Moving to France: A New Chapter Begins
After many fulfilling years as a business consultant, I’ve decided to close that chapter and begin a new one — one centered around writing, reflection, and reconnecting with what matters most. This June, my wife and I will be moving from the Netherlands to the south of France, where we’ll settle in the stunning region […]
Rethinking Climate Change: Are We Focusing on the Wrong Issues?
In the ongoing debate around climate change, a dominant narrative positions CO2 as the primary driver of rising global temperatures. Billions of dollars are being invested in reducing carbon emissions, and sweeping policies are reshaping entire industries—electric cars are being pushed, combustion engines are being phased out, and we’re even seeing the rise of biomass […]
Humility versus Arrogance
We can’t expect customers to share their feedback if we treat them with arrogance. And yet, this is the default mode of operation of most incumbents. “By my count, more business leaders have failed and derailed because of arrogance than any other character flaw.” -Harvey Mackay As founders rise to the top of the pyramid, […]
The Multipotentialist
Ever since Frederick Taylor suggested applying Adam Smith’s principle of the Division of Labor within the production and industrial engineering industry, to increase worker productivity, employee engagement has gone down and employee turnover spiraled up. Henry Ford was one of the first to apply Taylor’s scientific management theory and the effects were detrimental: employee turnover […]
RoundMap’s Backstory
There is a lot that can be said to what motivated me to create the ROUNDMAP™. I will share some personal details in my upcoming book. In part, my inspiration came from a brief encounter with a dying man in 2012, named Bart, his heartfelt compassion, and what he wished for me to do. It […]
The Health-Growth Paradox
Business growth seems to be on top of everyone’s agenda. We must innovate to outperform the competition, transform ourselves into a digital business, and analyze data to uncover even the most minor anomalies. But is it possible to grow any organism that is stressed out, disengaged, and (therefore) resistant to change? Running Your First Marathon […]
The Double Helix of Joint Narratives: Unraveling the Engagement Cycle
While widely used, the customer journey analogy may fail to capture the complexity of how individuals navigate their relationships with brands. Humans naturally construct narratives to interpret their experiences, and when they interact with a brand, they incorporate elements of that brand’s story into their own. Each individual possesses a unique lens through which they […]
My Moment of Inspiration: “Put it to Good Use”
In 2012, at the Amsterdam Medical Centre, a moment unfolded that would deeply touch my heart and forever change my perspective on life. As my wife and I sat in the quiet room waiting for treatment, I noticed a man with his back toward me, resting in a chair in front of my bed. He […]