Blog

Blogposts covering my work in internal & change communication, inclusive leadership, LEGO® Serious Play® team facilitation, and more.

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De onzichtbare beschermers van digitale communities

Community managers en moderators zijn de onzichtbare beschermers van digitale communities. Dagelijks nemen zij moeilijke keuzes: welke berichten verwijderen, hoe grenzen stellen tegen discriminatie, hoe een veilige ruimte creëren waar iedereen zich gehoord voelt.
Maar waarom is dit werk eigenlijk zo cruciaal? Omdat veiligheid het fundament is voor echte verbondenheid. Je kunt geen belonging creëren – dat gevoel dat je ergens bijhoort – wanneer mensen bang zijn voor discriminatie of aanvallen.
Volgens Stop Cyberbullying Day heeft 60% van alle internetgebruikers bullying of misbruik online meegemaakt. Dit zijn je collega’s, je teams, je organisatie.
In deze post onderzoeken we waarom community managers veel meer zijn dan moderators. Ze zijn rechters, bemiddelaars, beschermers – en ze bouwen elke dag aan veilige plekken waar echte verbinding kan groeien.

De onzichtbare beschermers van digitale communities Read More »

Achter het scherm zitten ook gewoon mensen

Als community manager ben ik gewend aan cijfers. Hoeveel reacties, hoe snel geantwoord, hoeveel bereik. Alles netjes meetbaar, alles in overzichtelijke rapportages. Het is verleidelijk om online interacties ook zo te benaderen: problematische reactie = delete. Efficiënt, geen gedoe. Maar achter elke username zit ook gewoon een mens. Soms met een slechte dag, frustratie over iets heel anders, of misschien gewoon een misverstand. Door alleen naar het scherm te kijken, vergeten we dat soms.

Achter het scherm zitten ook gewoon mensen Read More »

Group of colleagues fist bumping to celebrate teamwork and unity in a modern office setting.

The ROI of belonging

Research shows conditional belonging (you belong because you’re useful) doesn’t create the same outcomes as unconditional belonging (you belong because you’re human). When belonging is transactional, it doesn’t work. So ironically, chasing the ROI of belonging through performative initiatives actually destroys the ROI. But fine, if you want to get the numbers, read on.

The ROI of belonging Read More »

Colourful LEGO® bricks and small constructed towers connected by white strings are spread across a wooden table, with a fabric bowl of loose bricks in the background, illustrating a collaborative LEGO® Serious Play workshop setup.

What to expect in a LEGO® Serious Play® workshop

If you’ve never experienced a LEGO® Serious Play® (LSP) workshop, you might be wondering what actually happens. Will I need to be creative? What if I’m not good at building? What will we achieve? These are common questions I hear from participants before their first session.

What to expect in a LEGO® Serious Play® workshop Read More »

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Why LEGO® Serious Play® works: Co-creating positive change

Throughout this series, we’ve explored why LEGO® Serious Play® works: the cognitive science that creates deep engagement, the communication mechanisms that transform dialogue, and the cultural conditions that create a sense of belonging. Now we arrive at the heart of the matter: what all these elements enable when they come together: co-creation.

Why LEGO® Serious Play® works: Co-creating positive change Read More »

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Why LEGO® Serious Play® works: Building belonging through authenticity and psychological safety

In Parts 1 and 2, we explored the cognitive science that makes LEGO® Serious Play® effective for individual learning, and the communication mechanisms, metaphor and equal voice, that transform how groups interact. And something even more fundamental happens when these elements combine: they create the cultural conditions for genuine sense of belonging.

Why LEGO® Serious Play® works: Building belonging through authenticity and psychological safety Read More »

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Why LEGO® Serious Play® works: The power of metaphor and equal voice

In Part 1, we explored the cognitive science behind LEGO® Serious Play®. How constructionist learning, embodied cognition, and flow states create conditions for deep individual engagement. The methodology’s power extends beyond how individuals think. It fundamentally transforms how groups communicate and collaborate.

Why LEGO® Serious Play® works: The power of metaphor and equal voice Read More »

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Why LEGO® Serious Play® works: The cognitive foundations

Ever wonder why building with LEGO® bricks creates insights that hours of talking couldn’t reach? There’s actual neuroscience behind it. When your hands build, your brain thinks differently, accessing knowledge you didn’t even know you had. This is constructionism in action, and it’s transforming how teams solve complex problems.

Why LEGO® Serious Play® works: The cognitive foundations Read More »

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Do you hear what I hear? From reactive to strategic listening in organisations

Most companies treat community management as housekeeping: moderate discussions, answer questions, keep things civil. But we’ve seen something different: organizations reimagining it as strategic listening, a systematic way to catch problems early, understand culture as it actually lives, and turn everyday conversations into intelligence that improves how work gets done.

Do you hear what I hear? From reactive to strategic listening in organisations Read More »

On change, trust, and conversations that matter

Blog, Cases, Podcast

This episode marks my final one as host of the IABC EMENA podcast and I couldn’t have asked for a better guest. I sat down with Simon Cavendish, new Chair of IABC EMENA, to talk about the human side of leading change. From trust and transparency to the IKEA effect, we explored how internal comms shapes transformation and why involvement matters more than perfection. While I’m stepping away from this podcast, I’m not done podcasting. I’ll be continuing the conversation over at my own Good Comms podcast, where we’ll keep asking better questions about leadership, inclusion, and communication that makes a difference.

On change, trust, and conversations that matter Read More »

Blog, Cases, Podcast