I just finished watching the semi-final match between France and Belgium (which France won 1-0), so now I feel free to write an observation about the Belgian team without worrying that I might jinx it for them.
From the start of the World Cup, as soon as we realized what a strong competitor Belgium was going to be, I couldn’t help but wonder how this country of 11 million people could compete with countries that are many times its size. It’s not only the population size of Belgium which makes the story so extraordinary, it’s also that the country is divided into three distinct regions with different languages, different government structures, and different value systems, yet the national team is competing with uniform integrity and focus.
I began to do a little research on Belgian football (soccer). Following the team's terrible performance in Euro 2000, Belgium realized that it needed a new nationally integrated singular focus to building a football powerhouse. The country adopted a uniform system of teaching football and introduced it throughout the country; all schools, clubs, and regional teams began to adopt the same system for teaching and playing the game.
In other words, a single countrywide football culture was introduced and adopted nationwide. This country, that can’t seem to agree on a national language and takes pride in how different it can be by regions, adopted this singular football culture. The “new rules” unified all the different regions. Now the French, German and Dutch regions all accepted the same system, the same rules, and set of behaviors for playing Belgium football.
So what does this have to do with corporate culture? It has everything to do with corporate culture because what Belgium accomplished in unifying and dedicating a country to work together for a common goal, with football clubs, is the same thing that successful organizations do with their corporate culture. In other words, corporate culture can unify and bridge various national cultures and personal behavioral practices. Corporate culture can--and does--supersede local cultures and preferences. It becomes the glue that builds trusts, enables all people to pull together by defining acceptable behavior and establishing “the way we do things”.
By the way, staying on the subject of football, tiny Uruguay (population 3.4 million) finished 5th in the world cup and was arguably the best South American team this year, adopted a similar nationwide singularly focused football culture throughout the country.
Corporate culture is critical to a cohesive, successful organization. It needs to be recognized, supported and institutionalized. It takes effort, time and commitment, but once in place it becomes the force that helps a company succeed. Especially in today’s global environment, where diversity and individualism is celebrated and talent is drawn from around the world. But that’s a subject for another blog.
Want to learn more about how to work effectively with different cultures? 
