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As coaches, consultants, facilitators and project supporters, how we show up matters. In addition to what we do and the skills and tools we use, our presence and ability to hold space make a difference. As William Brown famously put it: "the success of any intervention depends on the interior condition of the intervener.” We took this as the central topic of our Working Days, our annual offsite with which we always mark the return to work after summer break. These retreats are always different, as are the topics. This time, we turned them into a kind of Summer School on: ‘Being the Work: The Art and Craft of Holding Space’.

A care organisation supporting people with intellectual disabilities and/or behavioural challenges wanted to bring its strategic ambitions more visibly into everyday practice. To achieve this, they were looking for a leadership development journey that would help team leaders and behavioural specialists act more consistently from the organisation’s core values while strengthening collaboration and connection across the organisation.

Peer-to-peer coaching (‘intervisie’) is an effective and easy-to-organise way of learning. Either as part of a personal professional development programme, an organisational development trajectory, or as a stand-alone activity. We frequently apply it in our advisory and coaching practice. Not only is it effective, people also genuinely enjoy supporting one another with challenging issues. In this way, peer-to-peer coaching also strengthens connections between colleagues.

Reflecting with your employees on their performance, achievements, and professional development is a key element of any manager’s role. In many cases, these talks are spontaneous and unplanned – at so-called ‘water cooler’ moments. But in organisations, we also arrange formal moments such as performance reviews, assessment interviews, feedback rounds, and so on.

As Kessels & Smit, The Learning Company, we support in questions related to learning & development, organisational change, leadership & team development, structure & strategy processes and sustainable employability & job satisfaction. But how do we do that? In the coming months, we will highlight an example of such a client question each time. This time, a project from our change practice.

As Kessels & Smit, The Learning Company, we support in questions related to learning & development, organisational change, leadership & team development, structure & strategy processes and sustainable employability & job satisfaction. But how do we do that? In the coming months, we will highlight an example of such a client question each time. This time, a project from our (re)organisation practice.

For us, the week before September 1st is always a moment to come together as a group, with our colleagues from The Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. We reconnect after the long summer break and make plans for the upcoming work season. This year, we spent 3 days in Erfgoed Bossem (NL) where the green scenery and starlit sky proved the perfect environment for us to explore our experiences on designing - this year’s topic.

As Kessels & Smit, The Learning Company, we support in questions related to learning & development, organisational change, leadership & team development, structure & strategy processes and sustainable employability & job satisfaction. But how do we do that? In the coming months, we will highlight an example of such a client question each time. This time, a project from our talent practice.

As Kessels & Smit, The Learning Company, we support in questions related to learning & development, organisational change, leadership & team development, structure & strategy processes and sustainable employability & job satisfaction. But how do we do that? In the coming months, we will highlight an example of such a client question each time. This time, a project from our design practice.