Recognisable?
This is exactly where things start to shift in many management teams.
What happens in practice.
And later discussed again.
Leadership team members look at each other. Or upwards.
The executive intervenes — while it was actually trying to let go.
Or lets things continue — while its position requires direction.
It is not a single incident. It is a pattern.
On paper it works. In practice it does not.
In many organisations, you see this reflected in teams where collaboration is under pressure — where alignment is missing and decisions remain unresolved.
Decisions that hold
Responsibility in place
Making the implicit explicit
What’s really going on
Effort is rarely the problem.
It’s about who ultimately decides — and who moves around that.
About responsibility that’s formally clear,
but shifts under pressure.
About decisions that have been made —
but are, in fact, still open.
Strong people end up carrying more than intended.
Others wait until it’s safe.
No one chooses this.
But it happens.
As long as it isn’t named,
the pattern keeps repeating.
It’s not just individuals taking on positions that no longer fit.
You see it in teams too, where decision-making slows down and responsibility shifts.
Not in a single meeting.
But over months.
That affects direction.
And eventually, trust.
That’s where the work begins.
Not by steering harder — but by seeing what’s really happening.
If this remains unaddressed.
If this continues, the organisation loses sharpness. Decisions become conditional, with room to revisit later.
No one is obviously doing something wrong. But only a few take their place. Those who are strong keep carrying. Those who hesitate keep following.
Gradually, the balance shifts. You see it in who takes initiative. And who leaves it. What started as temporary hesitation becomes the standard.
And in that, the outcome is already set.
Wat gebeurt er onder de oppervlakte van jullie MT?
Breng met een visuele oefening de formele rollen en de dagelijkse samenwerking in jullie managementteam in beeld.
Ontvang de oefening per e-mail
What becomes possible
Discussions get shorter.
Positions are taken up again.
Compensating is no longer necessary.
Not everyone agrees.
But it’s clear who decides.
Caution gives way to clarity.
Pace comes back.
Energy is used more purposefully.
Not because there’s less tension —
but because it’s clear where it belongs.
Leadership is carried again.
At the level where it belongs.
How I work with organisations
One-to-one when needed.
Within the management team when that is where the issue lies.
In teams where collaboration, decision-making and relationships are under pressure.
This is where what happens between people becomes visible — and what is needed to make things work again.
I am there to observe
and name what becomes visible in the interaction.
When an intervention is needed, I design it.
Focused on the issue that arises.
We use a spatial constellation to map out the situation
when this is needed to clarify relationships.
And when a model gives us language for what is happening —we use it.
The form follows the issue.
Not the other way around.
What remains central throughout:
Clarity about position, task, authority and responsibility.
When the issue becomes personal.
It is not about stand-alone team activities, but about making visible what is happening within the management team — and what is needed to get collaboration and decision-making working again.
Sometimes an issue is strongly tied to the position of one leader. In that case, an individual programme may be more suitable — either as preparation for the work in the management team, or as a deeper dive that follows from it.
Leadership coaching or systemic coaching can then form the right starting point.
What becomes visible at the organisational level usually has an individual layer to it as well.
Frequently asked questions
When is management team coaching useful?
When responsibility is formally clear but shifts in practice.
Or when people work hard, but results fall behind.
Do you only work with the entire management team?
No.
We start where the issue is most clearly visible. The work can begin with the executive team or with one responsible leader.
Management team trajectories often emerge from individual coaching. In many cases this involves leadership coaching or systemic coaching.
Is this a training?
We do not work with a standard programme.
Form follows the issue.
How long does an engagement last?
Sometimes a focused intervention is sufficient.
Sometimes it requires a series of conversations over several months.
We agree upfront on what fits.
How much does the work cost?
The cost depends on the issue and the agreed scope of the work. After the initial conversation, we decide which approach fits. Before starting, we agree who will be involved, what the intended outcome is, what the work will cover and what it will cost.
How do we handle confidentiality and feedback?
Before starting, we clarify who is commissioning the work and who will take part. We agree what information will be shared with the commissioning party and how we handle what is discussed in individual conversations and within the team. Ethical principles guide this process.
How do we assess whether the work is helping?
We agree on the intended goal and what differences you want to notice. For example: do decisions hold, is it clear who decides what, and is responsibility taken at the right level? Coaching is a goal-oriented process. During the engagement, we review together what is changing and what still needs attention.
Do you only work in The Hague?
Other locations are possible when the issue requires it.
