I work for an International company. Our parent organisation is located in US and our affiliates are spread out across Europe. When I joined this company close to 1 1/2 year ago, I was really faced with myself; I didn't agree immediately with everything my manager said and I wanted myself to keep to my calendar. I had a serious tight one of course. No no no, Joëlle, wrong!! You may have different ideas than your manager has, but you don't pronounce it. At least not in countries like Hungary, Poland, Czech or Romania. And of course it is important to be in time for meetings and it is important to you that people are in time, but your schedule must not be a reason to end a discussion with a senior, although people have to wait for you. We are one and a half year later and it is still difficult for me. Or are these situations difficult for all Dutchies?
As mentioned before, my colleagues are spread out over the world. In my department we try to see each other at least once a year. We know each other from calls and emails. We have a slight idea of the other characters, but nobody is really aware of all cultural differences. You can imagine, that brings along quite some hilarious situations. Put an American and a Romanian in one room and of course discussion clashes. I don't mind. Although both are my seniors, I saw this one coming and I interupt them to explain the different situations. Luckily they where happy with this intervention. But none of the others in the room even had the intention the spend some time on this little incident. Was it me who came in between or was it a typically Dutch reaction?
Every day a face such situations and everytime I ask myself again: Is this typically Dutch, or is it just me?
As mentioned before, my colleagues are spread out over the world. In my department we try to see each other at least once a year. We know each other from calls and emails. We have a slight idea of the other characters, but nobody is really aware of all cultural differences. You can imagine, that brings along quite some hilarious situations. Put an American and a Romanian in one room and of course discussion clashes. I don't mind. Although both are my seniors, I saw this one coming and I interupt them to explain the different situations. Luckily they where happy with this intervention. But none of the others in the room even had the intention the spend some time on this little incident. Was it me who came in between or was it a typically Dutch reaction?
Every day a face such situations and everytime I ask myself again: Is this typically Dutch, or is it just me?
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