Why your leadership style isn’t working in the Netherlands (and how to fix it) 

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, and your team feels “ignored” and disengaged. You try to give polite, constructive feedback, and the message doesn’t land. 

This is a classic expat leadership challenge. Your skills haven’t disappeared. Your leadership style just hasn’t been “translated” for the Dutch workplace. 

What you’re experiencing is a culture clash: 

• You’re Top-Down. They’re Flat. You see yourself as the “boss”; they see you as the “facilitator.” In the famously flat Dutch hierarchy, respect is earned, not given by title. 
• You’re Decisive. They’re Consensus-Driven. You’re used to making the final call. They’re used to the polderen(the Polder Model), where everyone must be heard and a decision is only a real decision if the group agrees. 
• You’re Polite. They’re Direct. You “sandwich” criticism between two compliments. They tell you, “This report is not good enough.” This isn’t rudeness; it’s clarity. 

This doesn’t mean you have to abandon your “authentic self.” It means you need to develop cultural agility. Your goal is to learn how to achieve your same goals, but by using a new set of tools. It’s time to decode the Dutch workplace. 

Lead by learning. 

You understand why your leadership style is clashing with the Dutch “polder model.” But knowing the rules of the game is different from having the confidence to play. 

• Does the fear of making a cultural misstep make you hesitate? 
• Are you worried you’ll lose your authority if you’re not “the boss”? 
• Is the anxiety of not knowing the unwritten rules holding you back from leading effectively? 

This hesitation is the only obstacle left. You are a highly-skilled leader. What you need is a sparring partner. 

A Gort coach specialized in the expat experience doesn’t just give you a plan; they practice it with you. We help you decode the cultural rules, master the art of consensus, and build the genuine confidence to lead. 

Stop feeling like a foreign manager. Plan your free, no-obligation orientation call today to start leading with impact.