how to reach your goals
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Why we so often fail to reach our goals (and what to do instead)

As the end of the year is approaching, I am often thinking back about this old classmate I spoke to, about five years ago. At that moment she told me, with twinkling eyes: “I’m going to do things completely different this year! I have decided to finally launch my own business, a webshop for children’s clothing”. At the time I had just taken a leap of faith and became a full-time entrepreneur with Doors Open, and I had just opened the doors of the Female Hub. So I completely understood her enthusiasm.

A year later, we met again – at Bubbels & Babbels – and when I asked her how her webshop was doing, she told me that she hadn’t gotten around to it. “But this year I’m really planning to get it up and running!”

My old classmate is a textbook example. Because even though Instagram is full of successful, laughing goal-getters, the reality is that goals more often than not end up in the trash.

Why does this happen? And more importantly, what can you do about it?

In order to achieve your goals, there are 4 crucial elements.

#1 Find your why

When setting goals, we often stay on the surface too much. We only look at the outcome, at the action and not at the underlying motivation.

“I want to go to the gym more often this year” is a popular example. The gym is not a goal in itself. The goal is to feel fitter and healthier and we think that we can achieve this by going to the gym.

A turnover of € 10,000 per month is not an objective in itself. The goal is to create financial security and we think we can achieve this by a turnover of € 10,000 per month.

We often make the mistake of seeing the steps we need to take as the ultimate goal rather than looking at the underlying motivation. Why do you want to go to the gym more often? Why do you want that turnover of € 10,000 per month? Why do you want to start your own business?

Centering – a somatic exercise I often practice with my coachees – helps to really focus on your purpose and why you want something. What are you longing for and how does it make you feel? Is it truly what you want, or is it something you think you want, maybe even – unconsciously – influenced by others?

#2 Embody your why

Once you’ve found your why, the next challenge is to really embody the change you want to make. Motivation is crucial, but even the most motivated people – often – fail. A very useful exercise is to write down your why. What is the change you really commit yourself to? Repeat this commitment – by saying it to yourself in front of a mirror, by writing it down, by saying it to your partner, whatever works for you – everyday. That’s when you start making the transformation from finding your commitment to being the commitment.

Now, you know what they say: if something sounds to good to be true, it usually is. That’s true here too. Writing down your commitment ain’t gonna do the whole trick. It’s just a start. In order to really embody your why, you need to practice it 300 times before it becomes muscle memory (I cannot repeat this enough: the brain is a muscle) and 3.000 times for it to become your automatic response.

If you are ready to embody your why, the Tiny Habits method is a very recommended resource.

#3 What stops me?

In the fifteen years that I have been working as a Learning & Development expert and coach, I regularly meet people who exactly know what their why is. They know exactly what they want. They also know in detail how to get there, what steps are needed. And yet they do not succeed in actually taking action.

The most common reason: fear. We are afraid that we do not see the desired result, we’re afraid we can’t actually do it. We see worst-case scenarios in which everything goes completely wrong. And these fears lead to a certain type of behaviour that prevents us from achieving our goals.

There’s an explanation for this. We are biological beings and because of that we are looking for safety, belonging and being seen. Change, the unknown, is something that biologically sparks fear. Our brain automatically wants to go to something that is familiar. When experiencing fear your body goes into contraction: we avoid the change, we go back to your old habits, we continue to plan and plan and plan, but never really take action. All of these behaviours are signs that we are looking for safety.

Recognizing your fears, and naming them – name it to tame it – is a very useful exercise to overcome those fears.

Tim Ferriss argues in his TedTalk that you should define your fears instead of your goals.

At Doors Open, we often use a somatic exercise when someone experiences fear:

It starts with centering (if you want to know more about this essential somatic exercise, feel free to reach out)

Place your hand on the part of your body where you feel the fear. Is it in your back, your head, your shoulders?

Describe what you feel: is it warm, cold, moving, does it have a certain shape or color?

Experience how – slowly – your fear will become less

Now say your commitment out loud again

#4 Find an accountability partner

Especially in December and January we tend to look ahead. What do I want to achieve this year? But it’s just as important to look back and reflect. If we do not reach our goal, reflecting helps us in finding out why it did not work. But even if you do achieve your goal, it is important to reflect. I always try to celebrate goals, no matter how small they are (following the Tiny Habit method).

I also take a moment to think: “I have achieved my goal. What am I feeling now?” Suppose you have achieved your target of € 10,000 per month, but the feeling of certainty is not there. Then you know that money isn’t what offers you security. In other words, you know that you have to go back to (re)discover your why.

Reflection is essential to prevent us from pursuing the wrong goals and, in spite of achieving the goals, not feeling the way we wanted to feel. So take the time to reflect regularly, before you proceed to the next action. An accountability partner is very valuable here: someone you can share your commitment with and a person who can keep you ‘on track’. This can be a professional coach, but also a friend, colleague or family member. We too often feel we have to do everything all by ourself.

I hope that next year – you’ll come back to this blog to share the wonderful progress you made in achieving your goals. If you need any help along the way, feel free to reach out to our team.

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#SheInspires: 6 women who inspire us in 2021

Doors Open came up with an initiative that combines World Compliment day with International Women’s Day 2021. This day commemorates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. In the run-up to International Women’s Day on the 8th of March, we complimented an inspiring female leader every day. These women #choosetochallenge all in their own unique ways. We are proud to present all those amazing leaders we have put the spotlight on with you and share their contribution to this world. 

Do you want to know why we found these women inspiring? Keep reading, because you will find out in this blog! These women #choosetochallenge and this is why.  The first woman we chose to shine a light on is Elsa Endlich-Metselaar. Elsa is the manager of the Human Capital Development team at NN Investment Partners. I have known her for quite some time but the past year I have had the privilege to work closely with Elsa. I am amazed by her energy, knowledge and realization power. When the pandemic and lockdown started Elsa immediately made sure there was a programme to support all employees during these unprecedented and challenging times. Elsa is an expert in her field and an advocate for diversity and inclusion. She is a true people manager, ensuring her team feels heard and seen. These skills are indispensable as a future leader. 

Working as a health care professional at her own company Medfield, Karen Wiegant strives to improve health care. I like how Karen is always eager to achieve the best results, has a mix of curiosity, perseverance and the ability to connect people while always making sure there is a common goal and shared motivation. With her medical background and strength to critically analyse she supports the development, implementation and use of medical technology. People know her for the personal attention she gives and for being an expert in her field. 

Nathalie van Wijkvliet is the founder of myhappyfootprint. With her big green heart, she created this personal blog and marketing agency with the aim to make the world a better place. Having a positive impact on the planet is her priority as she believes that people and the planet should be put before profit. She always has and keeps on inspiring me. There should be more people like her on this planet! 

Another powerful leader is Dinusha Frings. I am always inspired by her positive attitude and how she stands up for herself and her beliefs. She has her own company and is an excellent project manager. She is honest, very energetic and full of creativity. She is the type of person who always smiles, works hard and strives for optimal results. Dinusha, thank you for enriching my network with your positive attitude! 

The next woman shares this positive attitude with Dinusha. Oprah Alberto is a Work and Organizational Psychologist and is an excellent people manager with a passion for HR. Working as an HR manager at LionsDive Beach Resort on Curaçao during these unpredictable times, requires strong work ethics. Her proven thoroughness and attention to detail make her unique. With her focus on Diversity & Inclusiveness and Learning & Development, it is always a pleasure to work with her. 

Angela Abdoelhafiezkhan is such a great leader, always eager to learn and achieve more. I met her a few years ago during a leadership program and since then she has made impressive career steps, now working as Head of an IT department at Rabobank. I am proud of the woman she is today and I admire her perseverance! 

All these female leaders have inspired me and Doors Open in their own way. Hopefully, these compliments got you thinking about who is inspiring to you and why. By sharing more often what you admire in someone else, we can spread positivity together!  

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Doors Open - Blog - Hoe bouw je een goed virtueel team
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What does working virtually mean in practice?

It’s almost hard to believe that one year ago we wrote a blog post on a similar topic, yet as we write this one the circumstances and situation are much different. When Doors Open visited Norway in February 2019 to mentor a newly formed team, with members spread over four countries, we had the chance to prepare the team for the challenges of working virtually. In 2020 many teams will not have been able to prepare themselves for this properly, but rather thrown into this situation suddenly and abruptly due to the disruption that Covid-19 has brought in all of our lives.
While we are all very fortunate and grateful to be able to work from home, this does not mean it does not bring some new challenges for you as a leader and for your team. Less communication, less visibility and accountability and increased complexity make virtual working a struggle even without the uncertainty we all currently face. So, how can you as a leader manage your team while working virtually? And more importantly, where do you start?

To begin with, lets define the term “virtual working”. In her book “Virtual Leadership” Dr. Penny Pullan defines it as

Work done by people who are geographically distributed, working together despite the fact that at least one person is not in the same location as others. Virtual work is supported by communications technology that helps people to connect when far apart.

Since probably everyone in your team is working from home now, not even one person is the same location as the others. This means you will have to give the three points we mentioned earlier (communication, invisibility and complexity) even more attention.

#1 Complexity

It is important to start with this crucial aspect. Make a list of everyone in your team, and note down their cultural background, native language, access to technology, homelife situation (living alone, housemates, with children…) and if they went back to their home country then also the time difference. These are all potential barriers that you want to address to make working remotely as effective and productive as possible. Be aware of every person’s situation and needs, and make a plan on how you can best work around time zones or people who now have to take care of their children at home. Give people in your team who have a different native language more time to process and respond as audio quality and lack of body language cues might make it more difficult for them to understand your message. You can ask your team members to create a “Way We Work” document which outlines the needs and homelife situation of each person, and together as a team they can come up with solutions, guidelines and new norms as a team. Also, most likely you will have some more introverted and some more extroverted people on your team, so make sure you actively invite and give the former the opportunity to speak. Check out this TED talk below by Susan Cain on why people who are more introverted are also very important!

 

 

 #2 Communication

Or rather, the lack of effective communication. As 93% of what and how we communicate is non-verbal, you now need to be especially aware of what your team members are saying in order to avoid misunderstandings. To make communicating with your team effective, choose the right times and technology. Within our team we use video-calling apps like Zoom and this allows us to set a meeting timer to ensure that our meetings stay short and to the point. Try to keep email communication to a minimum, rather keep it to your virtual meetings or if you have a quick question use Slack to send that person a message. At Doors Open we also use Slack to communicate under specific channels, making it easier for us to track down what somebody said.

 

Be sure to check out Trello, Zoom, Basecamp and more. There are soo many great tools out there – make use of them!

Make sure all employees have access to Trello or any other project management application for that matter so that everyone in your team knows what needs to happen for which projects. However, applications like these are not just there to provide overview but are also a visual representation of your team’s successes. It is important to celebrate these successes just as you would normally, so take the time during visual meetings to congratulate and praise your team members. Lastly, give people constructive feedback by scheduling individual video-meetings and actively ask for feedback yourself. This is truly the best way for you to learn. You can read more about tips on how to give and receive feedback here.

#3 Invisibility

It is no secret that physical proximity makes working together more efficient. Working remotely induces a certain lack of accountability as you are not able to see what your employees are doing with your own eyes. To combat this, create a sense of trust in the team. Within our team we make sure to check in with each other often and let each other know that we are here for one another. Take five minutes during each virtual briefing and encourage your team to share their emotions or worries and together come up with a solution. Another important aspect to incorporate are routine check-in times with your team via a video call for example. Set two or three specific times every day that you meet with your team where you can see how everyone is feeling (this also helps to create trust) and where they can update each other on their tasks. Lastly, you may have heard the phrase “Shared responsibility is no responsibility”, so make sure you set up one person responsible for each project as this will make them feel more accountable.

Pro Tip: Write down who is responsible for which project or task and share that information with your team through a cloud based technology!

It is no doubt that even well-prepared teams would find working virtually a challenge, let alone teams that have suddenly been thrust into this headfirst. However, as it will most likely be some time before we can return to our offices and physical team meetings it is important for all of us to adapt to this new way of working. Luckily, we as humans can be pretty good at adapting quickly to new situations and routines when pushed. So take the time to reflect on the various points we mentioned and give your team a gentle nudge into this new way of working. As a team we know how difficult and overwhelming it can be come up with your own solutions during a crisis situation, so try out a few things that worked for us like the Way We Work document, the daily check-ins or the various technology tools!

Do you have any other tips for us on how to make virtual working successful? Let us know in the comments below!

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My Best Mistake – Svenja Vollmer

The best mistake of: Svenja Vollmer

“My gut feeling said it. My colleagues said it. I ignored all voices and ended up hiring the wrong candidate for the job.”

Sometimes we are too afraid of making mistakes, that out of fear for the possible consequences, we don’t take any action. Afraid to fail, afraid about what our environment thinks about it, afraid that it doesn’t fit in our “Instagrammable perfect life”…

Which is such a shame, because making mistakes is THE way to learn and develop yourself. That is why we at Doors Open celebrate making mistakes! Every month we interview entrepreneurs, leaders, professional athletes… People who, just like you, have gotten to where they are by failing and standing up again.They have told us about their best mistake: a mistake which has taught them a lot and has helped them greatly in their development.

In this edition

Svenja Vollmer

Residence: The Hague

Profession: Team Leader Youth and Women Empowerment, Division for Peace, United Nations Institute for Training and Research

An important part of Svenja’s job at the United Nations Institute for Training & Research (UNITAR) is to recruit both consultants and interns to support her team to implement training and capacity building projects. Not too long ago, she was in need for a new team member for a specific project. She knew upfront that a hectic schedule in that part of the year wouldn’t allow for the same sort of mentorship and guidance she usually offers to her team members, so she needed someone with experience, a steep learning curve and the ability to work independently. She ended up hiring someone with none of those skills.

What did you do wrong during the selection process for this particular candidate?

When I am recruiting, I am always faced with some sort of moral dilemma. I feel that it is my role and that of UNITAR – I mean, we are a training institute AND part of the United Nations – to offer empowering opportunities to people and to embrace diversity. The aspiration of the UN is to portrait the whole world, so I always pay attention to this in the recruitment process.

For this specific role, I had 3 possible candidates on the short list, all with different cultural as well as educational backgrounds. I ended up recruiting one of the candidates. She wasn’t the one that was the most qualified, but she met my values of diversity and empowerment. However, by putting these values upfront, I was putting my own needs and the needs of the organization at a second place.

“It turned out to be a mistake that affected both parties in a negative way.”

For my team member, who was not familiar with the UN context and not used to our way of working, it was quite a frustrating moment, as she didn’t get the time, dedication and mentorship that she needed. On the other hand, I was still faced with a deadline and a job that had to be done.

What did you learn from this?

It showed me that it’s important to be realistic when making a choice for a new team member, looking at your own time and resources. And of course that you need to balance your emotions and rational thoughts, as well as your values and the needs of the organization at that moment. My trainer’s heart almost always roots for the underdog. I am a very compassionate person and when I see someone with potential – and this woman certainly had that – I immediately think: “I can empower this person”. And if I would have hired this particular person for the same or another position in a different moment, I am sure that things would have worked out much better for both of us. So for future selection processes, I will make sure to be able to respond both to the needs of the organization AND the team member.

Is there something you could have done differently?

Yes. My colleagues were quite frank with me and expressed their doubts about my selection and the reasons for it, from the beginning. And honestly, my gut feeling also told me that I wouldn’t be able to give her the guidance she needed. I based my decision too much on my values, and in the end, no one was benefiting from that.

I also have the tendency to believe that the easiest choice may be the wrong one. That it’s wrong to hire the person who doesn’t need any guidance, because then you just make it easy on yourself. Now I know that sometimes, in everybody’s best interest, it’s best to go for this kind of solution. Don’t be too hard on yourself!

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My Best Mistake – Cees Juffermans

The best mistake of: Cees Juffermans

“I remember thinking: “what am I supposed to do now?” This was my dream. This was what I had been dreaming about as a young boy. And that one chance was gone because of my own stupid mistake.”

Sometimes we are too afraid of making mistakes, that out of fear for the possible consequences, we don’t take any action.  Afraid to fail, afraid about what our environment thinks about it, afraid that it doesn’t fit in our “Instagrammable perfect life”…

Which is such a shame, because making mistakes is THE way to learn and develop yourself. That is why we at Doors Open celebrate making mistakes! Every month we interview entrepreneurs, leaders, professional athletes… People who, just like you, have gotten to where they are by failing and standing up again.They have told us about their best mistake: a mistake which has taught them a lot and has helped them greatly in their development.

In this edition:

Cees Juffermans

Residence: Stompwijk

Profession: former olympic athlete, Chief Marketing Officer at the Invictus Games 2020.

On 12 February 2006 Cees Juffermans has the chance to write history in Dutch sports during the Olympic games in Turin. He was in the semi-finals of the 1500 meters short track. The final in sight, chance of winning a medal, never before has a Dutch shottracker gotten so far. Although in that moment the sport was relatively unknown in the Netherlands, on this sunday all of a sudden Cees became known worldwide. But not the way he was hoping he would…

Before the lenses of hundreds of cameras, thousands of spectators in the stadium and millions of viewers on TV, the Stompwijker was taken down by another skater in the last curve. In short track this means an automatic free pass to the next round. The finals. But it only counts if you complete the full round. And that is what Cees doesn’t do. Just a few meters before the finish he steps off the ice. In sports, this is counted as resignation, as a “did not finish”. Gone was his spot in the final, the chance of winning a medal. This mistake makes Cees fall back to 18th place in the final ranking and shatters his childhood dream.

What did you do when you realized what had happened?

“I only realized what has happened when I was in the changing room. I know the rules. Even worse: during my training the rules where always emphasized.  Whatever happens, always make sure you cross the finish line. I have no clue why I stepped off the ice early. I must have had a complete black-out.”

As a top athlete you are certainly not alone, you have a whole team around you. Even so Cees does not blame anyone else but himself. “Of course I can think “why did nobody warn me that I had to finish the race in that moment?” But in the end the responsibility lies on my shoulders. Therefore, shortly after my mistake I walked up to the media and made this clear.”

What did you learn from this incident?

“A lot. I still make mistakes, every day. We all do. But this is one of those mistakes you won’t ever forget. It sounds crazy, but it has done a lot for me. It made me realize that so often we are focused on the end result, even though the process to get there might be way more important than the goal itself. If you have dreams, chase them. Don’t let anyone stop you. And yes, at one point you will fall flat on your face. In my case literally. So what? You get up again. The world is not going to end.”

“Mistakes only make you stronger. Suddenly I was standing in the spotlight, everyone had an opinion. I chose to put the negative critics aside.”

It made me realize that people close to you,  do not judge you for the mistakes you make. The negative reactions were primarily from people that were not as close to me. Not only when I made this mistake by the way. Being a professional athlete can be pretty lonesome. When others my age met at the bar during the weekends, I was training extremely hard. Of course people had their own thoughts on this, but I chose not to listen to them. That is also what I really want to advise others: don’t let what others might think or say about you influence you. It is YOUR dream, and they are YOUR choices. Do what you love and remember what you are doing it for. What is the reason you get up every day? Even if you make mistakes, don’t give up and try to do it a little bit better than yesterday.”

What did you change after this mistake?

“I started looking at my athletic career differently, as a whole, instead of that one goal alone. I might not have won an Olympic medal, but I still feel like I got everything I could have out of my dream. And I am still benefiting from the experiences I had and the network I built in those years. I have also changed my perspective about what is really important to me. What do I want to “leave behind”? How can I make a change in society? The misstep in Turin really made me think. How terrible would it be if you look back on your career and you realize that you’ve only done things that others expected you to do, instead of chasing your own dreams?”

Do you want to share your best mistake? Share it to info@doors-open.nl! Maybe you are the next feature on our blog!

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Doors Open - Waarom een compliment krijgen zo moeilijk is
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You’re making me blush

Why it’s so difficult to receive compliments – and what you can do about it

“What? This old thing? I’ve had it for years!” I hear myself saying this more often than than I’d like to when I get a compliment about my outfit. Not only about my outfit actually, even professionally I brush compliments off. Even though, I know that I am a good trainer and coach.

When I receive a compliment I feel awkward, sometimes I giggle and I don’t know how to react. Apparently I am not the only one. After asking a few people in my professional and personal network, and it appears that others also find it difficult. Which is a shame. You do not only fail yourself by trivializing a compliment or brushing it off, but also the one who gives the compliment.

How come there are so many people that find it difficult to receive a compliment? I think there are a number of reasons behind this.

#1 – Modesty

We often learn to be modest. Especially in The Netherlands we have a saying “Just act normal, that’s already crazy enough.” By accepting a compliment instead of brushing it off, you may fear that you will come across as pretentious.

#2 – What do you want from me?

Because of insecurities or distrust we think that there is something more behind a compliment. That flattery is used to get something from us. If a sales person in a shop says that those new jeans look fantastic on you, you immediately think it’s because she wants to sell you something. If a family member gives you a compliment and then asks for a favour, you think “Told you so, they didn’t mean it. They did it to manipulate me.”

#3 – You don’t even know me

Who gives the compliment, also influences our reaction. Imagine you are giving a presentation and afterwards someone that you don’t really know comes up to you and says, “Very inspiring. Especially the part where you talked about the importance of personal leadership.” Because you aren’t familiar with the person, it is more difficult to accept the compliment. We often find it easier to accept a compliment from a close friend, colleague or loved one. Although in today’s era of social media it is completely normal to constantly seek compliments from strangers. The compliments, however, are often casual and there is the safety of having a screen between you. Accepting face-to-face compliments remains difficult, especially if it’s from a stranger.

Receiving compliments – this is how it can be done!

By brushing off compliments, you bring yourself down. But have you considered that it also negatively influences the person giving you a compliment? By trivializing it you give the impression that their opinions is incorrect (as you disagree with it) and you can make them feel bad.

The next time you receive a compliment try the following:

#1 – Say “Thank you”

Rule number 1! No matter how awkward it feels, this is the only reaction with which you can’t go wrong. You are happy and the person giving the compliment is happy.

Often it is not the “thank you” that makes the situation awkward, but the silence afterwards. Think: it is not that bad if there is a small silence. Enjoy the compliment that you just received and then continue the conversation.

#2 – Do not compliment them right back

When someone gives us a compliment, we are inclined to give them the same compliment back. Do not do it! It feels forced and sometimes even fake, which also lowers the worth of the compliment you just received. You often also end up in throwing compliments back and forth. “Your hairs looks nice.” “No, YOUR hair looks good.” It’s better to receive a compliment, continue the conversation and to give a (meaningful) compliment back at another moment.

#3 – Take a moment to see what the compliment does to you

Practice makes perfect and you will see that if you train yourself to accept a compliment, this will have a positive effect on what it does to you. The first few times may feel awkward, but after a while it will make you feel good and will give you more self-confidence. By really taking the time to receive the compliment and reflecting on how it makes you feel, the effect will only become greater.

You did great, Suzanne

Finally… compliment yourself more often. No, that doesn’t make you arrogant. There are things that you are good at. You are allowed to say them out loud. Did you know that self-awareness is the first step to personal leadership?

If you want to know more about personal leadership, take a look at our special coaching package for personal leadership!

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TedTalks over Leiderschap - Doors Open training en coaching
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Six Ted Talks about leadership that everyone needs to see

One of my favourite hobbies on an evening off during the week or on a Sunday morning is watching Ted Talks. I find it one of the best sources of inspiration on topics that interest me. One of those topics is leadership. From all of the Ted Talks that I have seen, I have made a selection of 6 videos that, in my opinion, you should have seen if you are or want to be a leader.

1 – Drew Dudley: ‘Own your title’

A man wearing a funny hat explains leaderships with the principle of handing out lollies. This Ted Talk is only 6 minutes and 11 seconds and is, without a doubt, my number 1 favourite.

2 – Derek Sivers: ‘How to start a movement’

The original video ‘Dancing Guy’ that was shows at the Sasquath Music Festival in 2009 now has more than 14 million views on YouTube. Derek Sivers explains in just over 3 minutes, using this video, that change and movement starts with that first follower. Do you want to bring about change? Find your first follower, embrace him or her as partner and you are on your way to creating a movement.

3 – Simon Sinek: ‘Why good leaders make you feel safe’

With his inspiring approach, Simon Sinek shows why trust is the foundation of leadership. With bold statements like “Leadership is a choice. It is not a rank” and “Would anybody be offended if we gave a 150 million dollar bonus to Ghandi?” I can guarantee you that, just like me, you will watch this Ted Talk more than once.

 

 

 

 

I am so enthusiastic about this Ted Talk that I created a workbook: “ 5 steps to leadership that creates trust.”

Download for free

4 – Margaret Heffernan: Why it’s time to forget the pecking order at work

Margaret Heffernan explains why hierarchy is destructive rather than constructive. And she does this using… chickens. She shows how an environment with fierce competition (team, organisation or even society) creates aggression, dysfunction and waste. This at the expense of innovation and collaboration. Not something you want as a leader, right? Fortunately, Heffernan also gives insights into how it should be.

5 – Dan Pink: don’t assume money is the best motivator

A large part of the corporate world is built around the idea that employees perform better with financial incentives: bonuses, promotion, commission, shares. In a humorous way, yet backed up by research, Dan Pink shows how this does not work for a lot of jobs in the 21st century. In fact, with tasks that require creativity, problem solving and innovation, it can even be counterproductive and cause a decrease in performance. So what can you do as a leader to motivate people? Pink shares his thoughts on that too.

6 – Itay Talgam: Lead like the great conductors

A orchestra conductor faces the ultimate leadership challenge: creating harmony without saying a word. In this engaging Ted Talk, Italy Talgam shows the unique techniques of 6 of the most important and well-known conductors and uncovers crucial lessons for every leader.

 I am curious to hear what your favourite Ted Talk is about leadership. One of the six above? Or one that is not part of the list? Let me know in the comments.

Want to know more about leadership? Follow me on LinkedIn, I frequently share articles about this topic.

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