Good Comms | Where fairer systems begin

Menu
Book an exploratory call

Inclusive leadership

Posts covering inclusive leadership, inclusive communication and belonging at work.

Vier LEGO®-bouwwerken gemaakt door deelnemers aan een LEGO® Serious Play®-sessie. De kleurrijke modellen staan op een houten tafel tussen LEGO®-stenen en notitiekaartjes.

Reflectie en richting met LEGO® Serious Play®

Inclusive communication, Inclusive leadership

Tijdens hun heidag ging een team van de Politie op een bijzondere manier met elkaar in gesprek. Geen PowerPoints of lange agenda’s, maar LEGO® stenen, verhalen en verbinding.

Ik mocht de sessie begeleiden met behulp van LEGO® Serious Play®, een methode die helpt om complexe thema’s tastbaar te maken. Door te bouwen in plaats van alleen te praten, ontstaat er ruimte voor andere perspectieven, gelijkwaardigheid en oprechte gesprekken.

Reflectie en richting met LEGO® Serious Play® Read More »

Inclusive communication, Inclusive leadership
Cover image for the IABC EMENA Region Podcast. The green IABC logo appears on the left. The text reads “EMENA Region Podcast with Simon Cavendish & Chared Verschuur.” On the right side are two hosts: a smiling man in a dark shirt and a smiling woman wearing glasses, a pink blazer, and earrings, both against a white background with light green digital dots.

On change, trust, and conversations that matter

Inclusive communication, Inclusive leadership

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 »

Inclusive communication, Inclusive leadership
An artisan sketches designs at a workbench in a woodworking shop filled with tools.

A practical framework for responsible AI in communication (Part 3 of 3)

Inclusive leadership

How do you develop both layers needed to use AI responsibly in communication? This practical framework addresses foundational professional skills first, then layers on AI augmentation skills. The path forward is clear: either rush into adoption without support and watch work quality decline, or commit to strong foundations and use AI to amplify genuine expertise. Leading organizations like Amazon and IBM model this approach, ensuring baseline competence before advanced AI capabilities.

A practical framework for responsible AI in communication (Part 3 of 3) Read More »

Inclusive leadership
Businesswoman in a plaid jacket using a laptop and sticky notes for work planning.

The baseline skills needed for responsible AI use (Part 2 of 3)

Inclusive leadership

Most AI training programs overlook a fundamental truth: teaching prompt engineering won’t help people use AI responsibly without foundational skills to recognize what good communication looks like. AI operates like Michelangelo’s chisel. It didn’t make him a master sculptor, it allowed him to execute expertise he’d already developed. The principle is simple: strong baseline skills multiplied by AI equals enhanced productivity. Weak baseline skills multiplied by AI equals scaled problems. Effective AI upskilling requires two distinct layers: foundational professional skills first, then AI augmentation skills. You cannot skip Layer 1.

The baseline skills needed for responsible AI use (Part 2 of 3) Read More »

Inclusive leadership
Bold 'Mind the Gap' text on a subway platform, emphasizing passenger safety.

Responsible AI in communication starts with the right foundation (part 1 of 3)

Inclusive leadership

As an inclusive leadership and communication consultant, I believe in “communication for good”. Communication that creates understanding, builds bridges, and breaks barriers. Workslop is the opposite. Recent research shows 40% of workers received low-quality AI content last month, costing nearly two hours per incident to fix. But we’re diagnosing the wrong disease. This isn’t about the tool. It’s about the skills gap. The real conversation we should be having isn’t “Is AI good or bad?” but “How do we support everyone in using it well?”

Responsible AI in communication starts with the right foundation (part 1 of 3) Read More »

Inclusive leadership
Een hand houdt verschillende glanzende parels in zachte tinten wit, roze en grijs boven een doos met vakjes vol parels. De parels zijn ongelijk van vorm en grootte, wat hun natuurlijke en authentieke karakter benadrukt.

Echte parels: over authenticiteit en leiderschap dat glanst van binnenuit

Inclusive leadership

Toen mijn zoon een parel vond en vroeg of ze echt was, liet ik hem voelen: een echte parel is een beetje ruw, een neppe is glad. Dat moment bleef hangen. Want hoe vaak doen we op het werk alsof we echt zijn, terwijl we eigenlijk gepolijst gedrag tonen? Het lijkt veilig, maar het doet ons geen goed. Authentiek leiderschap glanst niet omdat het perfect is, maar omdat het oprecht is. Echte parels, en echte leiders, ontstaan door wrijving.

Echte parels: over authenticiteit en leiderschap dat glanst van binnenuit Read More »

Inclusive leadership
Vibrant 3D rendering depicting the complexity of neural networks.

Internal communication and the missing link in fostering neuroinclusive leadership

Inclusive leadership

After a recent conversation with internal communication professional and researcher May Oostrom-Kwok, I found myself thinking more deeply about the role we play in making neuroinclusion a reality. May’s research explores how internal communication can support line managers in fostering a neuroinclusive workplace. Her findings are a powerful reminder that inclusion doesn’t start with a policy. It starts with trust, dialogue, and the everyday actions of people leaders. This post reflects on what I learned from her study, and why it matters now more than ever.

Internal communication and the missing link in fostering neuroinclusive leadership Read More »

Inclusive leadership
A diverse group of hands wearing colorful friendship bracelets in unity.

BDEI myths and how they spread

Inclusive leadership

2025 has become the year of backlash. Against BDEI, against justice, and, apparently, against facts. From false claims of reverse discrimination to political spin that blames inclusion for everything from job loss to social division, misinformation is being repeated so often it’s starting to sound true. This blog unpacks the most common myths about BDEI and social justice backed by data, not drama. If you’re tired of opinion pieces dressed up as fact, this one’s for you.

BDEI myths and how they spread Read More »

Inclusive leadership
Full length of anonymous toddler squatting barefoot on floor playing with round wooden shapes of different size and pasta and putting biggest shape on while developing fine motor skills at home

What Montessori taught me about inclusive leadership

Inclusive leadership

When I enrolled my child in a Montessori school, I wasn’t looking for leadership lessons. I just wanted him to be seen, not just tested. But as I observed how the classroom worked, how the guide watched before speaking, how the space invited belonging, how even toddlers had real agency, I realised I wasn’t just looking at an educational method. I was looking at a masterclass in inclusive leadership.

What Montessori taught me about inclusive leadership Read More »

Inclusive leadership
error: Website copy is protected.