It’s not mindset. Not your CV. Not networking. It’s time.
We talk about layoffs as if they are linear: job ends > new job starts.
But real life doesn’t work that way.
What determines whether someone recovers well or gets stuck is the amount of time they have to move through the inner journey: Reflect > Reset > Re-Align > Rise™
Redundancy is often treated as a quick transition, but the real determining factor in someone’s recovery is time. The pace at which a person can move through the inner journey of Reflect–Reset–Re-Align–Rise™ depends on financial pressure, VSO terms, WW timelines, emotional impact, and life circumstances. When the process is rushed, unresolved phases return later as stress, confusion, or poor...
Redundancy in the Netherlands is legally structured yet psychologically disruptive. Even with strong protections and the VSO process, employees experience identity loss, uncertainty and emotional turbulence. Leaders often underestimate this impact—and the effect on those who remain. Research shows that structured transition support significantly improves outcomes. The 4R Model—Reflect, Reset, Re-Align, Rise—helps individuals stabilize, rebuild identity and re-enter the...
In a VUCA world, the leaders and professionals who thrive are not the ones with the most experience — but the ones with the best learning habits. Inspired by Daniel H. Pink’s science-based insights, this article explores eight powerful habits that sharpen thinking, build resilience, and accelerate growth. Whether you’re leading in uncertainty or navigating a career transition after...
Redundancy in the Netherlands is often misunderstood as a personal failure, while in reality it is a legally structured process with strong employee protections. This article explains your rights, the procedures employers must follow, and the timeframes involved — from UWV approval and notice periods to reassignment obligations, dismissal bans, transition payments and WW benefits. With clarity and compassion,...
The 4R Model—Reflect, Reset, Re-Align, Rise™—emerged from more than 35 years of leading and coaching in complex, high-pressure environments, combined with solid foundations in transition theory, emotional intelligence, identity work, and psychological safety. Supported by globally respected research (including HBR), the model provides a clear, humane framework that helps people navigate redundancy, burnout, and major career shifts. Instead of...
Change doesn’t fail because of poor plans — it fails because people haven’t made the psychological transition. In this article, Jan Salomons explores his formula for successful change, combining shared vision, urgency, leadership, learning, and capacity. Drawing on his decades of experience and his VUCA leadership approach, he explains how leaders can guide teams through endings, transitions, and new...
How Wolves Can Teach Us About Leadership and Change
Did you know that reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone National Park transformed not just the ecosystem but also the rivers themselves? This powerful example of systems thinking reveals how small, strategic changes can cascade through an interconnected system, creating profound and lasting impacts.
In leadership, the same principle applies. Addressing one key area—like...






