GOOD STRATEGY MOVES PEOPLE
Strategy isn’t a document. It’s a shared way of seeing where you’re going, and why. It brings people together around a goal they care about. One that connects and energizes. When strategy is done right, people are intrinsically motivated. They know what matters, and enjoy contributing to it. It creates clarity, direction and real alignment, not because it’s enforced, but because it makes sense. In the end, it becomes your base for focused, meaningful action.
WHAT I HELP FIX
A desire for more motivation, purpose or alignment often starts with something concrete. Sometimes it’s low energy, growing friction or unclear direction. Other times, it’s success that triggers the need: rapid growth, a new team, or a bigger ambition. These are the kinds of questions I help teams tackle:
How do we attract people who actually believe in what we do?
Are we busy, or moving toward something we all rally for?
Our team has been flat. How do we get our energy back?
We say we care about purpose. But do we actually have one?
The change we’re trying to realize just doesn’t stick. Could another approach work?
How do we keep growing without losing ourselves?
EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE
Over the years I've worked with many groups and organizations, building a broad view of what makes people thrive at work. I approach strategy and culture based on how people actually operate, not on how they're expected to behave.
Sometimes I’m brought in to share expertise, like with VDAB, the University of Amsterdam and the European Parliament. Other times, I help shape the strategy itself. As with Kwirkey:
KWIRKEY TRAINING AND STRATEGY
Kwirkey (a self-declared team of “parking lovers”) asked for help in shaping a team strategy based on purpose and motivation. After joining an Ikigai workshop, the team realised: we know what drives us individually — now how do we align as a group? We set up a custom strategy process to discover their collective purpose, use it for directioning and work agreements. One year later, Kwirkey is more focused, energized, and spreading the word. A love for parking, but definitely enough drive!
MY APPROACH IN 3 STEPS
Obviously, each specific situation in an organization is different. That's why I don't work too methodical, I think it's important to tune into a situation and analyse thoroughly, in order to obtain the right approach. Nonetheless, I see that a typical strategic project boils down to the 3 steps below:
1
INSPIRE AND GET TO THE CORE
With workshops, interviews and honest conversations.
2
MAKE IT 'CLICK'
The aim is to find the intuitive clarity where it 'clicks', so it's clear how to proceed.
3
AGREE ON PRIORITIES AND ACTIONS
From insight to action. Always ending with: who does what, by when.
