Valentijn Ouwens

What I find essential in life is autonomy. What does that mean? That I can act autonomously, that I am able to take responsibility for my actions and therefore can give a 'response' in any situation. And at the same time be connected with the people and the world around me. That I can stand in my own shoes and at the same time be receptive to everything that happens around me. Freedom and connectedness. That requires us to know ourselves. To have insight into what drives us, what determines our thinking, feeling and acting. Which talents, qualities, skills we possess. Which limiting belief systems we have developed and which survival patterns that are often no longer needed for already a long time we still carry with us.

Who we are in our lives, we are also as leaders. That is why leadership for me is always personal leadership. The person as leader. I strongly believe that leadership these days requires leaders who can follow as well as lead, people who can show strength and vulnerability and throughout are able to deal with the tensions generated by the inevitable paradoxes at play in life and within organizations.

I have 25 years of experience as an executive and leadership coach and as a facilitator of leadership programs and leadership journeys. My association with THNK started in 2012. I also have been on the board of an organization for ten years and know what leadership is in practice. My previous career was in theater. I worked as an actor and director for a long time. This has taught me how important it is to gain insight into what drives someone, to explore what moves somebody on the deepest level.

A coaching journey is not always easy. It requires the courage to look at yourself honestly, to say goodbye to ineffective behavior patterns. It requires stepping into the unknown with an exploring attitude. As a coach I am an unconditional support, a challenger, an encourager, a curious questioner. For this process a safe environment is essential. Therefore, I find that an extensive introductory talk is a necessity. To explore what your questions are and to find out from both sides if it will work between us. If we both say yes to that the journey can really begin.