Do you want to change a certain habit or ensure that your team remains engaged during a change project in your organization? Several studies claim that about 70% of change projects fail. There are numerous reasons why these projects don't go as planned, including organizational structures and procedures, resistance to change among individuals, poor communication, or lacking the right leadership to facilitate the change. What I've observed is that many of these issues often boil down to three main problems: the projects being too large, too complex, or too vague. This holds true not only for large organizations but also for individuals endeavoring to alter their behavior. Understanding how our Brainflix works. I like to use the metaphor of Brainflix to explain the functioning of our unconscious brain. Much like the app Netflix, which offers a vast selection of movies and series, Brainflix represents a platform of habits, routines, and actions controlled by our unconscious mind, which has been running since birth. Our mind manages multiple programs simultaneously, handling tasks such as regulating heartbeat, processing emotions, and performing cognitive functions without our conscious awareness. The capabilities of our brain are truly astounding. While many of the programs running in our lives operate smoothly, our unconscious brain's efficiency in automating tasks can lead to unhealthy habits when outdated programs are at play. For instance, our evolutionary brain's preference for high-calorie foods no longer serves us well in societies with abundant processed foods, contributing to issues like obesity. Moreover, impulsive behaviors driven by immediate rewards can lead to financial recklessness, risky actions, or addictions. Too vague, too complex or too big. As human beings, we can consciously decide to change aspects of these behaviors, and it's entirely possible to cultivate new, healthier habits. However, if these changes are too vague, complex, or extensive, they often meet resistance. Many of our New Year's resolutions (and organizational change projects) fall into one or more of these categories. For example, stating "I want to live a healthier life" is vague, complex, and significant in scope. When changes are overly vague, complex, or significant, our unconscious brain tends to resist, resulting in a fight, flight, or freeze response, ultimately maintaining the status quo. While we may exert willpower to enforce a new habit temporarily, the automatic pull of old behaviors eventually takes over again. A simple strategy to address many of these challenges is to make changes—both personal habits and organizational changes—more specific, smooth, and small. Make it Specific A straightforward approach to initiating change is by asking yourself: Can I visualise the desired behaviour? If the answer is affirmative, it indicates that the change objective is sufficiently specific. For instance, if your organisation aims to prioritise sustainability, clarity is key in outlining the expected actions from employees. Simply stating a desire for sustainability lacks clarity; specifying actions like "reducing energy consumption" remains ambiguous. However, setting a clear expectation such as "every employee turning off lights & computers in the evening" can be easily depicted with a mental image, enhancing clarity and facilitating implementation. An intriguing perspective is to place trust in locals. Just as we rely on locals for restaurant recommendations while on vacation, we can extend the same trust to our employees. Encouraging them to articulate specific tasks and habits necessary for fostering a more sustainable, agile, or client-oriented organisation can yield valuable insights. For example, individuals in the accounting department may propose different actions compared to those in the sales team. Imagine providing employees with a personalised commitment list, allowing them to select five actions from a pool of fifteen potential ones. Such an approach not only empowers employees but also increases the likelihood of tangible, meaningful change taking root within the organisation. Make it Smooth Our unconscious brain tends to shy away from complexity, struggling to find a starting point and often succumbing to resistance. When it comes to change, there are three psychological resistances: reactance (a need for autonomy), skepticism (a need for security), and inertia (a need for energy). Acknowledging and understanding these resistances allows us to proactively consider how to positively influence these factors. It's essential to recognize that our brains naturally gravitate towards simplicity and autonomy, yet they resist change due to ingrained psychological tendencies such as the need for autonomy, security, and energy. By acknowledging these resistances upfront, we can develop strategies to address them effectively, paving the way for smoother transitions. For instance, to enhance customer and employee satisfaction, empowering frontline employees with a client budget allows them autonomy in addressing client needs. The Ritz Carlton exemplifies this by allocating a "Wow" budget of $2000 per client, enabling employees to decide how to address client challenges independently. This approach not only increases employee satisfaction by giving them autonomy but also enhances customer experiences as employees can respond to individual needs promptly and creatively. While providing employees with increased security may not always be feasible due to rapid changes, embracing humility as a leader and involving employees in decision-making can be an effective strategy. Creating a platform for employees to express concerns and focusing collectively on solutions rather than problems fosters a culture of engagement and empowerment. By acknowledging that leaders don't have all the answers and encouraging open dialogue, organizations can tap into the collective intelligence of their teams to navigate uncertainty and drive positive change. Moreover, when individuals understand their tasks and harbor no concerns yet fail to act, nudging them in the right direction can be beneficial. Nudging involves subtly influencing behavior or decision-making without impeding freedom of choice. For example, altering default options in a meeting reservation system to 45 minutes instead of an hour resulted in 80% of meetings adhering to the shorter timeframe, fostering a more positive organizational atmosphere with time for interpersonal connections. This demonstrates how small changes in default options can lead to significant shifts in behavior, ultimately contributing to a more productive and cohesive work environment. Make it Small When a change project looms large, individuals often feel overwhelmed, resorting to familiar habits to avoid the stress of where to begin. This pattern is mirrored in organisations, where grand ideas lead to extensive planning, meetings, reports, and expanding initiatives. The antidote? Embrace small experiments. Why experiments? Because, in experimenting, the focus is on the process, not the outcome. The goal is to discover which processes best foster lasting habits. Actions should also be small—super small. Conditions for small actions: cost less than one euro, completed within five minutes, and started within 24 hours. If these conditions aren't met, it's likely still too ambitious. While having big dreams is commendable, the key is to take small, manageable steps. The journey toward a goal is composed of numerous small steps, sometimes with ups and downs. Celebrate small successes along the way. Enjoy the process, and acknowledge your achievements, even those from the past, as a source of energy for current endeavours. Consistency in small daily actions trumps sporadic intensity. James Clear's quote, "Every action you take is a vote for the person you wish to be," underscores the power of identity in habit formation. Small steps connect you to a desired identity, reinforcing habits. Consistency in small actions aligns with the brain's programming, creating a chain reaction of positive habits. For instance, incorporating a daily five-minute walk may influence healthier lunch choices, illustrating how one small experiment can trigger a cascade of positive changes. Embrace the power of small experiments for lasting transformation. We hope that these three principles can help you to increase the success rate of your change projects - personal behaviour or organisational change projects. If you want to dive deeper into this topic, Cyriel Kortleven - the author of this post - has a very insightful keynote on this topic.

Blogpost by Isabel De Clercq. Last week I came across the following visual on LinkedIn. Visual material always makes the grade on social media. So do decision trees. But I’m going to be honest with you: Decision trees deeply annoy me. They simplify things! The elegantly styled tree is telling us one thing: we are all idiots; just follow the arrows and hocus pocus problem solved. What the drawing of the tree isn’t telling us is the quality of the soil feeding it. That soil often oozes pestilential elements. I see three of them: Toxic element number 1: we confuse being together with value-creating collaboration. Bringing people together does not always guarantee true, productive collaboration. Do the following situations sound familiar? Decisions need to be made in the meeting. The person entitled to take decisions is absent. The meeting is used to push a great deal of information to a large number of people. Participants have put themselves on mute and are happily tapping away on their mobile phones. The meeting was meant to be a brainstorm. It is immediately hijacked by the more extravert and those higher in rank. Well, there is no decision tree that can compete with that. Toxic element number 2: macho-behaviour. Careful, also manifested in people with breasts. Some organisations worship a culture of secrecy: meeting marathons where power is exhibited, preferably around a physical table. To be allowed to attend these meetings = to get information first hand = to be important. Well, there is no decision tree that can compete with that. Toxic element number 3: chaos. What if work processes are not clearly defined in your organisation? What if it is not clear who is allowed to make decisions? What if there is doubt about when to throw a task over the wall for someone else? What if there has been no clear agreement about who can determine when something is good enough? Or, what if the information that people need isn’t clearly structured? Well, there is no decision tree that can compete with that. Being constantly available for one another. Always having to ask other colleagues questions to be able to do your job. In my opinion, this does not portray a sense of togetherness or of a strong culture. It is rather a symptom of badly organised work – of carelessly structured information and knowledge – a small heap insipidly held together by 4 walls. Decision trees are handkerchiefs for the bleeding. They just shush the symptoms. In my workshops and keynote speeches I invite participants to dig deeper. To grab the roots of evil with two firm hands. I then put them to work, together with the team, on the basis of strong statements and assignments. Some examples: Meetings are intrusive moments. They veer us away from the real work. That real work: what is that exactly? Make a list individually and with the team. Which meetings in the past weeks were scheduled because our work processes are not defined clearly enough? What should be done to clarify those work processes? Which meetings were scheduled because the information colleagues needed was nowhere to be found? Do you want to grab the evil in meetings by the roots? Don’t hang around in decision trees. Dare to look down at what lies in the ground. And I will gladly guide you along the way.

The world is changing, rapidly and fundamentally. Several economic, ecological, technological and demographic trends are reinforcing each other and have a ginormous impact on our society and on the business world. Technological evolutions are at the heart of those changes. The different innovation waves are following each other in ever quickening succession and force companies to adapt more rapidly than ever. This article describes four characteristics which companies should adopt in order to survive. Time is pressing. A company unable to continuously question and reinvent itself, will not manage to defend its competitive position. This is a trend which is already clearly visible. The average lifespan of an organization has decreased drastically. In the 20s a company would exist for an average of 60 years; these days this average reaches a mere 3-5 years. Today, 25% of the companies seen as market leaders in 2020 lost that position, in most cases to new competitors which did not yet exist 15 years ago. The examples of companies which do excel at reinventing themselves are well-known. Netflix was started up in 1997 as a postal order company renting out videos; these days it is a global player in audio-visual content streaming. Uber also proves that it does not shy away from looking at the future: the company is realizing that self-driving cars are a major threat, which is why they are adapting their strategy by already ordering no less than 500 self-driving Tesla cars for pilot projects. New business models Although digital technologies play an important part in changing business models, companies should not forget that technology is only one of the aspects of change. You can fully test robotics and virtual reality, but the mere embracing of today’s technologies does not prepare you for the waves that will follow. Innovation should not be limited to innovation labs and R&D departments. Rather than thinking about digital transformation, companies should focus on how to transform their entire organization in order to be ready for the future. The main challenge is that companies cannot go through that transformation if they continue to function as before. The bureaucratic business model with a clear hierarchy and sharply defined roles and function profiles forms a barrier for that transformation. Bureaucracy is a concept of the late 19th century which no longer does the trick in a world of continuous change. A different way of working and thinking is required, which needs to penetrate throughout the entire organization. For many companies this will not be an easy task. A recent study in the US has shown that a mere 13% of all collaborators are sufficiently passionate about their work to help build change, a disappointingly low result. The road to 'change' We can define four crucial characteristics for changing the tide and surfing on those waves of change: togetherness, empowerment, collaboration and habit. Togetherness and 'purpose' are very closely related. Companies need to have a clear goal and must be able to prove their relevance, both to clients and collaborators. These days we notice a true Copernican revolution in the brands world. Copernicus was sentenced to death because of his conviction that the world is not at the center of the universe. A continuously increasing number of brand producers are also coming to that conclusion. Consumers care less and less for brands. A recent study by brand specialist Havas reveals that if 93% of the brands ceased to exist tomorrow, the consumer would not care all that much. Furthermore, one of our own studies has shown that consumers only really care about 5 brands, each of those contributing something functional, emotional and societal to them. Relevance pays off A company’s societal contribution is becoming increasingly important. David Jones, former Havas CEO, describes it as follows: "We need to move from marketing to consumers to mattering to people". Unilever is very well aware of this fact. The company has set itself the target to make each of the group’s brands ‘relevant’ within 3 years. The first brand having gone through the transformation is Omo, the detergent. On a functional level, the starting point was a qualitative product. Children’s dirty play clothes need to be clean after a wash. In order to address customers on the emotional level, Omo has started up a program to share parenting tips & tricks with young parents. As for the societal level, new playgrounds were installed in several suburban areas in the UK, giving children access to a better social development. No eye-catching sponsoring, only a small mention that the playground is a part of Omo’s and Unilever’s 'Dirt is Good' program. You may wonder whether this is really a company’s role in life. But it is. Studies show that so-called 'meaningful brands' obtain 33% more profit than their competitors, on average. So doing ‘good’ does indeed pay off. Companies should also prove this relevance to their collaborators. Many changes are taking place in what makes employees happy in their job. The new generation which is now entering the workforce attaches more importance to the difference they can make themselves and the difference a company makes in the world than to how much they are making and what status a job will give them. Besides, this trend is also increasingly entering the world of older generations. Transparent strategy Empowerment is a second important characteristic. There are different ways to empower collaborators. First, by clearly communicating about the strategy and second, by also sharing insights which support the strategy. This will help collaborators to better realize the strategy. And third, by giving the collaborators more autonomy. It is important for companies to properly understand the reason behind certain decisions. At the moment this too often is not the case. Insights into a strategy should go viral, so to speak, in the entire organization, so that everyone can start believing in them and act upon them. A second important element in that respect is collective intelligence. Decisions made by the entire organization are bound to have more impact than decisions pushed forwards by management. The implication that is created is much greater; furthermore managers are informed of so-called blind spots in their decision process. Autonomy is a closely connected aspect. Give collaborators a say in how to fill in the company’s strategy. Hotel chain Ritz-Carlton learned the lesson well: every collaborator who is in direct contact with hotel guests gets a €2,000 budget to turn a complaint into a positive experience, into something which could be an opportunity for improvement. Never underestimate the importance of involving collaborators in the strategy and of giving them more autonomy, because, in the future, human capacities will become an important differentiator. In 2035, 50% of the jobs as we know them today will have disappeared. The majority will have been taken on by robots and artificial intelligence. That is what we need to prepare for now, because when the time comes, we will totally need those typically human capacities to make the difference. There already are some examples today. In Eatsa, a vegetarian restaurant in California, robotics are used for taking orders, serving meals and paying for them. This frees up time for the ‘real’ collaborators to look after the customers on a more relevant level. All these technologies will make craftsmanship and emotional intelligence very importance in the customer relationship. Collaborators running the show The new role of knowledge workers will be very similar to 'intrapreneurship'. A great example is Adobe, the software company; they have reinvented themselves repeatedly and are now trying to reach innovation quicker via Adobe Kickbox. The Kickbox contains a $1,000 credit card, an inspiration booklet and a description of the innovation process. Every collaborator is free to use that $1,000 to develop something new. The only condition set by Adobe is that developments which may be relevant for the company are also shared with the company. So far, 400 collaborator projects have been shared. They will probably not all turn into something successful, but Adobe is convinced that the chance of 'the next big thing' being one of them is larger than that of the two projects R&D is working on. What Adobe is doing, is not just a story of trust and giving autonomy, but also giving a chance of failure. ‘Collaboration’ comes third in the 'survival characteristics' list. A company’s capacity of internal and external collaboration determines its chance of success to a major extent. There are three conditions for reaching successful collaborating. The first is that it needs to be 360°, which implies collaborating with consumers, collaborators and other stakeholders. That is how you reach new insights which will not be obtained in any other way. Second, the collaboration needs to happen all the time, anywhere. You rarely hear people say their best insights came to them in the office or during a brainstorm session. The best ideas occur in the shower or the car. And third: 'fail faster & better'. In other words: invest your time wisely. At Google they have banned the word 'prototyping'. Google refers to 'pretotyping' because even making prototypes takes too much time and is too expensive. KLM-Air France is following suit: e-commerce team collaborators are no longer to make PowerPoint presentations. Those who have a new idea develop it, test it, share it with the target groups and if they are still convinced that it has potential, then they make a 2-slide report which can be presented in 20 minutes max to obtain a budget. The new business as usual The last characteristic, 'habit', is related to the 3 others. Focusing on one of the 3 is not sufficient. Nor is working a little bit towards all 3. These have to evolve into new habits. Changing habits - and most certainly bad ones - is not done in one single speech or with one single manifest. Togetherness, empowerment and collaboration need to be embedded thoroughly in the organization. The four characteristics combined form the acronym TECH; no coincidence as technology will play an important part in how we transform our organizations. We can also learn a great deal from the world of technology; not so much from all the crazy Silicon Valley stories but more from those companies’ habits. Our companies face a major challenge but it isn’t impossible to realize a change and to get collaborators willing to build the company’s future. Tom De Ruyck is the author of this blog post. The topics he addresses can also be booked in the form of a keynote speech.

If you work in a large, international organization with a diverse population, chances are a portion of your workforce will be practicing Muslims. This will mean that for an entire month part of your community will refrain from eating or drinking from sunrise to sundown[i]. Oh my God, you’re not eating?? If you walk around the typical office on any day of the week, you will likely see an abundance of food everywhere. Food and drink is pushed at employees actively and passively, from goodbye coffee-and-cake events for leavers, cupcakes for birthdays, Monday Muffins for the early birds, chocolates in a bowl in the lobby, after work drinks on Fridays and coffee-coffee-coffee. Food is an inescapable part of office life. Your Muslim population is necessarily subjected to all this during their working day, too.  They will be there at Monday Muffins and Taco Tuesdays, wishing their colleagues well for their goodbye parties, politely declining the cinnamon buns, since non-attendance isn’t an option. When they don’t actually eat or drink, they will often having to explain themselves over and over again. Generally, the reaction from the non-Muslim is one of shock followed by pity. “Oh my god, you’re not eating?” To which the Muslim colleague may laugh, shake her head and assure the host that they needn’t worry, that they are just fine, are not about to faint, and are actually enjoying this very special time of the year. What’s Ramadan? Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year for practicing Muslims. About 93% of Muslims fast during Ramadan[ii]. That adds up to about 1.6 billion people worldwide[iii]. It’s a time to detach from earthly pleasures, physically and spiritually purify, donate to charities, pray and celebrate with family and friends. Imagine a combination of Christmas by night mixed with Lent by day, on steroids, celebrated every day for 30 days. It’s intense, spiritually cleansing, and full of warmth and food once the sun has gone down. It’s also hard; in Northern Europe those long days mean 19-hour fasts without caffeine or nicotine. Some families wake up at 4am to have a big, very early breakfast to give them the energy they need for the rest of the day. It’s called suhoor. To the typical outsider, this feels like a kind of neat sleepover midnight secret-snack event. The end of Ramadan is celebrated by a three-day holiday called Eid Al-Fitr (or “Eid” for short). This is a time to party, attend services, give gifts and eat during the day. Five ways to make Ramadan cool for everyone 1. Send a greeting The month begins with the greeting of "Ramadan kareem!". If you have control over your company or team social feeds, send out a (digital) card for those who recognize it, and for those who don’t to raise awareness. This message goes out on the first day of Ramadan. Check your calendars since this is different every year. 2. Educate your workforce At the same time, slip in a bit of information to those who are not on the inside. What’s Ramadan? What is it, what does it mean, how is it expressed and why, how long does it last, and, by the way, here’s why not everyone will be wolfing down the slices of pepperoni on Pizza Fridays for this month. Explain why we put away the food temporarily (see point 3), what “to go” options might be available (see point 4) and why it matters. 3. Remove superfluous office food In the spirit of our generosity let’s make a few small changes for a month. We can all do without the excessive amounts of food we have lying around every surface of our offices. As a courtesy, in solidarity, encourage your teams to put their chips and chocolates in a drawer and the baskets of candy bars in a closet just for a little while. And certainly, don’t force food on people who don’t want it. Sort of like a giant Instagram challenge; we’re all the better for it. 4. Easy “to go” bags for events For events that involves food, there’s a great way to have your cake and eat it too (literally). Offer small “to go” bags with a little note, perhaps, that might say something like “Take Me Home, Eat Me after Sunset!”. This way, your faster can politely take a pre-packaged baggie and enjoy it with their families when the time is right. That cinnamon bun will taste great for 4am suhoor. 5. Celebrate the end of Ramadan with snacks Eid is a great opportunity to have a little social event at the office. It can be low-key. You can offer dates and nuts in the pantries for anyone who wants them with a little card that lets people know what just happened and why it matters. There are so many other holidays! Nothing drives engagement at work like being seen. When the dominant culture makes minor adjustments to the normal routine out of respect for the rituals and patterns of the few, the engagement effect ripples into the full community. As we learn about the lives of others, we encourage and even participate. A few small actions make a loud-and-clear statement that your culture is one of curiosity, respect and celebration of rich diversity. Actions speak far louder than the words on the company website. And don’t stop there. Depending on the cultural makeup of your community, you will likely have many other holidays to celebrate; from Chinese New Year, Diwali, Hannukah, Bastille Day and much more. Get to know your workforce – who they are, what they celebrate - and weave in a few of these to spice up the year. Finally, involve your teams. Anyone who wants to the on the Diwali Committee should be invited to plan the event, develop the communications and find the perfect treats. After a while these sub-committees will be inspired to run the events themselves. Viral, organic employer marketing will be a natural result. Fiona Passantino is the author of this article. Contact us if she can be of any help to your organization. [i] Arab News (2016) “A beginner's guide to Ramadan”. Accessed March 19, 2023  https://www.arabnews.com/node/935516/islam-perspective [ii] Ghani (2013) “Most Muslims say they fast during Ramadan” Pew Research Center. Accessed March 20, 2023. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/07/09/global-median-of-93-of-muslims-say-they-fast-during-ramadan/ [iii] Puri-Mirza (2020) "Ramadan - statistics & facts" Statista. Accessed March 20, 2023. https://www.statista.com/topics/3796/ramadan-2017/

Lees deze blogpost in het Nederlands. Change is the only constant, a saying we often hear but seldom embrace. It takes various forms: sometimes it's adversity, other times it's something positive. It can be planned or entirely unexpected and inconvenient, leading to stress and disruption. Even when change is carefully prepared for, the results can be entirely unforeseen. From minor, everyday changes to profound life events, change affects us on a personal, social, and professional level. If we compare life to the sea, at times it's calm but more often turbulent. Wishing for no waves or trying to control them is futile. You can't tame the waves, but you can learn to surf. Change simply happens, and resisting it is a lost effort that only leads to stress. However, you can choose how to deal with it because your reaction is within your control. But how do you navigate in a world where change occurs at an unprecedented speed? Not with resilience, but more specifically with adaptive resilience. It's a quality that is now more necessary than ever because it goes beyond merely 'bouncing back'. With adaptive resilience, you successfully adapt to the situation ('adjusted bouncing'). Moreover, you typically grow through the difficulties you face ('bouncing forward'). Finally, you can also adjust in real-time, applying situational adaptive strategies based on what the situation requires. So, you are not only resilient but also agile. In short, you are adaptively resilient. To develop adaptive resilience and learn to surf or navigate, you need tools such as a compass – what I call 'CHANGE HACKS.' These are simple principles, insights, concrete approaches, or practical tips to better handle change and adversity. You can't avoid them, but you can ensure they have less impact on you. Flexibility in thinking, feeling, and acting is crucial for developing adaptive resilience. This means breaking free from ingrained thought patterns, changing your interpretation, regulating emotions, and using the right strategy or tool (change hack) based on the situation or type of problem. If you often feel resistance, uncertainty, or pessimism in the face of change – whether work-related or not – or if you risk burnout due to rapid, successive changes, cultivating adaptive resilience is essential. Even those naturally optimistic, open-minded, and good at putting things into perspective will benefit from specific ways to cope with various challenges. For example, if you're confronted with a tangle of problems and can't see the forest for the trees, you can first 'comb the spaghetti,' a methodological change hack that is highly systematic and helps untangle the mess. You can 'upgrade' your thoughts and learn to view change or stress differently. You can focus on what you can control rather than trying to change what's beyond your power. You can proactively work on your self-efficacy or anticipate change. As a team, you can objectively look at change together and escape the negative atmosphere by applying the Z-of-change. In my book, I cover this and much more with 25 tools or 'change hacks' that you can use in various situations. Understanding how our brain works and acting on that knowledge ensures that you're better equipped to handle challenging situations in these rapidly changing times. Consciously applying different change hacks will increase your adaptive resilience because you adopt a new attitude that determines how you approach life. The ultimate goal? Thrive better in a world full of change and be less impacted by it. Do you think your colleagues and organization would benefit from these insights? You can also book a keynote where I elaborate on the key principles.

In today's fast-paced digital age, the constant influx of information has transformed into an overwhelming whitewater river, bombarding us around the clock with messages and news. This perpetual deluge can have severe repercussions on our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Prioritizing "digital well-being" is not a luxury; it is an imperative. Mastering digital wellness is a skill that not only ensures personal thriving but also contributes to the success of organizations. The recent move in Belgium to grant employees the right to disconnect is a commendable initiative aimed at minimizing disruptions during their private time caused by work-related messages. While this is a positive step, the practicality of certain measures can be questioned. For instance, shutting down email servers on weekends may result in an overwhelming influx of emails on Monday mornings. Rather than shielding employees from the information flow, a more effective approach is to empower them to navigate this dynamic river independently. It's a simpler task than one might imagine, granting everyone the flexibility to chart their own course. This approach also proves beneficial in a work setting, highlighting the importance of being able to disconnect during work hours. Many tasks demand focus and concentration, prerequisites that necessitate moments of disconnection. As work complexity increases, requiring creative and innovative solutions, the need for uninterrupted focus becomes even more critical. Productivity, quality, and speed improvements often stem from disconnected moments, avoiding the constant shuffle between interruptions. Learning to disconnect becomes a mutually beneficial strategy for both employees and organizations, saving valuable time otherwise lost in constant task-switching. While it's easy to attribute constant connection and distraction to technology, a deeper examination prompts us to evaluate our own usage patterns and associated beliefs. The same technology responsible for inundating us with calls, emails, and messages also provides incredible opportunities to tailor the flow of information according to our needs. Overcoming the "Fear Of Missing Out" and other limiting beliefs empowers us to take charge of technology instead of letting it dictate our actions. By consciously managing what information reaches us, when, and how we respond, we exercise personal leadership. In essence, embracing digital well-being is a journey towards reclaiming control over our technological landscape for a more balanced and fulfilling life, both personally and professionally. This post has been written by Frans van de Ven, who has also a keynote on this topic.

As we embrace the new year, consider the profound impact of gifting books penned by our accomplished keynote speakers. These books, filled with wisdom and insights, aren't just pages; they are pathways to personal and professional growth. Whether you're thinking of meaningful gifts for your cherished clients or looking to empower and inspire your dedicated employees, our handpicked selection offers the perfect opportunity to kickstart the year with knowledge, joy, and transformation. Explore these thoughtful options, and make the most of the new year by sharing the gift of wisdom and inspiration. The world is at a crossroads, with a growing consensus that humanity, society, and the economy need to evolve. The traditional way of doing things is fading, and we face accelerated challenges, from pandemics to climate crises. Jo Caudron's book, "The Future Formula," offers a method to address these disruptions, starting with challenges and uncertainties, and guiding us toward sustainable innovation solutions. Soon available in English. Can also be ordered as a keynote. Learn why the ancient Greeks practiced winter training, how a one-second lead can make all the difference, and how to overcome a bad day. Discover essential skills for the modern work environment and draw insights from surprising sources, such as a sheikh, Farmer Germain, and even a lobster. This indispensable survival guide by Florence Pérès equips you to enhance adaptive resilience and navigate life successfully. Master uncertainty, bring order to chaos, and embrace change with confidence. Can also be ordered as a keynote & soon available in English. There is a new generation waiting on our doorsteps, flourishing in virtual worlds and virtual communities. They think and act differently, from leisure over work and everything in between. The third wave of the Internet is unfolding, but what is it about and which opportunities will the emerging virtual economy create for businesses and society at large? How do you win in a world accelerated by artificial intelligence, immersive virtual environments, and blockchain technologies? Also in keynote format. Building and sustaining a nimble, adaptable, and future-proof organization is complex and urgent. Only those with flexible Learnscapes will thrive. "Learning Ecosystems" explains how organizations can evolve into LearnScapes, aligning learning techniques with continuous interaction with their ecosystem. It offers practical guidance, covering lifelong learning, core competencies, value-driven learning strategies, data analytics, AI, and human-centric innovation. With case studies from companies like Etihad Airways and ING, this book is essential for organizations seeking sustained growth. How Curiosity Helps Individuals and Workplaces Thrive in transformational Times combines real stories and cases studies of corporate executives, academics, and entrepreneurs to reveal opportunities and challenges to success. Success requires a mindset of curiosity, awareness of its drivers and barriers and strategies to activate it. Intentional curiosity is needed especially in times of change. This book speaks to those who are looking for ideas to accelerate in life and work and embrace the concept of curiosity as a positive force in the digital age. This book is for anyone that realises the old methods of making plans and strategies for the future are simply not sufficient. To all the leaders, decision makers, entrepreneurs, innovators and change drivers, if you’re looking for a better way to build your future and plan your journey together, this book is for you. The book helps you to find your North Star, sense the world around you and transform while performing as a person and as a business, turn transformation into a strategic capability and to unleash the power of 3: inspiration, visualisation and co-creation. This step-by-step marketing approach makes it ever so easy to apply content marketing concepts. Take your content marketing skills to the next level with this comprehensive handbook. Inside, you'll find everything you need to know to develop and execute a successful content marketing strategy, including identifying your target audience, creating compelling content, and distributing it effectively. Then, with case studies and real-world examples, you'll be equipped to create and distribute content that engages and converts your target audience. Exploring the rapidly changing landscape of our world can be an exhilarating journey, and Cyriel Kortleven is your ideal guide. In his latest bookazine, you'll discover invaluable insights on embracing change with a resilient and creative mindset. Don't let the pace of change leave you feeling overwhelmed. Instead, equip yourself with the tools and strategies to not only cope with transformation but also thrive in it. Cyriel Kortleven's exploration of the Change Mindset is the key to remaining adaptable and innovative, not only for yourself but also for your team. Get ready to set your mind to change and unlock your full potential. "The Handbook for Post-Covid Communication: Your roadmap to reimagining corporate communications in the post-pandemic world. Discover how to connect with an evolving global workforce, inspire change, and weave compelling Human2Human Brand Stories. Uncover essential concepts like the CSO, H2H Outreach, and Micromessaging. Packed with real-world insights and practical advice, it's your concise guide to thriving in the new era." By Fiona Passantino. "Cyberdanger unveils the world of cybercrime, exploring malware, underground economies, cyberattacks, and more. It provides practical countermeasures for individuals and organizations while delving into cyberespionage, hacktivism, and the human element. A must-read for cybersecurity professionals and an accessible introduction for all interested in online security." By Eddy Willems. In today's business landscape, companies strive to create successful products, often with varying results. Yoav Nir, drawing from two decades of experience at Barco nv, shares practical techniques and strategies to enhance the likelihood and impact of your product's success. Backed by over 80 tips and real-world cases, this 'how-to' guide serves as an inspirational resource for startups, scaleups, and established corporations seeking innovation and product excellence. By Yoav Nir. A positive culture in your organization doesn't happen by itself. You need to work on it. Learning to perform at your best is possible, even in easy and challenging contexts. This book by Katrijn Steenbeke and Anne-Sophie Deprez provides you with practical guidance on how to actively contribute to a positive mindset, communication, connection, engagement, and atmosphere in your team and organization, using the Corporate Positivity Method. In his first book 'Build your dream team', Johan De Keyser firmly stated that a high-performance team consists of strengthful personalities who are willing to work together to realize a collective dream. And that you do this on the basis of trustworthiness, in all openness and with clear agreements that team members hold each other to account while monitoring their progress. His second book, 'Dynamic Equilibrium' gives you innovative and stimulating insights that make you think, make you consciously reflect and give you the desire to get started right away.' In your dream job, you might encounter challenges like uninspiring bosses or unfulfilling tasks. The question arises: Do you stay in your comfort zone or explore new horizons? These dilemmas are significant, and complacency can be a powerful force. However, focusing on your workplace happiness is vital. Well-being expert Ann De Bisschop explains how the new way of working can be both productive and enjoyable. If it becomes increasingly difficult to resonate with your current workplace, and your job lacks satisfaction, Professor of Labor Economics Stijn Baert provides insights on changing direction and escaping your golden cage. "Everyone Can Lead" focuses on the essence of leadership—bringing out the best in yourself and others. It's a practical, no-nonsense guide with exercises for individuals at all levels, from employees to CEOs. The book helps you answer the key question, "What kind of leader do you want to be?" By gaining self-insight and positively influencing others, you'll enhance your personal leadership, leading to greater happiness and better work results for yourself and your colleagues. "Authentic Adaptability" allows you to consciously choose your leadership style based on your preferences and context. The book also emphasizes "Positive Connection" as the key to a strong working relationship between you and your colleagues, built on trust, respect, autonomy, recognition, and purpose. Imagine waking up each day with boundless energy, unwavering focus, and time for your loved ones in the evening. For many leaders, the reality is different. Research shows 40% of C-suite execs are quitting due to stress, and over 50% of managers experience burnout. "Fully Charged" by Lieven Van Linden provides scientifically backed tools to boost your health, energy, and leadership skills. Learn to make better decisions under pressure, elevate dopamine levels with a 3-minute habit, identify crucial health metrics, seamlessly integrate health routines, and reduce stress in important meetings, all without gadgets. In the digital age, organizations must undergo transformation, but it's not a casual endeavor. It's a challenging journey riddled with unexpected obstacles and resistance, resembling a mountain expedition in many ways. Both endeavors demand experiential skills, comprehensive preparation, dedication, adaptability, and teamwork for success. "The Only Way Is Up" by Wim Smets, a seasoned transformation manager and accomplished mountaineer, draws parallels between high-altitude experiences and practical advice for entrepreneurs and managers. Plastic Soup Surfer" is the remarkable story of biologist and artist Merijn Tinga, who takes action to raise awareness about the global plastic issue. He embarks on journeys like kitesurfing along the Dutch North Sea coast and paddleboarding down the Rhine, using boards made from plastic litter. His extraordinary journey, starting on the beach in Noordwijk, evolves into a battle against the entire system, from politics to the corporate world. His story, filled with ups and downs, demonstrates that anyone can make a difference: thanks to Merijn, as of July 1, 2021, a deposit is placed on small plastic bottles. Is your team lacking motivation? Whether it's for their daily tasks, changes in the organization, routine assignments, or significant projects, or if you're seeking a personal motivation boost, Hermina Van Coillie's book is for you. It explores the practical application of Deci and Ryan's Self-Determination Theory (SDT), rooted in extensive scientific research. SDT focuses on enhancing motivation, not just achieving 'more,' but achieving it 'better.' It dispels myths about intrinsic motivation and introduces a practical motivation ABC. With exercises and real-world examples, the book equips you with tools to motivate yourself and your team at work without imposing control. This approach results in improved well-being, reduced stress, burnout, and turnover, and enhanced performance for both employees and the organization! To be a good leader, interviewer, entrepreneur or a strong person, you need to ask the right questions. But you also need to know that it's not the question that matters, it's the answer. The answer will dictate the next portion of your interview, the next step for your company or your next big life decision. But be careful. If you ask the wrong question, you will head off on the wrong path and make a wrong decision. Through 10 key questions and 21 interviews, Suyin Aerts explores what you can learn from yourself and others. We'd be delighted to provide you with a quote, and for larger quantities, we're happy to offer special discounts. Keep an eye on this page as we continually add new books.

In the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), one critical aspect often overlooked is transparency. While AI has become an integral part of our lives and work, it operates as something of a black box for most users. This lack of transparency and understanding of AI systems has given rise to challenges and misunderstandings that need to be addressed. Enter Explainable AI (XAI), a concept that aims to shed light on the inner workings of AI, making it more accessible and comprehensible to all. At the heart of the issue lies the fact that many AI systems are akin to a black box, concealing their decision-making processes. This opaqueness poses hurdles for both end-users and organizations. To illustrate, consider the experience of EEVE, a robotics company utilizing computer vision and AI for garden navigation. Customers often found it challenging to decipher their robot's behavior, leading to questions such as: "Why did my robot stop mowing the lawn when it encountered a group of flowers?" or "Why can't my robot dock properly?" The answers to these seemingly random actions were, in fact, logical, but understanding them required technical expertise. To bridge the gap between AI systems and end-users, XAI involves the development of tools and user interfaces that provide clarity to users. By making AI's decision-making processes visible, users can gain insights into how the system interprets various elements. For instance, at EEVE, users can access an AI visualization feature on their smartphones, enabling them to see how the robot perceives the world. This approach fosters informed interactions between humans and machines. Additionally, the advent of publicly available language models (LLMs) represents a significant advancement. These models enable the translation of an AI system's technical output into human-understandable language, allowing for meaningful conversations in a chat mode. Companies like Solvice, specializing in automating complex planning problems, already provide users with explanations for intricate decisions in planning and routing. By integrating LLMs into their interface, they transition from standard machine messages to user-friendly conversations with the system. Even prominent platforms such as Bing have taken steps in this direction, revealing the factors considered when generating search results. This transparency provides users with insights into the origins of the answers they receive. By unraveling the mystery of the AI black box, users gain confidence, leading to greater acceptance and positive outcomes. The potential of Explainable AI (XAI) is vast and can make AI more accessible, transparent, and reliable. As evidenced by the simple chat interface of ChatGPT, XAI has the potential to bridge the gap between humans and machines by making AI's decision-making processes visible, speaking the language of users, leveraging natural language interfaces, and using AI to explain reasoning. It's time to take AI out of the black box and into the light of understanding, enhancing its impact on our lives and work. Bert Van Wassenhove is the author of this article. Its concepts and content is also available as keynote.

Today, De Standaard reports that climate action doesn't seem to be a top priority for European leaders as it once was. The draft text prepared by Charles Michel's cabinet, President of the European Council, highlights five main priorities: defense, competitiveness, engagement with other regions to strengthen the international order, migration, and EU expansion. Interestingly, a 'climate-neutral, green, just, and social Europe' is no longer at the core of these priorities, in contrast to five years ago. This shift doesn't mean climate and environmental policies are less important. Many of the major climate objectives, such as climate neutrality by 2050, are already legally established. Now, the focus is on implementation and staying on course, while there is still much work to be done in areas like defense, migration, and industrial policy. Nevertheless, some political leaders are also amplifying climate fatigue among voters. Greenpeace finds the draft text concerning, stating, "Despite some lukewarm green buzzwords, this document puts Europe on a destructive path. If this becomes the EU's vision for the future, Europe will lose its international leadership in the fight against climate change." At Speakersbase, we sincerely hope that climate neutrality remains a top priority. We offer several keynotes that can contribute to this cause. For instance, Professor Johan Albrecht provides captivating insights into achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and balancing sustainability, reliability, and affordability. Dr. Audrey-Flore Ngomsik explains the risks of ignoring climate change, while Isabel Verstraete shares why caring for the planet should be a strategic pillar in your brand positioning. Christophe Jauquet advocates for health and well-being as important drivers that benefit sustainability. Additionally, we have Merijn Tinga, aka the plastic soup surfer, and Wannes Van Giel, both delivering impactful keynotes that raise awareness about this crucial topic. Let's keep our commitment to a sustainable future alive!

Many people fear their ability to keep up with the fast pace of digital innovations and adapt to new ways of work. This often results in employee frustration, insecurity, and sometimes even burnout. Executives, on the other hand, are concerned about retaining employees and attracting new talent with the right skill set, as the war for talent rages more fiercely than ever. However, it's important to remember that employee potential isn't solely determined by skills or competencies. Embracing a learning mindset, both personally and within the organization, allows us to view change as an opportunity for collective innovation and ongoing improvement, enabling us to excel and thrive together. The Myth Unraveled About Learning and Aging Let me start by saying that our brains do not lose the ability to learn as we age. In fact, brains are like sponges that absorb new things, or like muscles that get stronger as you use them. It is a myth to think that this "muscle" loses strength as you age. In fact, research by Kegan and Lahey (Harvard 2016) that plots mental complexity against age shows that the opposite could be true, and that we should actually revalue older workers. Simply put, according to this research, learning is a process by which we develop new knowledge by making new connections between brain cells. This learning process and the new experiences lead to structural and functional changes in the brain, also called neuroplasticity. As long as there is no pathological condition, this process continues. Moreover, according to Kegan and Lahey's research, mental complexity increases with age. Thus, the myth that older workers cannot keep up can be debunked. With the right motivation and guidance, they will be all the better able to use their accumulated expertise and knowledge to grow their teams and the organization as a whole. A Learning Mindset Is Like Nurturing the Child Within Ourselves What I observe in many of my sessions is that we have unlearned or forgotten some of the key competencies that support the learning mindset. These competencies that enabled us as children to embrace learning, such as curiosity, which Stefaan van Hooydonk clearly points out in his book "The Workplace Curiosity Manifesto." Think of that child in you that kept asking, "Why, why, why?" to the annoyance of our parents and teachers who had forgotten its added value to learn. Combine this with an openness to all things novel, especially those that defied our accustomed norms, even if solely for the purpose of experimentation or rebellion. Furthermore, include the aspect of imagining our own future, where we had the potential to achieve anything. Retrieve those memories and warmly embrace that earlier version of yourself. After all, it is from competencies like these that we had as children that we can grow into the future that scares us now. As leaders, we must also nurture these competencies in our fellow workers in order to create an organizational learning mindset. A learning mindset that emphasizes the importance of actively seeking new knowledge and skills. This requires openness to new experiences, curiosity, and a constant drive to expand understanding in different domains. This learning mindset focuses on the process of acquiring knowledge and understanding, encouraging adaptability and a willingness to learn from both successes and failures, perhaps even more so from failures that are positively shared in a safe environment. Embrace Innovations That Support a Learning Mindset for Collaborative Growth It might seem unusual, but it's precisely innovations such as generative AI and the sudden emergence of chatbots utilizing LLMs that might challenge our traditional way of working. These innovations highlight the limitations of our own brains, regardless of how hard we try to train that "muscle." Moreover, when you consider the excitement around virtual worlds like the metaverse, which garnered significant attention last year, it's easy to feel as if you're falling behind, or perhaps even aging and unable to keep up with these developments. Still, as always, I want to inspire and even provoke you to look at the world through the eyes of children. They are the future of work, and for them, these alternative worlds and innovations have long been the new normal. Do you really think they didn't already spend years as a collective brain together doing their homework using apps they obviously didn't show us? Young people are used to their virtual friend "MyAI on Snapchat" joining in group conversations and helping choose where they will order pizza tonight or even helping them with more difficult live questions. When I use the word "provoke," I mean to encourage you to feel a certain level of anxiety that motivates you to engage in conversations with younger individuals about their world. The objective is for both generations to learn from each other and collaborate in shaping the future of work, which can be daunting for everyone involved. Following this, I aim to invite leaders to facilitate interactions between generations, allowing them to appreciate each other's unique strengths. Together, we can foster a culture that embraces the presence of fear and the potential for failure, but more importantly, cultivates a collective passion for learning. Katja Schipperheijn is the author of this article. Its concepts and content is also available as keynote and in workshop format.

-- this blogpost is also available in English at the bottom of this page, translated by AI of course :) -- AI lijkt overal te zijn: in de pers, op etentjes onder vrienden en het is ook aan een felle opmars bezig in de bedrijfswereld. Het is dus geen verrassing dat het momenteel ons meest geboekte onderwerp is. Daarom zetten we graag even al onze sprekers op een rij. AI en bedrijven Geertrui Mieke De Ketelaere Deze leading lady in tech doceert aan Vlerick Business School en adviseert de overheid op gebied van AI. Mieke mag dan al een burgerlijk ingenieur zijn, ze focust zich vooral op de vertaalslag van technologie naar de bedrijfswereld. Het is haar op ervaring gebaseerde overtuiging dat dit de kritische succesfactor is om AI-projecten te laten slagen: people, processes and profit. Richard van Hooijdonck Richard is een futurist. Hij heeft zelf chips in zijn lichaam laten inplanten en heeft een uitgesproken mening over hoe onze wereld er in 2030 zal uitzien. Dat past hij ook toe op de toekomst van werk. En ja, je raadt het al, daarbij is ook een stevig onderdeel aan AI gewijd. Dado Van Peteghem Dado is al jaren actief in het begeleiden van bedrijven in hun digitale transformatie. Goed begrijpen welke rol Artificial Intelligence hierin kan spelen is daarbij uitermate belangrijk. Dado past zijn keynote Grasping the exponential power of AI dan ook telkens aan aan de sector van de klant. Erwin Van den Brande Erwin heeft zichzelf tot doel gesteld om de culturele en creatieve wereld en de zakenwereld dichter bij elkaar te brengen. Kunst is dan ook de rode draad doorheen al zijn keynotes. En eentje daarvan, Art, Technology and Science, heeft artificiële intelligentie in de hoofdrol. AI en mensen Jo Caudron Deze internet pioneer en auteur van meerdere boeken spreekt over disruptie en hoe systeem shocks onze wereld veranderen. AI maakt daar zonder twijfel deel van uit. Zijn invalshoek richt zich meer tot de mens dan op technologie: hoe kunnen medewerkers hun verantwoordelijkheid opnemen in een Man - Machine samenwerking? AI is a people thing Katja Schipperheijn Katja is een award winning auteur en haar keynotes zetten echt aan tot denken. Focus ligt op hoe ecosystemen bijdragen tot het verwerven van kennis. Katja's lezingen worden telkens gecustomiseerd aan de context van onze klanten, maar de symbiose tussen mens en machine staat hierbij steevast centraal. AI is daarbij niet weg te denken. Fiona Passantino Fiona is een Amerikaanse die in heel wat internationale multinationals als communicatie strateeg actief was. Vandaag adviseert ze bedrijven op gebied van AI-integratie, cultuur en engagement. Communicatie staat daarbij centraal, en in haar workshop over generatieve AI leer je alles over hoe AI daar kan in supporteren. Isabelle Gonnissen Isabelle is als initiatiefneemster achter de campagne 30 dagen zonder klagen een voorvechtster van een positieve ingesteldheid. En dat staat vaak in schril contrast met de weerzin die AI kan oproepen omdat het voor medewerkers soms voelt alsof de mens vervangen wordt. Deze lezing roept op om AI open minded en met vertrouwen tegemoet te treden en om het veranderingstraject samen te durven aangaan. Choose Positive 2.0 - the missing link of AI Jochen Roef Jochen is gepassioneerd door HR en focust zich op hoe tools de war for talent kunnen helpen winnen. In zijn keynotes behandelt hij de toekomst van HR en de rol van Artificial Intelligence daarbij. AI en data Maarten Vanhoof Dr. Maarten Vanhoof is een expert in (big) data analytics. Verder is hij ook onderlegd in machine learning en (spatial) data science. Hij geeft niet alleen keynotes over het onderwerp, maar ook workshops die meer in de diepte gaan. Renout van Hove Renout is een marketeer in hart en nieren en zet data en AI dan ook op een meesterlijke wijze in om bedrijven en hun marketing te transformeren. Customer experiences worden nooit meer dezelfde. Unlocking Next-Level Customer Experiences: The Transformative Power of AI Bert Van Wassenhove Als venture entrepreneur kent Bert als geen ander het belang van datagedreven bedrijven. Maar hoe integreer je dat in je processen? Bert vertrekt vanuit de gebruiker en zijn keynote licht toe hoe de customer journey kan opgebouwd worden rond data om er vervolgens in 4 stappen AI op los te laten. Transforming to a data powered organization and enabling Artificial Intelligence. Daarnaast heeft hij nog een 2e keynote waarover ook een blogpost verscheen: The Imperative of Explainable AI. --- English version --- AI seems to be everywhere: in the media, at dinner parties among friends, and it's also on a steep rise in the business world. So, it's no surprise that it's currently our most booked topic. That's why we'd like to list all our speakers for you. AI and Businesses Geertrui Mieke De Ketelaere This leading lady in tech teaches at Vlerick Business School and advises the government on AI matters. Although Mieke is a civil engineer, her main focus is on translating technology into the business world. She believes, based on her experience, that this is the critical success factor for AI projects: people, processes, and profit. Richard van Hooijdonck Richard is a futurist. He has implanted chips in his own body and has a strong opinion about how our world will look in 2030. He applies this to the future of work, which, as you can guess, includes a substantial focus on AI. Dado Van Peteghem Dado has been actively involved in guiding companies through their digital transformations for years. Understanding the role Artificial Intelligence can play is crucial. Dado customizes his keynote, Grasping the exponential power of AI, to the client's industry. Erwin Van den Brande Erwin has set himself the goal of bringing the cultural and creative world closer to the world of business. Art is the common thread throughout all of his keynotes. And one of them, Art, Technology and Science, features artificial intelligence in the spotlight. AI and people Jo Caudron This internet pioneer and author of several books talks about disruption and how system shocks change our world. AI undoubtedly plays a part in this. His approach is more focused on people than on technology: how can employees take responsibility in Man-Machine collaboration? AI is a people thing Katja Schipperheijn Katja is an award-winning author, and her keynotes are thought-provoking. Her focus is on how ecosystems contribute to knowledge acquisition. Her keynotes are always customized to the client's context, but the symbiosis between humans and machines is central. AI is an integral part of it. Fiona Passantino Fiona is an American who has worked as a communication strategist in numerous international multinational corporations. Today, she advises companies on AI integration, culture and engagement. Communication plays a central role in this, and in her workshop on generative AI, you can learn all about how AI can support it. Isabelle Gonnissen Isabelle, the initiator behind the "30 days without complaining" campaign, is an advocate for a positive mindset. This often contrasts with the resistance that AI can generate because employees sometimes feel like they're being replaced by machines. This lecture encourages approaching AI with an open mind and confidence and daring to embark on the change journey together. Choose Positive 2.0 - the missing link of AI Jochen Roef Jochen is passionate about HR and focuses on how tools can help win the war for talent. In his keynotes, he discusses the future of HR and the role of Artificial Intelligence in it. AI and data Maarten Vanhoof Dr. Maarten Vanhoof is an expert in (big) data analytics. He's also well-versed in machine learning and (spatial) data science. He not only gives keynotes on the subject but also conducts in-depth workshops. Renout van Hove Renout is a marketer at heart and masterfully uses data and AI to transform companies and their marketing. Customer experiences will never be the same again. Unlocking Next-Level Customer Experiences: The Transformative Power of AI Bert Van Wassenhove As a venture entrepreneur, Bert understands the importance of data-driven businesses like no other. But how do you integrate it into your processes? Bert starts with the user and explains how the customer journey can be built around data, and then, in 4 steps, lets AI work its magic. Transforming to a data powered organization and enabling Artificial Intelligence. Additionally, he has a second keynote, for which a blog post was also published: The Imperative of Explainable AI.

Not all networkers are creative generalists, and vice versa. However, both networkers and creative generalists bring added value to your organization or project team. In order to foster inclusivity and innovation, it is essential to have individuals who can bridge gaps and maintain a broad perspective. By assembling a team that combines generalists and specialists, we enhance our readiness to make a difference in our rapidly changing world. Often, we hold certain biases when it comes to individuals with non-linear career paths. Despite living in a society that highly values specialization and encourages us to excel in one specific field, I believe times are changing, and having diverse knowledge and interests can be advantageous. This is one of the reasons why I decided to share my experiences as a "slasher" in a book. Leaders who embody both creativity and networking skills are often successful in providing the much-needed cohesion within an organization. In observing how politics operate, compromises are often sought. However, I believe in exploring a third alternative. Rather than dividing the metaphorical cake, there are better approaches that align with a sharing economy. Consider the unpleasant taste when diluting a glass of good wine with water. Similarly, before embarking on the cake-baking process, it is crucial to engage in discussions with the team, embrace new ingredients, and create a cake that has never been made before. Opting for the third alternative becomes paramount when faced with individuals holding different opinions. A creative generalist often excels as a mediator, particularly when addressing unforeseen incidents or urgent problems. They can shed light on situations from various angles, acting as an invaluable resource. Authentic networkers, for a time, set aside their own agendas and goals. They actively listen to others, perceiving unasked questions and contemplating how they can be of assistance to people within their immediate or broader circles. I have encountered excellent networkers who are specialists and creative generalists who struggle in networking. However, I thoroughly enjoy the company of creative generalists who excel as networkers while indulging in cake and wine. This is a blog post by Suyin Aerts. With the code sbgeneralist10 we offer our readers a 10% discount on her book, Tijd voor de creatieve generalist. The code is only valid through the Lannoo/LannooCampus webshop until 30/09/2023. The code cannot be combined with other promotions and discount codes.