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Time Made = Trust Earned
Reply Time- The new KPI for Trust The new KPI for trust has been on my mind lately, especially as I keep hearing the same line everywhere: “I’ve been really busy.” And it struck me—busy is universal. We’re all juggling too many things. But I’ve also noticed something else: when something truly matters, we somehow find the time. A parent drops everything to answer a call from their child. Similarly, a manager replies mid-meeting to their boss. Meanwhile, a friend, exhausted after a long day, still finds two minutes to send you a “thinking of you” message. That’s when I started to ponder: reply time—the new KPI for trust—is more…
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When The Chase Ends
Life beyond the chase Most of us spend a good part of our lives in motion. We chase careers, recognition, relationships, milestones. We chase happiness itself, believing that once we finally “arrive,” we’ll feel complete. The chase becomes such a rhythm that we rarely stop to ask why we’re running and then suddenly the desire to chase ends. The discomfort of the breaking rhythm Then one day, the promotions no longer bring joy, applause no longer feels validating. Even relationships built along the way seem to demand more than you give back. You don’t feel angry — you feel nothing. And that “nothing” can be harder to face than failure.…
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Beyond the Deck: Don’t just Train- Transform
How to Make Training Stick: Building Blocks to an Effective Facilitation Every company invests in training hoping it leads to lasting behavior change, stronger performance, and better business outcomes. But not all training sticks — and not all facilitation creates real impact. Over the years, I’ve seen one clear pattern: it’s not about how impressive the slides are. It’s about how deeply the training connects to the people in the room. Here are a few foundational elements I believe make training truly stick: 1. Context Is Everything Of course, models, tools, and techniques matter — but the most impactful learning happens when the facilitator truly understands the business beyond surface-level…
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Redefining Leadership
Have you ever thought to yourself, “I’m just an ordinary person. A leader? That’s not me.” Well, I used to think that way . In fact, when my mentor once asked me, “Are you a leader?” I hesitated. My gut whispered, “Yes,” but my self-doubt shouted louder. I told him, “I haven’t done anything big enough to call myself a leader. Leaders manage teams or achieve something remarkable in their careers.” He responded with a simple yet powerful question: “Do you think leaders only exist in corporate offices?” On thinking deeply, that question completely shifted my perspective on what it means to be a leader. I realized leadership is all…
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Leadership Lessons from the Delta Works
This past Saturday, I visited the Delta Works with my family. While my husband and boys admired the engineering feat, I, as a leadership consultant, reflected on something deeper. The History Getting to know how the Dutch managed to barricade the North Sea, preventing devastating floods and carefully managing their waterways, got me curious. I wanted to understand, what triggered them to take up this enormous challenge? The tour guide took us down the memory lane of 1953. It was then, when floods claimed the lives of around 2,000 people, forcing the nation to act. The Dutch did not tackle this alone; they came together as a nation, pooling their…
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What does one need, to be successful, at the core of human centricity?
In an exclusive interview with Tulip Talks, Paola Bottaro, People Director, Top Employers Institute (TEI) shares how she is redefining human-centricity at TEI. In the post-COVID corporate landscape, the buzz around human-centricity reverberates across boardrooms, each company crafting its narrative. Yet, the pressing question persists—Is this a genuine commitment or merely a response to peer pressure? Seeking clarity, I turned to Paola Bottaro, TEI’s People Director, to understand their strategy. Top Employers Institute certifies companies globally for their people practices and their own practices aren’t just benchmarks; they’re a blueprint for excellence. Human-centricity, as she unfolds, has earned not just attention but genuine respect within organizations. However, implementing a human-centric…
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COVID cannot dampen our spirits- “Tulip Talks” celebrating Kings Day with The Mayor of Amstelveen Tjapko Poppens, his wife Evelien and Amstelveen Oranje
It was April 30th, 2011 when my family and I first experienced the charm of the Queens day in the Netherlands. The Netherlands was embraced in the orange color in all its possibilities. All these years I have been on the receiving end, enjoying events hosted across the Netherlands for this special. Today for the first time I dared to go on the other side. There started another venture for me to know what goes on behind the scenes. The non-profit organization Amstelveen Oranje based out of Amstelveen, has been organizing events every year. It’s been decorating the city, setting up flea markets and hosting the Mayor. They further go…