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Coaching Human Resources Leadership Performance Vision

How to set people up for success?

Over the past weeks, I’ve had three conversations where my conversation partner mentioned the phrase: 

“We’ve set this person up for failure.”

Hiring manager

Otherwise said, we’ve failed ourselves to set this person up for success.

But that sentence you won’t hear very often. Both sentences imply the same, but only one puts the blame directly on the people responsible for this person’s success.… Read the rest

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Beliefs Courage Mindset Purpose Vision

Can you cause an earthquake?

If you have been driving through the Netherlands recently, you had time to look around you.

For sure.

Perhaps you’ve never driven through the Netherlands, but the story still matters to you.

For a few years now, you can’t drive faster than 100 kilometers per hour on Dutch highways.

Try to do this yourself.
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Gratitude Life Reflection Time Vision

Blue Sky

No matter what, the blue sky is always there.

It’s a great metaphor for seeing through difficult situations and times. 

No matter how heavy the storm, how thick the layer of clouds, or how heavy the precipitation is, the blue sky is always there.

How do I know?

A matter of experience.… Read the rest

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Change Choices Leadership Mindset Vision

Causing pain

Sometimes you must create deliberate pain to get something you want to do in motion.

I remember vividly a conversation with my mentor Joyce who often talked about CEOs having to create organizational pain once in a while to shake things up.

When things are becoming complacent, and they often do, you need to create pain.… Read the rest

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Execution Goals Mindset Purpose Vision

Dot on the horizon

Last week we spent a few days in the Netherlands.

I had work to do, we visited family and friends and had a good time in The Hague.

Sunday, we drove back. 

We benefitted from one extra hour because daylight saving time ended, so we left early and returned home before it got dark (again).… Read the rest

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Belonging Impact Kindness Purpose Vision

Walk of Life

The Queen of England has died.

I wrote this piece the morning after her death was announced.

Seventy years she devoted her life to serving her country.

Suddenly I’m reminded of a song by Dire Straits called ‘Walk of Life.’

The tune enters my head. 

“Dedication. Devotion.”

A ninety-six years’ Walk of Life’ of which seventy years were dedicated and devoted to being the Queen of England.… Read the rest

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Culture Freedom Human Resources Leadership Vision

One size fits all; part II

For visionary leaders, one size fits all is over.

These leaders understand that people are different, with different needs, different contexts, and different aspirations for the future.

You can’t lead these people as if they’re all the same.

Erikjan Lantink

Last Tuesday, I wrote to you about my regret for not pursuing opportunities to exploit this model.… Read the rest

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Growth Leading Self Mindset Self awareness Vision

You can be more

Start by leaving your past behind you

Recently I shared an insight about my love for writing and how it helps me to grow myself and others.

I’m 54 years old and still with a life ahead of me. Growing is part of me every single day. A day without learning is a day not lived.… Read the rest

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Disruption Mindset Qualities Self awareness Vision

From failure to genius in 90 minutes

Some years ago, Microsoft claimed that the attention span of a human being had evolved so dramatically that it was now shorter than the attention span of a goldfish.

Eight seconds for us human beings.

Nine seconds for the average goldfish.

I added the average word.

Why average?

Because I can’t imagine that every single goldfish is the same.… Read the rest

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Choices Courage Leadership Vision

No! Simple.

I’ve said ‘Yes’ way too many times in my life.

For the record, I’m not talking here about getting married multiple times.

I mean saying Yes to projects, jobs, activities, fun suggestions, and things others thought I should be doing.

Initiatives that sounded good, were proposed by well-intended people and would undoubtedly create some good experiences and learning.… Read the rest

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Disruption Dreams Execution Purpose Vision

Obsessed

What’s your first thought when you read the word obsessed?

It’s probably negative, right?

Usually, not many good things come from obsessive behavior.

When I was a kid, I was obsessed with collecting Panini football cards. I did everything possible to get my book completed.

Including the chores I most resented, only to get a little bit of cash to buy cards and complete my album.… Read the rest

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Choices Courage Dreams Purpose Vision

Most people are just plowing along…

You got to love those good old interview questions.

Last week I had a conversation about interview questions. The person I talked to shared her annoyance with questions like, “where do you want to be in five years from now.”

She shared with me that she didn’t see how that was relevant to someone landing a job right now.… Read the rest

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Culture Growth Mindset Values Vision

Growing Pains

Can a company grow too fast?

The answer to that question is yes, but many will struggle to provide me with that answer because they’ve never experienced it.

Only those who’ve gone through a period of excessive growth and had to deal with the consequences will answer the question with a yes.
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Leadership Qualities Team effectiveness Vision

Qualities of Visionaries

Recently I spent a few hours in one room with a highly visionary entrepreneur.

Frequently, I seek the company of visionary leaders because they’re a breath of fresh air in a world where target-driven managers dominate.

A visionary’s biggest asset is the belief that the world can be manufactured. Visionaries often see a new reality right before them like it’s already there.
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Change Freedom Reflection Vision

Musings from a little coffee place

We have a little coffee place in the next village over that we like to go to. It’s small, authentic, has excellent coffee, the best cakes, and started selling fresh bread last year as well.

There’s only one of it. It serves its unique purpose to people in the village and those who like to walk or bike in the forest nearby.… Read the rest

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Design Execution Strategy Vision

Dear future you

I love good design.

I’ve always been interested in design, both personally and professionally. 

Good design helps tell and sell a story.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t great at math and other exact subjects at school. Otherwise, I would have become an architect.

I love great architecture. 

Architecture is the bridge between imagination and execution.… Read the rest

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Culture Leadership Vision

Smile? Nerve? Or Pissed off?

When was the last time you made time to daydream a little and imagine something you would like to create?

What was it like to pause? How did it make you feel? What were you imagining?

Or perhaps, you didn’t do any of that and the last weeks (or maybe even months) went by in a blur.… Read the rest

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Execution Goals Habits Vision

Start with the end in mind

You must have come across emails recently offering to help you with your goal setting. Otherwise, you’re not into email, or you’re not reading on the internet.

But you’re reading my insight today, so the chances are that you receive more emails inspiring you to accomplish what you want to achieve.… Read the rest

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Change Self awareness Transformation Vision

No pain. No gain. Also for a Tiger

Tiger Woods played the last six holes of his Masters tournament on Sunday five below par. That means he was five shots better than he should have been according to the course standards (par).

That’s not the story, though.

The story is that he posted his worst score ever on the hole before.… Read the rest