My Dad has been resisting moving into a care home for years. He couldn’t let go of the world he created, even if it was less and less comfortable to be in. Last summer he couldn’t look after himself anymore. We, his daughters, took the tough decision to overrule his judgment. My youngest sister moved […]
My Dad’s old suitcase. Let go of it? Read More »
This summer I had terrible ants in my pants. It wasn’t funny anymore. But what do you do if you can’t sit still? There was a time that I’d take holidays in small beach hotels or roaming the Mediterranean coast on a boat with a small group of friends. All there was to do was
Ants in my pants – what to do if you’re unable to sit still Read More »
This year must have been one of the most challenging ever for leaders, especially for those who want to do good. If an invisible enemy is punching holes in your ship that’s carrying people you care for, how do you keep it afloat, let alone on course? Is it even possible to come out stronger
10 Survival Tactics for any Covid-challenged boss Read More »
‘The thing about leadership is that you have to be prepared to fail and start again,’ says Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. She is the living example of perseverance. She was jailed three times, had to flee the country and campaign more than once before becoming the first elected female head of state in Africa. For 12
‘Nobody could have done it but a woman’ — Lessons about leadership from a president Read More »
The other day I was talking to a friend whose birthday is coming up. ‘Not much fun in these isolated days,’ I started our conversation. The frown I saw appearing on her face seemed to split the screen in two. ‘I’m working day and night!’ There was a slight wobble in her voice. ‘Other colleagues
Feeling unappreciated at work? Read this. Read More »
Money is hardly ever what my clients view as their main problem. Indeed, often, interwoven in their stories are signs that they don’t care for it that much. And why should they? ‘Money is the source of all evil,’ they say in English. In French ‘money is the sinew of war.’ In Dutch a person
Are women lucky to have less money than men? Read More »
Gender stereotypes can kill a woman’s self-confidence, new research by Harvard Business School Assistant Professor Katherine Coffman shows. Oh no! Yet another reason why we can’t make it?! [Women] lack confidence in their ability to compete in fields that men are stereotypically believed to perform more strongly in, such as science, math, and technology. Women
Yet another set back for women? Please! Read More »
Domestic violence has struck about 750,000 adults in the Netherlands at least once in the last five years. 65% of these victims are women. 250,000 women experienced violence more than once and for 100,000 of them, the violence is routine. Between 90,000 and 120,000 children younger than 17 are experiencing abuse as well. Above age
Leadership against victimhood Read More »
At a time when women outnumber men at university in most Western countries, I think it’s safe to say that lack of intelligence cannot be the reason why women still are lagging behind when it comes to occupying decision-making positions. Similarly, it’s been known for at least 30 years that more women at the top
More women leaders? Get real women to the top. Read More »
As the efforts to reach gender parity grow, more and more ‘gaps’ come to the surface. There is the pay gap, the career gap, the healthy movement gap, the chores gap, and so on. Lately I’ve come across articles about the gender confidence gap, and how to tackle it. I’m adding mine. A recent piece
#1 issue to solve: the gender confidence gap Read More »
Recent research by Bank of America Merrill Lynch shows that employing more women at the top is excellent for share prices. All male boards will soon have to let more women in, not because they like to share power, but because this is what moves the money. Women now have more economic power than ever.
More women at the top boosts share prices Read More »
Recently I read an interview with a business woman who said that the best thing she ever did for herself was to let go of perfectionism. She was right. Self-oriented perfectionism can be debilitating. As a recovering perfectionist, I know this well. Wikipedia describes the condition as ‘a personality trait characterised by a person’s striving
To be the perfect woman Read More »
