Sun, 8 November 2009
A guide to doing gaffe-free business here.
Includes geography, people, government, economy and transnational issues.
Find an affordable roof over her head.
Heroic Gauls celebrate their half century.
Kimberley uncovers the sacred rituals of Frite Almighty.
Tips for managing a successful relocation back home.
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The simple answer is: 'almost certainly yes'! So make sure you are well-prepared for the culture you're heading for ...Don't expect the locals to adapt to you
We all have a particular management style or way of working that we find easy and is successful for us. 
Our management style includes how we form work relationships, motivate staff, make decisions and solve problems. Our style may be formal or informal, people or task orientated, individualistic or collective, hierarchical or empowering.
When our natural management style matches the company culture we tend to be happy and do well. When it is radically different, life can be a constant struggle and it is often better for everyone if the employee finds a new job.
But what happens when a misfit is due to an expatriation assignment?
A British manager in Belgium
Let's start with a true story: Trevor, a British engineer moved to Brussels on a three-year expat assignment to gain experience in working at the European headquarters of a global car company.
After some initial teething troubles, he felt he had settled well into his new department.
He was therefore very shocked to discover at a team away-day that some of his Belgian colleagues considered him "hypocritical", i.e. agreed one thing with the team but then did another.
This was the first time in his life that he had ever been accused of being hypocritical and was very upset.
He had the sense (and courage) to sit down with his team members to understand why they thought this of him and discovered that the problem lay in how an Englishman says "no" compared to a more direct Belgian.
For example, to be polite an English person may say: "It is an interesting idea, but has more of a medium-long term application".
This handy guide from Expertise in Labour Mobility includes how to write a CV, application procedure, interview dos and don'ts, Belgian management culture.
Belgium’s first alternative directory assistance services - available through the shortcode 14-14 - can now be accessed on the internet.
Moving to Belgium presents a host of challenges to expats, not least of all finding the right home.
The psychological effects of global mobility can be physically painful.
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