Thijs de Jongh - Gemeente Secretaris, Gemeente Steenbergen

A transformation does not happen as a result of one intervention. That's something you need to invest in much longer. It requires a partner that understands transformations thoroughly. Bob Vrijaldenhoven of The Thrive is such a partner”

We started the process by looking in the mirror together: What is our ambition, what does our plan look like and what does that require from managers? And then we looked at individual preferences, personal strengths and pitfalls and the match with what we were going to ask from managers.

The Thrive’s approach is engaged, enthusiastic, interactive, appreciative and edgy. Bob shows his vulnerability and thereby invites people to do the same. This creates a meaningful conversation about the right topics. It is great to see how he always goes back to what we agreed in previous sessions and how he matches it to the latest developments. In each session we shared progress of our own teams and concluded with concrete agreements and actions. In this way, progress was ensured, and we continued to learn from each other.

What did it bring us? Initially self-awareness enabling everyone to choose an appropriate role. More deliberate, competent and more flexible leadership behavior. In parallel, we got to know each other better and we learned to use our differences effectively. We grew as an individual and as a team. Finally, we have more insight into our own organizational development. We plan more realistic steps so that we do not trip over our own ambition.