team meeting in “Dunglish”—feel overwhelmingly difficult? You might feel […]

10/27/2025

Beyond the first coffee: How to build a genuine professional network

You’ve done it. You mastered the koffiegesprek. You’ve met five, maybe ten, interesting people. You’ve added them on LinkedIn. Now what? The biggest obstacle isn’t just meeting people; it’s building genuine, long-term relationships. A network isn’t a list of contacts you “use” when you need a job. It’s a community […]