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Giftedness as Driver of Innovation requires a Formal Position

Giftedness as Driver of Innovation requires a Formal Position

As a gifted person, you do not always have an easy time in a large organization. You see a lot, feel even more, and would like to contribute to something bigger than what is defined in your formal job description. Your 'clock speed' is also sometimes a lot faster than the rest of the system, the people, and the procedures, so you can get out of sync. Often, you pull everything and anything besides your actual work to yourself, to keep things running smoothly or to make necessary innovations possible. Your actions frequently prevent problems to occur or become more serious, which is something that is not always visible for others and therefore stay unacknowledged. Especially when you do not have the right certificates or political dexterity…

Moderating hybrid events: teamwork & technology

Moderating hybrid events: teamwork & technology

Last week I had the pleasure of moderating the hybrid conference 'Digitalising public services: Challenges, risks and opportunities for citizens, businesses and workers' for the European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions CESI. The two-day event took place in the beautiful city of Konstanz in Germany. On my way home I let three intense days sink in and realised how much more complex the role of moderator has become since my first event moderation some 15 years ago. And how much more moderation has become teamwork, dependent on many people and technologies. And how blessed I was working with such a great team…

How to prevent policy blindness in a complex world

How to prevent policy blindness in a complex world

Our world has become more complex. And with it the issues we face, whether it's Covid19, immigration, housing, energy transition or climate change. Developing good policies has never been so difficult. Unfortunately, all too often, policy at the national and supranational level is still made as if we live in a manageable, predictable world. Or a world that we can make manageable again solely with the help of technology, models and narratives. A world that can still be addressed top-down, the old way. Policy makers sometimes seem to be blind to the complex reality of the present time. A policy blindness, a lack of awareness of the real world effects of the policies pursued by administrators, with potentially harmful consequences for many generations to come…

Living and Working in the Time of Corona

Living and Working in the Time of Corona

Our lives have changed a lot since the beginning of 2020. Living in the present time has characteristics of living with a chronic condition and that in itself has a major impact. We are forced to behave differently than under normal circumstances. But also different than during a crisis. Seeing this time for what it is, chronically abnormal, provides concrete tools for how you can best deal with it yourself and as a manager. This article describes the prolonged non-normal nature of the present time, its impact on ourselves and work, and concludes with concrete tips. And perhaps surprisingly, something good can also come out of this time…

Narcissistic abuse by organizations, an underexposed phenomenon

Narcissistic abuse by organizations, an underexposed phenomenon

June 1 is the yearly World Narcissistic Abuse Awareness Day. In 2012, we devoted just two pages in our book to this topic. But we received so many responses on specifically those two pages, that it was clear that narcissistic abuse is more common than we think and it is still taboo. Time to give it more attention…