What role can I play for you?
It’s always good to have entrenched structures and habits examined by a pair of external eyes, with a critical view and from a broad experience. And that's exactly what I do, by thinking laterally and acting vertically. This way I offer you support with regard to interim, project, change and crisis management. My approach goes much further than the linear cause-effect thinking that many entrepreneurs still cling to. I start from the systems thinking, because for me separate causes do not exist. When problems arise it’s crucial to look at the entire system; the mutual relationships, the processes and the reciprocal reactions. I actually strive to dive even deeper by using fractal thinking. This way of thinking remains an absolute challenge, but nature proves time and again that this offers enormous added value. Fractal thinking unites opposites, provides a renewed vision and closes the circle. It includes everything and nothing, ancient wisdom and new insights, and teaches us that a medal has two sides that are interdependent. As an accredited mediator in workplace relations and social affairs, this also remains the absolute goal in terms of way of thinking and approach.
I am a typical ‘multiple and serial entrepreneur’. I mainly get energy from setting up startups, initiating restarts, creating new dynamics and breaking the status quo and routine.
This is reflected in, among other things:
- my multidisciplinary studies and training: Bachelor Accounting Taxation, Master Applied Economic Sciences, Master Industrial Management, Certified Mediator in Social Affairs and more.
- my passion for business and as a founder of various companies domestically and abroad: hospitality industry, marketing and communication, international trade, project development, real estate and others.
Over the years I have built up a unique skillset both in my own companies as with external clients, which helps me to assist other entrepreneurs during the crucial moments. These are situations that may seem alarming or negative at first sight, but actually have everything in them to usher in growth for all actors involved, and especially for the organization or company.
As an independent interim, change and crisis manager I guarantee the following added value:
hands-on and problem-solving attitude, 25 years of experience "in & on the field" in various sectors, strong analytical skills, outside-the-box approach, lateral thinking and vertical acting, team focus, result-driven orientation, perseverance and passion.
As an avid beekeeper, I see the hive of the honey bee (Apis Mellifera) as the pinnacle of an extremely efficient organization. A colony of bees can provide companies and organizations with tremendous insight into leadership, communication, efficiency and growth. These are areas where things often go wrong in the business world, and actually not in the bee world. I would like to refer to the book “The Wisdom of Bees” by Michael O'Malley, professor at Columbia Business School. Below you can read the synopsis.
“When I took up beekeeping, I thought it would be a nice hobby. But I noticed that bees not only work together to achieve a common goal but, in the process, create a remarkably productive organization, like a miniature but incredibly successful business. Bees can teach managers a lot, such as Distributing authority: the queen bee delegates relentlessly and worker bees make daily decisions, Keeping it simple: bees exchange only relevant information and Protecting the future: when a lucrative vein of nectar is discovered, the entire colony doesn't rush off to mine it completely.”
The functioning of the bee colony is actually very similar to the evolutionary cyan organizations as described by Frederic Laloux. And it is precisely these organizations that know how to deal with conflict, and thus also with crisis and changes. It’s is not about ruling with an iron fist, but rather about sensing the spirit of the organization.