Career coach

Let’s be honest. Do “difficult” people really exist? Or are we just stuck in a pattern, pushing a button on someone that gives us a response we don’t like?  We’ve all been there. The colleague who shoots down every idea. The manager who micromanages. The client who just won’t cooperate. […]

When you think of burnout, you think of being tired. But Expat Burnout is more complex. It often disguises itself as changes in your personality. You may not feel exhausted; you may just feel… angry. Or cynical. Or completely numb.  This is your system signaling overload. Recovering from burnout isn’t […]

Here is the trap. Your Dutch manager tells you, “Your feedback is too vague. You need to be more direct.” So, in your next performance review, you are clear and direct with your team member. The result? They complain to HR that you were “too aggressive” and “unprofessional.”  This is […]

You did everything right. You have the qualifications, the international experience, and the drive. You updated your LinkedIn, polished your CV, and started applying for jobs in the Netherlands. And yet… nothing. You feel like you’re shouting into a void, locked out of a job market that seems to operate […]

Are you ambitious? Do you want to lead, grow, and make an impact? In many cultures, this is a clear advantage. But in the Netherlands, you might feel that your ambition is… a problem.  In a culture that deeply values polderen (consensus) and work-life balance, overt, individualistic ambition can be […]

In your home country, you were a successful leader. You were decisive, inspiring, and you got results. You arrived in the Netherlands expecting to do the same. But now, you’re struggling.  When you give a clear directive, your team treats it as a “suggestion.” You make a quick, efficient decision, […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]