In a conversation with a Belgian colleague, I asked which part of Belgium he came from, Flanders or Wallonia. Smiling mischievously, he looked at me and replied: “From Brussels!” Belgian culture seems to be complex, that was my learning from the conversation. And Brussels is something special.
Two factories on my map of responsibilities were located in the vicinity of Maastricht, namely in Geleen and in Lanaken. Only 19 kilometers apart, but in different countries, Lanaken in Belgium and Geleen in the Netherlands.
So it was obvious from the point of view of the distant headquarters in Texas to merge the plants in terms of support functions. And to try out the change of site leaders between sites. There were only a few kilometers in between.
Why not, you might think. The languages Dutch and Flemish are almost identical, and in the Lewis Model the two countries are only two steps apart on the “linear-active multi-active” axis. But what does Belgium mean here? Which one? Flanders, Wallonia or Brussels or the arithmetic mean drawn from them?
My observations on site:
✳️ On the one hand, the relaxed tone of the Dutch employees with small talk experience and their excellent English. On the other hand, very honest but also very direct communication, preferably in Flemish and if a foreign language then often German rather than English.
✳️ At the plant in Lanaken, there was an extremely formal and highly sensitive system of co-determination by the works council and unions, while on the other side, a few kilometres away, most matters could be resolved quietly through the somewhat smaller official channels.
And not to forget the obligation to carry the passport at the border crossing for citizens of non-EU countries. The border exists, it is just no longer so visible.
Perhaps you have already heard of Baarle or have been there. Baarle is characterized by its unique border situation. The city is divided into two parts: Baarle-Hertog (Belgian part) and Baarle-Nassau (Dutch part). The consequence is a double infrastructure such as two town halls, two post offices and two fire stations. Simply because the systems in a united Europe are still so different. Border is just border.
My conclusion: Although they are so close to each other, there are clear cultural differences between these two sites. One should be well aware of this. Organisational steps with a cross-border character need to be well considered and well managed.
