Author: admin
People who love to eat are always the best people*
Did you ever wonder why a group of people enjoys being and working together? I will share a story about a great team I have been part of and how eating together made a difference.
Due to a restructuring of the business, a new team had been established. We were based in Germany and in Spain. So there was a physical distance, a difference in culture, a different history and of course a mixture of various personalities. We did not act as a team because it said so on a Powerpoint slide. But we wanted to become one.
I went to Spain to get to know the Spanish team members better. They were very friendly and did everything to make me feel at home. They asked me to join them after work and we went on a tapas and beer tour. They ordered local specialties and explained proudly about the golden tapa contest. We talked a lot, we laughed… we really connected.
A few weeks later, we met as a full team and underwent the team building programme. We started off as a collection of individuals and evolved into a strongly connected group of people with shared values, a high level of interaction and a sense of trust. We discovered that we shared a passion for food. In the evening, we went to a German Christmas market, where we had food and drinks together. The team building days were a great start for collaboration.
Over time, the team underwent changes, as in any team, people were coming and going.
It was more than two and a half years later, that one of us came up with an idea. What if we would have a reunion in Spain? We agreed to meet during the Fiestas of Virgen de San Lorenzo, a festival with music and street food all week. What an amazing idea! About half of the people had rolled off the team by then and we all travelled to Valladolid to meet again.
Needless to say that we had a great week with lots of fun, great local food, and strengthened friendship. Seemed like yesterday we had met last time. As soon as we can travel again, we should schedule a new time to meet, uh… I mean to eat together. It will be unforgettable!
*Quote title: Julia Child.
Image by Elvire Schlösser
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The best Christmas gift: Sweet words from the heart
The year 2020 has been a different year. Of all the changes, the one with the largest impact was the significant size reduction of my social bubble.
My life took place within a radius of 10 km. I started doing morning walks, mostly by myself. Besides, I spent time having coffees with only a few people. We shared our thoughts about our joy, concerns, plans. We got to know each other really well and we knew exactly what was going on in our lives, we all faced our own challenges. But we did not feel alone. I guess you could say that we have become real close friends over the year.
In December we sent Christmas cards to each other, something our generation and below had given up doing as we prefer to send messages through WhatsApp or social media. I received handwritten notes from my ‘new friends’ telling me how much our friendship means to them and how grateful they are. Reading these little messages on a card made me feel super happy and rich. They surely gave me the best Christmas present I could think of.
I wish everyone a merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year. May there be many happy and rich moments for you in 2021.
Read another story about choose trust and kindness.
#stories #friendship
Image by Ylanite Koppens from Pixabay.
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Relaunch website + blog
29 September 2020 – We have been working hard on a new website and today it has been launched officially!
What’s new?
Feel free to explore the new webpages yourself. Some of the changes include:
- Improved landing page with 2020 look-and-feel (NL/EN)
- Clear overview of what you can expect from me and what I do
- And most of all: Contains a blog with stories about trust, kindness and leadership
ES Food Innovation & Management (ESFIM) offers inspiring Food Innovation Leadership on an interim or consultancy basis. Are you looking for an interim professional? Let’s get in touch!
Thank you for visiting my website.
#newwebsite #stories #blog #choosetrustandkindness
Credits Webdesign: Anna-Webdesign
Good morning! – Hello!
When I was a kid, about six or seven years old, I remember that my mom greeted everyone she met. Whether we were walking on the street, travelling by train, you name it.
“Who is this, mom? Do you know this person?” I asked in the beginning. She replied that you don’t have to know a person to say hello to him or her.
At work, my mom used to have close connections and relationships with the porter and the housekeeping staff in particular. She understood that everyone was equally important and should be treated with the same respect. These people were super grateful for this as sometimes they had been overlooked or even worse, ignored.
I admire my mom for still making this choice – every day. She taught me to treat everyone with respect, a lesson I will remember all my life. Be friendly to the people around and you will get joy and precious memories in return.
About the picture: My mom loves butterflies. This picture was taken when we were visiting a butterfly garden together in 2019. The butterfly symbolizes transformation and joy.
#choosetrustandkindness #respect #smilesarefreebuttheyareworthalot
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Thank you for the delay
After 4 years, I decided that my website needed a redesign. My web designer and I agreed on the work to be done and the timing and I couldn’t wait to see my new website online.
Unfortunately, she wrote me twice that she had to postpone the launch date. I could have complained to her about it and think: “Why is this happening to me?”
But would this make her feel better? Would it make me feel better?
Instead, I told her how grateful I was for the work she had already done and how much I liked the updated pages so far.
I realized something was still missing on my revised website. Many people ask me about what I do or what I have done in the past. Personally, I care more about how people get things done and whether we share the same underlying values. This is why I have added an extra page and decided to start sharing ‘Stories’. I choose trust and kindness. I believe this will bring out the best in people. Having a positive impact on other people gives me positive energy and joy.
My web designer told me later that my kind words had made her day. I hereby thank her for delaying the launch of my website. She has given me a new insight. My new website will be available soon!
#choosetrustandkindness #inspiringleadership
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