Articles by admin

Management Team: a group or coalition?

Management team: a group or coalition? A wet and cold day in Turnhout, I was invited to a meeting of a group of Belgian and Dutch entrepreneurs. With a tasty bock beer in hand, I sat down at a long table. I come to sit next to Geert, whom I vaguely know. I know he owns [...]

Lots of fog around choices

Nice family vacation on the Costa del Luz in Spain. We had found a nice place between Tarifa and Cadiz. After a few days, I get a call from Carlos, with whom I managed a large integration of employment agencies in Spain. He asks if I have time to come to Seville? [...]

Fat clay

At a school reunion in Hoorn, I was accosted by my old friend Wouter. 'Hey, how are you?" he says. 'I heard you worked and lived abroad for a long time. Back to your roots?" he asks teasingly. 'Yes, everything is going well. We've been living in Holland for a few years now. But in [...]

When the chips are down

A large business association in the Arhem region asked me to speak about culture change in companies. "Perhaps you could then also say something about the conditions for successful change?" one of the organizers asked. How many hours do I have, I thought and laughed. I had to make do with 1 hour including enough space for [...]

Not thinking in problems but in solutions

One of the first beautiful spring days of the year in fantastic surroundings. A relationship day at the Rosendael Golf Club. I was a little too early. 'A few of our team are already sitting outside,' Catrien said. Cartrien invited me. I know her from Vienna where we worked together for a large leasing company. I sat down next to [...]

The benefit of the doubt

Lieke is the wife of Freek, a friend from my college days. She is a partner in a successful and growing Private Equity house. If my surroundings are to be believed, she is always looking for a nice acquisition. So the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. 'My father was a real entrepreneur,' she always [...] says.

The Yoke of Pressure

Restaurant Aan de Zweth in Schipluiden. Frits had called me to meet up. He thought it was high time. We really hadn't spoken to each other for too long. I knew that Frits had taken over his father's business a few years ago. And now we were sitting with a good cup of coffee outside on the [...].