Sources of inspiration
In which a partner of De Bestuurskamer shares sources of knowledge that inspire him or her.
John Jaakke: “Television is overrated, I rarely watch that — well, I make an exception for sports. I draw my inspiration from three other things: music, reading and history. Last spring, I made a proposal to my six children and their supporters: I would like to travel with you through European history and civilization. For example, in June, the twelve of us are going to Israel. We're starting with our year zero. Christianity has had an influence on our part of the world that should not be overestimated. Whether we like it or not, we're drenched in it. Last year, we were in Vienna. At home, we had a lecture by the children's former history teacher about the Habsburgs, the Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy”.
John Jaakke: “Television is overrated, I rarely watch that — well, I make an exception for sports. I draw my inspiration from three other things: music, reading and history. Last spring, I made a proposal to my six children and their supporters: I would like to travel with you through European history and civilization. For example, in June, the twelve of us are going to Israel. We're starting with our year zero. Christianity has had an influence on our part of the world that should not be overestimated. Whether we like it or not, we're drenched in it. Last year, we were in Vienna. At home, we had a lecture by the children's former history teacher about the Habsburgs, the Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy”.
“Nothing is absolute, there is room for inspiration and interpretation, for insight and understanding.”
“Important also for our understanding of what is happening in the Ukraine. The central question in this family search: where do we come from, why are things the way they are? History is our friend, not our master: nothing is absolute, there is room for inspiration and interpretation, for insight and understanding. Another love is music. The infinite possibilities we have with notes fascinate me: how music can connect people enormously, as a universal force. We live in times of great polarization; words are being misused for that. Music can be comforting. Actually, music has no wrong words. My shortcoming is that I don't play an instrument, even though I started playing the piano once. Bach - my great hero.”
The request for advice
In which a partner from De Bestuurskamer talks about a specific assignment and the chosen approach.
Jan Berent Heukensfeldt Jansen: “How do you help someone properly during a career switch change? Ultimately, such a process is mainly about dealing with vulnerability. Someone is really good, ripe for the Executive Board, but yes — it only has five members and they will not be elected. That always hurts. The company then usually tells them: we would like to keep you, we are going to invest in your guidance because at your level, we have no alternative.”
“That sounds nice, but it's actually a bad message. That makes the question very relevant who will supervise such a process. Preferably, this is someone who is primarily able to return self-confidence to the person concerned. He has often never applied for a job in his entire life: each time there were other people who determined for him that he was good at something, that there was another step to take. Such a person always thrived on existing structures and responsibilities — he didn't have to create opportunities himself. The core of a request for advice in this area is: teach me how to do that. The good news: that's also possible. As soon as you embrace the premise that you are not looking for a new job, but for a party that has missed you for five years.”
“If you don't know yourself, you can't develop yourself further either.”
Jan Berent Heukensfeldt Jansen: “During such a reorientation process, I usually ask my interlocutors three things: which people have inspired you the most so far, and which people have you inspired the most? Secondly, what projects have you done in your life where you hopped home in the evening and opened the champagne out of pure joy? And finally: what five projects have you experienced that drew all the energy out of you, where you wanted to kick the bucket? These questions force you to look back before we start looking ahead, at opportunities and possibilities. That's essential — because if you don't know yourself, you can't develop yourself further either.”
Three relevant questions
In which a partner from De Bestuurskamer answers three questions about current trends in the business labor market.
1. What social context currently weighs the most on decision makers in large companies?
Hélène Vletter-Van Dort: “That's the pressure to do what society thinks is 'right'. Do decision makers meet all wishes in terms of sustainability, inclusion, and social engagement? The problem is that there is no common opinion among relevant stakeholders about what is meant by “right”. An American professional investor may expect something different from the company in which he invests than a private Dutch investor. The same goes for employees and customers, for example: a Polish or Japanese employee or customer is likely to expect something different from their employer or supplier than a Dutch one.”
2. What is necessary in a manager's personal “tool box” to turn that pressure into an action perspective?
“A strong moral compass. Plus the ability to translate that compass into clear action points for the organization. These action points must then be made measurable on the basis of concrete targets. The measurable action points, the targets and the timelines surrounding these action points should then be clearly communicated. Both about who should contribute what and when, and about whether or not to achieve the targets. Communication, also known as transparency, is therefore crucial. In addition, in my opinion, the trick is to divide processes into recognisable and measurable steps and to find the targets close to home. In other words, they must match the organization's strategy and DNA and the goals set by the management itself. The latter is a challenge because many people tend to want to contribute to solving all the world's problems.”
“Many people tend to want to contribute to solving all the world's problems.”
“It becomes difficult when targets are not met, or when certain stakeholders disagree with those targets. Then the leadership must keep its back straight and be and remain united. On the other hand, there must be a sufficient “open ear” to catch the sounds of the outside world and to make adjustments if necessary. This means that a combination of determination, conviction, that open ear and a certain amount of flexibility are needed. Not an easy mix, which means that one person can't do all of this either. The entire leadership team must stand behind this and be and remain united.”
3. What do you recommend to team decision makers to withstand such pressure?
“Decision-makers can help each other stay on track, as I just described. Only if the entire leadership team is united in the goals, how they should be achieved and when, and how the management can make adjustments, is there a chance that the company will actually be successful in achieving the described goals. By the way, communication is also important here: internally to bring and keep everyone on the same path, externally to manage expectations.”
The world outside
In which a partner from De Bestuurskamer provides some personal suggestions that help make life even more beautiful.
Dries van der Vossen: “Because of my work, I was CEO of Bilderberg Hotels for a long time and then worked internationally in the hospitality world, I often eat outside the door. As a thank you for the dinner that my wife and I had for our birthdays, we were invited to dinner by friends in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel. Where the famous business restaurant Klein Paardenburg used to be, Margot Janse, Jasper Hermans and Thomas Kooijman have joined forces and opened restaurant SAAM (SouthAfricaAmstel). The team consists only of the best people in the field. It had not been there yet but that is so excellent. A rare wine list, dishes with a South African twist — Janse worked in Franschhoek for years — top service, and what I also think is important, a pleasant sound level: you can hear each other well, even when it's busier. So it's also ideal for business conversations in an informal, top-class setting. Or, of course, just to enjoy an evening with the family.”
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