Goodbye Better Future
We were sitting poolside, in the middle of Nairobi talking and reflecting on the road that lay ahead of us. It was 2017, Dave Jongeneelen and I were about to embark on a journey to work with the largest health NGO in the African continent, Amref Health Africa. This organisation has been founded on African soil and is currently being led by the inspirational and forward-thinking Githinji Gitahi. We now had the chance to work on their 5-year strategy on how they want to create access to health for the entire continent. How cool that I get to work on such a project?
As Dave and I looked up at the blue skies, the question came up
“What if Africa were the healthiest continent in the world by 2030?”
I remember feeling shivers down my spine, “what if indeed…”. I felt something break inside me, a mindset that was stuck and the ability to dream bigger than I allowed myself too. I shed a tear, not understanding what I was experiencing and Dave said in a soft voice “You’ve got a lot to give to this world”. The weeks and months that followed were of us working Pathfinders and the Excom of Amref Health Africa to develop their most provocative strategy to date.
One of the Leadership pioneer journeys we did for the Dutch Development Bank (FMO), brought us to Georgia in 2017, where we worked with Crystal Bank, an MFI — Micro Financing Institute. This trip was an example of the influence my work could have on a personal, organisational and societal level; from laying down the seeds for Buzz Georgia whilst giving Crystal Bank the push to further support and continue to give their much-needed services throughout the country.
I had a coaching session with one of the senior managers who was struggling with the relationship she had with her son. Her son was about my age, which made this a very unique conversation. After taking a short walk, we both sat down on a bench looking over the park in front of us. For a moment, I let go of the expectation that comes with my coaching role, and we had a conversation as a mother and son would.
“What if you were my mother, and I was your son, what would I most want to hear or need at this moment?”.
What followed was unscripted and very real. Her wish to connect with her son, and my wish to connect with my mother. Both of us genuine in our experiences, and also able to help each other. We were brought to tears. We hugged. Sniffling, we thanked each other for that special moment. The conversation showed me the magic of letting go and being present with what is there at that moment. Concluding our talk, she got in touch with her son and they continued to build their bond. And I was able to create more peace with my circumstances.
This is merely a drop in an ocean of my experiences. It is hard to talk about my accomplishments since I felt like I did what needed to be done when the moments presented itself. The work I was able to do varied in so many ways. From developing leaders in a series of organisations, to Medical Leadership for Clinical Educators and helping “Gamechangers in Health”. This last year I had the chance to guide teams and entire courses online, working with these constraints and making them beautiful. One of my focuses has been on Diversity & Inclusion, especially how this topic personally affects me, and how to go from open dialogues to tangible action. It has been a whirlwind and I realised even more where my strength lies as a consultant, and more so as a leader.
The red thread through it all however is about the impact that each person can have. This on a personal, professional and organisational level. This pandemic made it evident how much both connection and direction can help steer our ships through these choppy waters.
Thank you
The last five years at Better Future have been nothing short of life-changing. There are too many experiences to summarise, yet all of which have left a deep impression on my heart; The colleagues that have come and gone, those I have worked with and those that I travelled with, working remotely on meaningful projects. I have grown as an individual and as a professional, learning about how to be a better person and a more impactful consultant and leader. Each person taught me a new lesson, one I take with me for the years to come.
The vision that Better Future works on is one that lies very close to my heart, and the work I was able to do has been nothing short of inspirational. Humanising organisations, and turning business into a force for good can seem vague and intangible, yet we constantly found ways to make that a reality.
These people are more than colleagues, they are an extended family. We work hard and provide high-quality services. We laugh, joke, and when the occasion presents itself, do an unapologetic crazy dance with each other. We share intimately on how our lives are and practice what we preach. And in spite of my many flaws, it remained a place where I have been accepted, nurtured and been challenged to be my full self.
If I look at the man I have become today, I have so much to thank each individual that crossed my path. From the depth of my heart and a deep bow, I thank them all.
These thanks extend to all the clients, companies, projects and accounts I was responsible for. My way of working is by being open, honest, warm, connected and keeping it fun. I believe in developing trust and making sure that there is a genuine connection that transcends the transactional agreements between a service provider and a client. These collaborations have been sacred to me, as we have been able to create programs that were designed to have a positive impact, on society and the environment, and they did!
Goodbye
There is no easy way to say goodbye or to even summarise what a particular group of people or an organisation like this one means to me. Even writing these words feels frivolous, yet it is an attempt to document it. I say goodbye to these beautiful souls and to the time I have spent with them. If ever you seek a purpose-driven consultancy, a group of people that will really listen, and to leverage the change that is needed from the inside out, I couldn’t recommend this team highly enough — sure, I’m a bit biased, but I mean every word.
So what’s next?
As of the 1st of January 2021, the road lies open. I start with taking a step back and decompress. I’ve worked hard, with all my heart & soul, and I look forward to a bit of downtime and letting things sink in.
The challenge that awaits me is to use my leadership skills in an executive capacity, either directly within an organisation or as an interim. I have had such roles in the past, and after having been a consultant and guiding teams from the outside for some years, I look forward to doing so from the inside.
Currently, I sit on the board of TEDxAmsterdam working with a tenacious team of volunteers.
Leading these remarkable individuals, creating a clear strategy and finding ways of rediscovering ourselves has been both a privalge and a challenge.
I continue to learn and sharpen my skills with respect to learning and development, process facilitation, strategy and organisational change. And due to my own tech interest, remain up to par on technological advancements, which has become even more essential.
Writing this in November 2020 it is hard to predict where the world is going. One thing I do know; people, teams and organisations have the deep desire to connect, and to find ways to stay true to oneself. It is a time that cohesion has become a precious commodity. We live in a time where leadership is both in service of the greater good and it needs more attention to inclusiveness. The leaders of the future are the ones that can learn to be antifragile while remaining vulnerable.
One thing that comes next is plenty of long walks, some coffee meet up’s and conversations.
The Road Ahead
“El camino se hace andando — building the road as you walk it”
Five years ago I could not have fathomed that I would be where I am today. My life looked so different, which makes it just as hard to think about how the upcoming future will unfold. It is therefore with both excitement, and a little nervous feeling in my belly, that I look forward to the road that lies ahead.
What if indeed…
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