Today is Belgium’s National Day.
As a Belgian-born, naturalized American, it has me reflecting on what it means to live - and lead - between two cultures.

I’ve rarely spoken about being an immigrant, perhaps because I’ve been so aware of the privilege I’ve had on my path to U.S. citizenship.

In my early days in the U.S., working in scientific research, it felt easy to blend in. My background was just one of many in a global academic setting. Before immigrating to the U.S., I lived in Germany for two years, also in a multicultural, international environment. In a way, being a foreigner in those spaces was normal, even desired.

But when I transitioned into coaching and training, my accent suddenly stood out more. So did the fact that I didn’t grow up in the U.S.

At first, I was shy about it. I worried it might make me seem less credible, or somehow “other,” not as good as an American-born coach.

But over time, I noticed something surprising:
Some clients were choosing to work with me because of it.
Others saw it as an added bonus.

Because I brought a different lens.
Because I listened a little differently.
Asked different questions.
Didn’t take cultural norms for granted.

What I had once seen as a weakness became a quiet strength.

Being bilingual and bicultural rewires your brain in subtle ways. It’s kind of an intensive training in the Social Instinct. You become more attuned to context. You pay more attention to nuance. You learn to code-switch when appropriate, linguistically, emotionally, relationally.

You don’t have to be bicultural to develop these skills. In fact, they’re essential for any leader navigating a diverse team, a global organization, or even just different communication styles.

With practice, anyone can expand their range:

* Slow down enough to notice what others might be assuming.
* Get curious about how things land—not just what was said.
* Use language not just to convey facts, but to connect.

That’s not just communication. That’s leadership.

These are exactly the muscles I now help leaders and STEM professionals build in their communication.

It turns out that living between two worlds helped me see what often goes unnoticed in one.

Question for you:
Have you ever realized that something you once thought of as a weakness is actually part of your unique value?
I’d love to know.