Leadership in Difficult Times, Roundtable in Bloemendaal, the Netherlands

On March 16, 2004 ILA-Europe held a leadership roundtable event in Bloemendaal, the Netherlands. The roundtable was organized by ILA Board member Ted Baartmans and organization consultant Tjebbe Loonstra. Seven leaders from companies ranging from governmental organizations to lawyer firms and financial institutions in the Netherlands gathered to talk about the theme Leadership in Difficult Times.

Ted Baartmans was moderator of the event, Tjebbe Loonstra posed critical questions and remarks. The purpose of the roundtable is to have leaders exchange knowledge and experience in leadership issues. For five hours the participants were colleagues in the field of leadership. They talked openly about their individual struggle, difficulties and successes in the practice of leadership in times like these.

Ted Baartmans introduced the session by explaining the difference between leaders and managers. Leaders are recognized in their communication by five characteristics: vision, passion, creativity, interaction, empowerment.

Each of the following individual issues were discussed for 20 minutes:

1. How to create passion, trust and pride?
2. How do you keep urgency on motivation?
3. How to find balance between leading and the operation in an organization that was founded two years ago?
4. Employees are tired of leadership due to job rotation: how to deal with leadership in large companies where there is a policy of job rotation every two to three years?
5. How, as a leader, to bring across a mission?
6. Calmness versus passion: how to stay calm in a discussion in which you do things with passion, how to find balance?
7. Get rid of ‘dead wood’: how to push poor functioning managers into a new direction or fire them?

Ted Baartmans concluded the session by rephrasing the most important things that were said.

• Leadership is continuity;
• Vision is one of the most important characteristics for a leader;
• In difficult times, passion is another crucial characteristic.

Communities: ILA-Europe: March 16, 2004 Bloemendaal, the Netherlands