On Wednesday June 1st the Dialogue meeting organized by De Transformatiegroep took place at De Balie in Amsterdam. The theme of this meeting was ‘Leadership 2035.’ A diverse group of participants entered into dialogue with each other under the guidance of moderator Jeroen Smit. Boom Chicago provided sharp and entertaining group exercises to break the ice before and during the meeting.
Some of the key questions of this meeting were:
- Are leaders in control? Agreement was reached that a good leader realizes that he/she is not and cannot be in control. In fact, it’s better to realise that full control is never possible. Instead of pursuing control, a good leader should have the courage to give direction and make difficult decisions.
- Does a good leader have a plan for 2035? Opinions were divided. Some leaders had clear and specific goals which helped them challenge themselves and their organization. Other leaders indicated that in a world of constant change and uncertainties – such as the pandemic and the Ukraine war – a fixed and long-term plan is not really possible. These leaders seem to focus more on general goals.
- Does a good leader communicate his/her plans? Many leaders are careful in making big statements. Big promises sometimes cannot always be kept and some leaders are kept liability. Therefore, many opt to do good under the radar, sharing successes in modesty.
