Author: Mike Raaijmakers

Vulnerable leaders have the best teams and the best teams have vulnerable members. Honesty about imperfection makes results better and gains respect. Somehow we mistakenly define being a good manager as being the one with all the answers. This piece is about vulnerability in the workplace, and it's not just for managers! Do you ever … Continue reading The strength of vulnerability

The trademark quality of any great leader is not knowledge, an outgoing personality or presentation skills. Sure, these are very good attributes for a manager to have, but I'm talking about top notch leadership. There is a quality that some people have and others can learn to a certain extent. A quality that empowers the … Continue reading Choosing leaders based on their self awareness

One of the eye openers I gained from studying Neuro Linguistic programming is that you can share most thoughts, emotions and observations, even if you imagine the person on the other end won't like it, isn't open to criticism or can't handle what you have to say. Have you ever shared something thinking it was … Continue reading 4 keys to giving great criticism

1. Take good care of yourself If you are anything like most young professionals I know, you give a lot, you work long hours and take on any project your manager suggests. You've got something to prove and you need to keep up with your surroundings, right? If it looks like everybody is coping better … Continue reading 6 essential lessons for young professionals – and everyone else!

As managers, we often forget that we are (the biggest) part of the problem.. Do your employees ask you questions you feel they should know the answer to? Do they seem to lack creativity and assertiveness? You might be able to fix this problem with a slight tweak in your own communication. Admit it, we … Continue reading Managers: resisting the urge to answer questions

You can pick your attitude, change your posture, tell yourself better things, achieve more (or less) connection to people, be more punctual, more relaxed or more structured. You can choose to be(have) a certain way. Don't be fooled by your father who said: you're just like me, son. Or teachers who tell you you are … Continue reading Reinventing yourself – taking ownership and be(hav)ing a certain way

Dust yourself off. Pick yourself up. Sleep well and be rested. Ready to go. Yesterday was only yesterday. Tomorrow can still be anything you imagine it might be. Every morning you have a choice. Will you linger on yesterdays mistakes or will you choose to see the new day as a blank canvas, tabula rasa. … Continue reading Try again tomorrow – don’t be hard on yourself

Life used to be simple. We live in an age of knowledge in which we are constantly bombarded by impressions. From a young age we are expected to make life choices. Many of us feel that we are forced to make decisions without having the time to properly explore our options. In my teens and … Continue reading 12 convictions to (re)shape your career in a world full of options

To all the youngsters out there, you seem to be in a hurry to be successful, influential and rich. What is the rush? These days, we can expect to live 70, 80 or 90 years, so take your time. Find your passion, discover your strengths and your peculiarities. Spend your 20's gaining experience, trying things … Continue reading Speed of life – you’re not missing out, take your time

Black and white, right and wrong. From a young age we are tought what is 'normal', what is acceptable behaviour and how to be part of a system. When you think about it, our beliefs and convictions say more about our perspectives than about who we are.