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Fallow Earth and best wishes for 2026

Fallow Earth

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The fallow period has begun. Farmers have celebrated their harvests with traditional festivals like Thanksgiving Day or other customs to honor nature for its bounty. Many people are still pushing themselves to the limit, not only at work but also at home. December demands a lot of attention to being a good person.

The most common ailment among young professionals is (moral) stress and its associated symptoms. This study clarifies what that means. Vitality assessment and consuming energy to recover well are principles that nature has long taught us.

The year 2025 is over. We’ve welcomed back the four seasons, which will return in 2026. We’ve had a year of pursuing goals, some of which we may or may not have achieved. We’ve plowed and reaped. With blood, sweat, and tears, we’ve worked to make something of it. To do what’s possible, and sometimes even more.

In our “high-tech-connected” world, we can be active 24/7. We know that knowledge is everywhere, that the future lies in skills like empathy and adaptability. We are connected to at least 3.4 “devices” and accept 5G speeds at a minimum. We boast about Artificial Intelligence and the joy we (think we can or will) experience with it.

And then we discover that the Earth rotates at its own speed, and therefore we need to adjust the atomic clock by one hundredth of a second. We learn that fruit from the local farmer or vegetables from our own garden is appealing. It also has its limitations; it’s not always available. We discover that water (even in the Netherlands) is becoming scarcer. We learn to become aware of the vulnerability of our existence through government-supported campaigns.

We know that winter is a time when we need to let the earth rest for a while. The fallow period can also apply to us.

Give yourself a moment of rest and recharge by doing things you truly enjoy. Discover what’s important to you and in this way, nourish your batteries with new energy.
A new season is coming, when the fallow earth can be cultivated and leads to harvests.

 

Blessings in the new year!

Attention in a VUCA world

Leadership in a VUCA world

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How about leadership in a “VUCA” world?
The only constant is change, as one of my interviewees points out. This seems to be the common thread running through many interviews I have with leaders in FMCG. Change that explores the Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous (VUCA) world.

What does this require of leadership?
There’s a widespread belief that “current” leaders lack the tools to deal with change. This is especially true considering the experience of our current leaders. For long the world seemed to be a constant and long the people they lead as well.

What does the current employee ask for?
Some of the characteristics of the current generation includes their fearlessness, their pursuit of their own goals, and the desire to make a difference. I doubt if this ever has changed over generations 😊.

Other characteristics includes a lack of loyalty, the desire for immediate gratification and the feeling that they are always “winners.”

VUCA world

Attention is key

Where does reality come in?
Ultimately, a perception of reality emerges when leadership stands for guiding the next generation to practicing 10,000 times instead of thinking you can fix it with a YouTube tutorial. Hardship, disappointment and failing is part of the game. Ignoring these elements of a career leads to stress, burnout, and even suicide.

What’s the best approach to leadership in this VUCA world?
Attention to the needs is the constant in this VUCA-world. A conversation in a real environment where you can hear, smell, see, and feel each other. Leadership requires time spent with each other. Tools like unlimited vacation time and/or availability of a mental coach seems inevitable to attract the impact players in the next generation, but won’t keep them in the organisation.

As a leader, it requires a toolkit that can be described as serving and attentivity. You can’t lose sight of the KPIs. It requires creating space for people within the organization, with the attention that comes with it. Clear, right?