17 Jan

Why your soft skills are now the premium skills in the AI era

Generative AI has not eliminated the need for expertise. It has eliminated the need for unexamined expertise. In organizations, the most damaging failures no longer come from a lack of technical capability, but from poor problem framing, misplaced optimization, and leaders who mistake speed for judgment. As AI takes over more of the executional “middle,” human value shifts to the boundaries: defining what truly matters and taking responsibility for real-world consequences. This is why so-called soft skills—critical thinking, systems...
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02 Jan

Results are never the problem. They are the mirror.

Leadership is not revealed in intentions, values, or language. It is revealed in results. In my work with leaders and teams, I always start with outcomes — and then work backwards to what leadership truly demands under pressure. Not to judge, but to understand which patterns, decisions, and behaviors are quietly shaping performance. Results are never the problem. They are the mirror.
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12 Dec

My leadership journey: from engineering teacher to global executive to leadership (team) coach

man leaning against glass window with his reflection in it
In this personal leadership journey, Jan Salomons shares how he transitioned from an engineering teacher to a global executive and ultimately to a leadership and executive coach. Drawing on more than 35 years of international leadership experience across complex organisations, he reveals the pivotal insights that shaped his purpose: leadership is human work, not just technical or operational skill. His evolution into coaching grew from a belief that sustained behavioural change and self-awareness unlock real performance and resilient teams
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09 Dec

Stillness and reflection: the hidden courage behind authentic leadership

In a world full of noise and pressure, the most courageous leaders are not the loudest ones, but the ones who create space for stillness and honest self-reflection. Like a quiet bridge reflected in calm water, authentic leadership emerges when we stand steady in who we are and dare to look inward. Clarity, integrity, and presence begin not with action, but with awareness.
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05 Dec

Happiness as a Leadership Strategy

Watching Arthur Brooks’ talk on the science of happiness offers a powerful insight for leaders: happiness isn’t a mood — it’s a disciplined practice that shapes how you lead. Brooks reveals that enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning form the foundation of true well-being, and only a small part of it depends on circumstances. The rest comes from daily habits rooted in relationships, purpose, and service. For leaders, this is transformative: it shifts happiness from a personal luxury to a strategic...
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25 Nov

The 10 Executive questions that change everything

Most executive teams don’t fail because of strategy — they fail because of what they avoid. These 10 provoking questions cut through noise, expose blind spots, and accelerate real transformation. They challenge leaders to face the hard truths about their behavior, decisions, and impact. If you want to grow as a leader, start by answering these questions honestly.
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24 Oct

PDSA and VUCA: Why Leaders Need Both to Navigate Today’s Reality

In a world defined by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, leaders can no longer rely on fixed plans or past experience. VUCA describes the challenge — but PDSA provides a practical way to respond through fast learning cycles. My early years as a teacher, working with Kolb’s experiential learning model, taught me that people grow through experimentation, reflection, and adaptation. Decades later, the same learning loop has become essential for leaders: the ability to test, adjust, and learn faster...
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17 Oct

The wheel of work life: A powerful lens for understanding your well-being at work

The Wheel of Work Life is a powerful framework that reveals what truly shapes your well-being at work. By exploring eight essential dimensions — from psychological safety and leadership to autonomy, workload, recognition, growth, collaboration, and recovery — you gain a holistic view of what energizes you and what drains you. This model helps individuals and teams understand their current reality and identify the small, meaningful steps that lead to healthier, more sustainable performance.
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03 Oct

Science-backed habits to make you smarter

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, these habits — combined with my 4R Model (Reflect > Reset > Re-Align > Rise™) — provide a practical...
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