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In a short series of posts on Linkedin, Koen Deblonde explores the theme of regulation and leadership. What happens inside leaders when pressure increases. Why feedback and change so often fall short. And how leaders, often unconsciously, influence the entire system. Not from models or tricks, but from what we know about the nervous system, behaviour and interaction.

The final days of the year have a certain magic to them. Outside, darkness falls early, candles are lit, calendars slowly begin to empty. And once you’ve settled into a quieter rhythm, space opens up for reflection: a moment to look back and take stock of the year that’s passed.

Het woord authenticiteit duikt tegenwoordig overal op. In gesprekken over leiderschap. In trajecten rond persoonlijke ontwikkeling. In oproepen om “je authentieke zelf te laten zien”. Telkens wanneer het woord valt, voel ik bij mezelf een lichte frons ontstaan. Niet omdat ik iets heb tegen eerlijkheid, eigenheid of integriteit, maar omdat ik steeds vaker merk dat het begrip authenticiteit wel makkelijk klinkt en tegelijk zo moeilijk klopt. Want wat bedoelen we eigenlijk wanneer we iemand vragen “authentiek te zijn”? Of wanneer we uitnodigen je “authentieke zelf” te ontdekken? En waarom schuurt dat zo, juist als je vertrekt vanuit het sociale en talige karakter van mens-zijn? Ik probeer hieronder mijn ongemak wat verder uit te pakken.

In some teams, collaboration seems to flow naturally; in others, it requires more deliberate effort. In one group of specialised nurses within a healthcare organisation, tensions escalated to the point where working together became nearly impossible. The team’s manager watched trust evaporate almost overnight and called in K&S consultant Sofie Hendrikx for an intensive coaching journey.

As a narrative practitioner, this era sometimes aches a little. All those fleeting stories flashing by on our phones. According to philosopher Byung-Chul Han, we live in a time of narrative poverty. Where stories once formed the fabric of communities with a shared past, shared values and a shared horizon, they have now often become instruments of marketing and self-presentation.

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.

The European AI (Appreciative inquiry) Network meets several times a year – sometimes virtually, sometimes in person in one European country or another. In this AI Practitioner issue participants in the European Appreciative Inquiry Network share their experiences of the meeting in Namur in 2024.

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.

It was many years ago when we first realized that the questions we ask, the strenghs we notice every day, and the stories we share, can completely change how teams show up and grow. That insight became the heart of our book: 'Appreciative Inquiry as a Daily Leadership Practice'. Together with our publisher Taos Institute, we decided to make our book part of the WorldShare Books program. With that our book is from now FREELY available for everyone!