As an expat, with a healthy dose of self confidence, I was determined to absolutely nail it in Japan.
Because lets face it, I was send here because I prove to be good at my job.
But even though all the ingredients where there, it didn’t go as expected.
The results didn’t come in and I was going back and forth with my cross-cultural team.
Managing the cultural differences at work, almost took a toll on me.
My name is Coco and at the end of 2021 I took a leap of faith.
I ‘swapped’ 17 years of corporate career, to become an entrepreneur.
It has definitely not been all roses.
Me being the engine of my business and driving my own vision was completely new to me.
I have worked for years in the role of Security & Crisis manager for amultinational retailer.
So you could say that I was used to deal with unforeseen circumstances,
high pressure and panic situations.
But the entrepreneurial journey, was all and nothing like that at the same time.
The part that I was not prepared for was the fact that when running a one-man-show, teamwork and leading a team would disappear as well.
Not being surrounded with others, not being part of a team and no people to brainstorm with, felt like a living hell.
If I would have gotten a dollar for every time I thought; ‘I go back working in a corporate role’ I would probably be laying at the beach in the Bahamas.
But my drive to connect people from all over the world, won the fight.
My mission to convert a group of international, cross-cultural and ambitious individuals, to a cross-cultural team – kept me going! And thank god I did.
It was clear to me that I want to help others to overcome cultural barriers, to become more effective leaders.
Cultural differences could lead to frustrations, misunderstandings and misjudgment.
Especially when you are not aware of them, like I wasn’t in 2016 at the start of my first expat assignment in Japan.
I have years of experience working for a multinational in an executive role. I feel blessed to have done that in The Netherlands, Singapore, Japan, Chile, Peru and Uruguay.
I have worked for years in the role of Security & Crisis manager for a multinational retailer.
So you could say that I was used to deal with unforeseen circumstances, high pressure and panic situations.
But the entrepreneurial journey, was all and nothing like that at the same time. The part that I was not prepared for was the fact that when running a one-man-show, teamwork and leading a team would disappear as well.
Not being surrounded with others, not being part of a team and no people to brainstorm with, felt like a living hell.
If I would have gotten a dollar for every time I thought; ‘I go back working in a corporate role’ I would probably be laying at the beach in the Bahamas.
But my drive to connect people from all over the world, won the fight.
My mission to convert a group of international, cross-cultural and ambitious individuals, to a cross-cultural team – kept me going! And thank god I did.
It was clear to me that I want to help others to overcome cultural barriers, to become more effective leaders.
Cultural differences could lead to frustrations, misunderstandings and misjudgment.
Especially when you are not aware of them, like I wasn’t in 2016 at the start of my first expat assignment in Japan.
I have years of experience working for a multinational in an executive role. I feel blessed to have done that in The Netherlands, Singapore, Japan, Chile, Peru and Uruguay.
‘’In 2021, I followed the Leading Across Borders and Cultures program from Professor Erin Meyer.
I help professionals, teams and organizations to work more effectively across cultures. Whether it is my trainings, executive programs or business consultancy, you always have me at the full 100%.
Because if you would really know me, you know I don’t do things half speed. ‘’
You could say that from that moment onwards, I became a true global citizen with a genuine interest for human behavior, everywhere.
When working in a corporate industry in The Netherland, I always knew that one day I wanted
I felt proud, excited and enthusiastic when I got the opportunity to move abroad.
Even though I wasn’t always sure if I could pull it off, living and working all over the world, no one in my surroundings was surprised that this was my journey.
Everyone around me described me as a genuine curious and easy going person. Never afraid for the unknown and self-reliant.
Lets say I was that annoying kid, always wanting to have a seat at the table with the grown ups.
Known to be extremely solution driven and optimistic, I just lived my life.
I grew up in a little town in the Netherlands and at the age of 18 moved to the big city.
I did not know anyone there but I managed to enter university with a very tough selection process and I thrived through live.
A clear plan? Never! Anxious or insecure about the future? Neither.
And with that attitude at the age of 29, I packed my bags to move to Japan.
Even though it was not easy to been pulled out of your comfort zone. I took a twist of 180 degrees),
I didn’t roll over and kept on going!
“Managing cultural differences, almost took a toll on me”
Looking back, there were some red flags that could have gotten some attention prior to the move in 2016.
I mean I was not a big fan of sushi, couldn’t eat with chopsticks and had NO clue on Japanese history, let alone culture.
Months of working in Tokyo followed and after the honeymoon fase, things became heavier and heavier.
There was a point, that I was leading a cross-cultural team, I reported to an American boss and was in daily contact with the Swedish headquarters. Aside from the fact that I was dealing with different cultures on a daily basis, I was very busy managing crises that back in The Netherlands did not exist.
In between flying missiles from North-Korea, earthquakes, tsunami alerts and influenza epidemics, I tried to remain standing and support my team in order not to collapse.
Dealing with crisises within the cultural context was a different ball game.
It was not always easy, but the thing that drained the most energy?
Without a doubt, managing all of this within the cultural context.
Managing the cultural differences at work.
I was really making an effort but not always sure if what I was doing, was the right thing.
Because if a Japanese says A, they might mean B.
Looking back, there were some red flags that could have gotten some attention prior to the move in 2016.
I mean I was not a big fan of sushi, couldn’t eat with chopsticks and had NO clue on Japanese history, let alone culture.
Months of working in Tokyo followed and after the honeymoon fase, things became heavier and heavier.
There was a point, that I was leading a cross-cultural team, I reported to an American boss and was in daily contact with the Swedish headquarters. Aside from the fact that I was dealing with different cultures on a daily basis, I was very busy managing crises that back in The Netherlands did not exist.
In between flying missiles from North-Korea, earthquakes, tsunami alerts and influenza epidemics, I tried to remain standing and support my team in order not to collapse.
Dealing with crisises within the cultural context was a different ball game.
It was not always easy, but the thing that drained the most energy?
Without a doubt, managing all of this within the cultural context.
Managing the cultural differences at work.
I was really making an effort but not always sure if what I was doing, was the right thing.
Because if a Japanese says A, they might mean B.
My American boss provided me with negative feedback, but it always came with minimum 3 compliments.
I was confused, was she happy or unhappy with my performance in that meeting?
My colleagues in Sweden, came over several times. They always emphasized the importance of everyone being on the same page. The Swedish preference for working in a flat organizational structure was often emphasized. They were aiming for the workplace to be a safe place to share ideas and opinions. I thought it was great, but I still remember the expression on my Japanese colleagues faces, ‘I am lost, aren’t you the boss?’.
Lets say, it was a lot to handle.
And then my ego took a hit, business results were not as expected.
We were working really hard, but the results did not come through.
Someone once told me, a fish cannot see the water it swims in.
Once you are taking out of your own culture, you become more aware of how that culture looks like. And oh boy, that became painfully clear to me. I was that fish!
I became super aware of my Dutch culture and of that according to me was the norm. But now that my norm, didn’t function as the main norm, it started to feel like everything was standing on lose sand. The quantity and complexity of cultural differences were too much to deal with one by one.
I never knew if my approach was the right one. I wanted to be an inspiring leader and book business results. But I started to realize that what was the way back in The Netherlands was not the way with my boss, team or the company’s headquarters.
It was important for me to perform at my job. I wanted to book results but the lack of clarity started to feel unsafe and like a minefield.
I was sure that if I would understand the cultural element in doing international business, I would be able to be more successful. I was determined that there had to be another way. But to be honest, as fantastic as I was guided on my international move, ‘What to expect when you will live in country X, Y, Z’ as poorly was the knowledge and tools available on international leadership and cross-cultural dynamics.
So there I went, on the hunt for a solution that I was going to find myself.
The more research I did, the more clear it got to me that many, or more or less all information on this topic was based on how to deal with 1 specific culture. I got bombarded with books in the spirit of: ‘ Operating in Japan’, How to negotiate with the Americans’ and my personal absolute favorite: ‘Business in Japan, for Dummies’.
The deeper I dived into the topic, the more clear it got to me that in order for me to succeed in a global economy, leading a cross-cultural team, something else was needed.
Cultural relativity and cultural perception where the key to success. I was left behind with questions like, how does one culture perceives the other? How do you build trust in a cross-cultural group where several cultures are present. I would never have the time to read books for all of the different cultures.
How do you respect hierarchy and at the same time achieve for everyone to feel their opinion is valued. How do I develop myself, when my manager has a very different approach to providing feedback?
Is there one way of leading, that works for all cultures?
In 2021, I followed the Leading Across Borders and Cultures program from Professor Erin Meyer.
I help professionals, teams and organizations to work more effectively across cultures. Whether it is my trainings, executive programs or business consultancy, you always have me at the full 100%.
Because if you would really know me, you know I don’t do things half speed.
Don’t worry, It has not all been doom and gloom…
I hear you think, if it was all doom and gloom, why on earth did you move to Chile in 2018?
I should probably mention that I have the stubbornness from my Dad. (May he rest in peace)
Without joking, I honestly had the same approach as I had moving to Japan.
‘There will always be an airplane back, going ‘home’ will always be an option.
And so there I went from Japan to Chile.
Moving to South-America has been a true adventure.
Moving there has helped me to embrace live like an adventure where things come as they come, and go as they go.
I started to realize that home is not per se the place where you live.
I am super thankful that now, I am able to feel at home, wherever.
Everything in life could be an adventure. It is just a matter of how you want to look at it.
If you ask me, South-America is one great adventurous continent. Which is why I feel completely at home since I have been living there.
It helps a lot that there is a latina hidden inside of me.
Lets say that I felt one of them, within the blink of an eye.
And don’t get me wrong, again I was that fish out of the water. I was being confronted with the Dutch individualistic approach. The collective cultures in Latin America, where the interest of the group is more important than the individualist interest, was another 180 degrees turn.
The latina inside of me, helped me to stroll through live in Latin America. Easy?
Not at all – because even though I did a lot of research I still didn’t find the key to success.
My optimistic and positive attitude, made it easier for me and the people around me to find solutions for cultural challenges. But I wished that I would have known, what I know today.
I am only human and also lose it once in a while, mainly in the thirth week of my hormonal cycle. 🙂
I have my triggers. I cannot stand unfairness, humiliation and lies.
If you would ask the people very close to me,. They would also tell you that I am very ‘passionate’ about sagging socks or tights, the fact that the final minute on the laundry machine’s display is ALWAYS longer than 1 minute and that I hate the fact that on food packing they print ‘easy to open’ on the corner, since I know for sure that I am not the only that disagrees with that statement. 🙂
But on a more professional note, things like unfairness and humiliation, trigger me on a deeper level.
Trust is one of my core values. I would not be able t operate happy and effortless in an environment where there is no professional trust. Both professionally and personally, I cannot be the best version of myself without trust.
‘’Being Dutch, I always thought knowing that the French are more diplomatic and the Germans more punctual, was sufficient’’
Enough, what you REALLY want to know about me:
I am extremely down to earth and pragmatic. At the same time sensitive and passionate. My heart is big and holds a lot of space for others.
Someone else’s happiness naturally has a bigger interest than my own. That shows in different ways, depending on the context. But lets say you would prefer to eat pizza instead of the Dutch snackbar, I happily eat a pizza with you!
But, in case we will go to the snackbar, I will eat a Frikandel with ‘special’ sauce made of curry ketchup and mayonaise. For the Dutch; I repeat: with curry ketchup!
This is without a doubt, my AB-SO-LUTE guilty pleasure.
If you go to the Netherlands, I highly recommend trying it – thank me later!
I am a big wine lover. People that in a restaurant drink half a glass of wine and leave the glass unfinished, I find that UN-BE-LIEV-ABLE!
You will however, never catch me with chocolate cravings, because chocolate is something that is on my top 3 of things I really don’t like.
Working with me is fun! I take my work very seriously, but I do believe that having a good time, helps. Some of my ‘Clifton strength finders’ are WOO (winning others over), Individualization and communication. I see you, as you, like you are, like you have not seen it yet.
I respectfully win you over, we will have good conversations and interactions. All within trust. I feel like a fish in the water in front of a group and you can expect a healthy dose of humor.Oh and the individualization strength, helps me to be always have an excellent birthday gift.
My mother tongue is Dutch but I work in English.
Even though I don’t particularly enjoy learning languages, I managed to speak Spanish.
If I am more comfortable in English? I think I am funnier in Dutch but believe me when I say I am more professional in English.
Want to know more? Or curious? – no strings attached!
Curious to hear more of my stories? Or you might recognize yourself in some.
I would love to get to know you, no strings attached.
I want to learn more about you and your challenges in order to support you in the right direction. I might be able to help you but if not, I will be 100% honest as well.
I don’t believe in sales as a forced transaction.
If I don’t think I can help you, I will tell you.
If I think someone else can, I will refer you.
CLICK HERE to send me a message or CLICK ON THE BUTTON to book a free exploration call.
I am looking forward to get to know you!