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You are in the right place if you are looking for ….
Practical : texts, illustrations, quotes that are more embedded in real practice. Questions you can use right away in a team meeting (e.g. on team dynamics).
Actionable : smaller pieces of bigger notions (e.g. 11 tools to make change less daunting)
DIY: More DIY tips than in bestsellers or academic papers (e.g. the Skill.Will.Drill.Thrill DIY tips on building better teams)
Clear: if you want to clarify your mind on something that has bothered you for a while (e.g. on responsibility versus accountability; on mistrust versus misunderstandings, etc)
Colourful: Most nowadays business books are in black and white. The colours and abundance of illustrations here make for more pleasant reading.
Unique: all but a few graphs, quotes and cartoons are self-created. (so not something someone else would download from the internet). To make it more to the point.
TESTIMONIALS & REFERENCES
These books and other enabling resources have been donated, purchased or used in mentoring programmes by people all over the world in all kinds of organisations :
( Opportunities come, jobs change. These testimonials were written at the time of first publication of the books “On Leadship” and “On Teamship”)
“The Sidera touches upon the most important challenge today’s organisations are facing: how to connect a group of people in such a way that each individual with their own competencies and drivers rely on each other and trust the other for the better outcome. This book on Teamship brings together refreshing and useful insights for both team members as team leads, with thought provoking quotes and self reflection exercises. The Sidera will be a personal guide to me, as well as it will help me better coach the teams I am supporting.”
Caroline Vanwanseele, Regional HR Director EMEA, Agfa Graphics
“Reflections on different aspects of teamship and differentiating when a team is really needed and has purpose, rather then any other type of individuals gathering, are important considerations for leaders to make. Some elements that I have found valuable to deliver superior outcome: team members should be handpicked, be diverse and complimentary.
Teams should work on a specific vision and purpose and preferentially have an 18 to 24 months horizon. One feels good when the team shows resilience in averse times and strong willed to overcome insurmountable hurdles.
Over a career it is remarkable what type of learning curve on teamship one goes through. Looking back, the nicest moments in my career relate to: seeing individuals grow as leaders through your coaching and mentoring and being part of successful teams’ vision realization.
Passionate leaders remain curious and in search of the ultimate teamship experience delivering superior outcome on whatever front needs exist; customer experience, quantum leap performance, innovation or other. They not only look for winning the Champions League, they also want the play to be great.
Leadship and teamship concepts as discussed in detail by Geri keep you agile and strengthen your belief in realizing the ultimate goal.”
Marc Princen, Executive Vice President and President, International Business, Allergan.
“We have all been contributing as individuals to a team, or are still part of a team. Teams led by different sorts of leadship styles. Teams being in situations where the team was outperforming or had difficulties to reach common goals. You surely have had your own idea on how the team could have been managed differently. Or where you’ve experienced that team members were not interacting with each other nor with the expected or unexpected. How many times have you been challenged to reflect on how you can outperform jointly?
This book is a true companion in guiding you through the fundamentals of building teamship. From theory to practical real life situations. But most valuable, the book makes you reflect on what a team is about, on what is needed to outperform. How YOU can make a difference whether you are leading a team or being a teamship member.”
Cathy Weynants, General Manager at Novo Nordisk
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” – said the genius Leonardo da Vinci.
Many sophisticated books are written on building high-performance teams. But it takes a genius to explain such a sophisticated subject matter as how to build enduring and thrilling teams with such simplicity.
In building a start-up company, from assembling your thrill team to celebrating shared teamship success, to dealing with setbacks, de Sidera is the ultimate sophisticated guide, because of its simplicity.
Shahram Sharif – Founder & CEO of LindaCare, a start-up health-tech company
“A lot of lead(er)ship literature gives perspectives and support on how to develop and become a (superior) leader. However, De Sidera raises and answers the question on how to develop teamship. On how to support groups or teams on their journey to the next level. That is one reason why it is a star on the firmament of relatively rare teamship literature. Another reason why to describe it as a gem is the fact that it enables every team leader to reflect and decide on its own level of desired teamship or groupship and to provide coaching on how to realize this. This makes this work appropriate for every environment whether it is business, government or other. The book is concise, practical and result-oriented as it grasps the reader to question its own situation and aspiration. It contains the essence to bring your team to the next a cohesive constellation!”
Bart Vermeulen, Deputy-Director Health Care, Ministry of Health Care and Social Affairs.
“Today, we are creating more project teams with minutes and action lists than we ever can process, as it is ‘The right thing to do’, ‘Don’t we all’. But are we forming groups of people and do we get the maximum out of them? Teamship is about more than a group of people, it’s building that unique work environment that has the ability to bring added value, result and growth.”
“When you use a wired mouse on your computer, it works great. If you cut the wire, and add other technology to it, the wireless mouse will work much better and more precise. Just like teamship is versus teams.”
Wim Nagels, Global Senior Head ICT Infrastructure & Operations, Ontex.
“The book ‘de Sidera’ touches on different aspects of bringing the teamship to the next level. Creating passion and energy within the team by having common goals and ambitions, but at the same time respecting the individuals and enabling each team member to outperform without losing the trust within the team.
This book gives extra insights for team leaders and team members. It reflects on teamship from different angles to grow to a real “thrilling” experience.”
Luc Jacobs, CEO DHL Global Forwarding Belgium and Luxemburg
“Looking at a team like a constellation is both a unique and a very useful point of view. It pushes you to see diversity, the importance of connections between team members, their individual ways to shine depending on different situations and on the shape they form together. Great meta-phor that sums up in one word the rich content of the teamship manuscript. Appealing concept to work on with teams.”
Manu Bollue, Customer Oriented Transformations
“If you are still wondering what and how leadership and great teams can bring value to your business, then read this book. It offers provoking quotes, formats and insights, but at the same time invites you to ‘think twice’ ! “
Luc Debruyne, President GSK Vaccines
“This masterly book makes a significant contribution to the field of leadership. People leading organizations will benefit greatly from this lucid book and its fascinating insights.
A quality of framework that make it an extraordinarily source of guidance.”
Prof. dr. Dirk Van Poucke, Flanders Business School; Law Firm Storme, Leroy & Van Parijs; NEGO bvba
“Being appointed as a leader is one thing, making a difference as a leader is something else. If you are interested in the latter, read this book to find valuable insights created by the mix of leadership theory and more than 25 years hands-on leadership experience. Concrete tips and tricks can move you and your organisation to a higher level. The more you dive in this book, the more you like it.”
Krisja Vermeylen, Sr Vice-President, Novo-Nordisk“
“This book will become a good and loyal friend, the company you need to lead.”
Griet Nuytinck, CEO Anacura
“The book is imbued by its author with a rare combination of wisdom, experience, and insight. It succeeds in explaining and demonstrating the path to real team success to both the novice and the guru.”
Prof.dr. Marc de Vos, Director, Itinera Institute, Professor UGent and VUB universities. Author of several books.
“De Summa is an excellent tool to be considered as the ‘formularium’ for leadership in action. In combination with Geri’s coaching excellence, it is what you need to get to the next level in leadership and teamship.”
Ingrid Maes, Managing Director & Co-Owner, Inovigate
“Not a book you finish after turning the last page. But pages of wisdom that you will not finish returning to.”
Dr. Nathan Vastesaeger, Medical Lead, Immuno-Oncology, Mid Europe Region, Merck Corporation (MSD)
“When you are thinking how to bring your organization closer to its vision, you will find many useful signposts in this vademecum. Not every traveler’s guide has the same clarity as this little gem which has the ambition to be really worked with.”
Ivan Van de Cloot, Chief Economist, Itinera Institute, executive professor UAMS (University Antwerp Management School). Author or several books.
“Successful lawyers often end up in leading positions without being leaders, by lack of specific training, coaching and tools. De summa is the perfect practical guide to help lawyers catch up with the business world surrounding them. It teaches how to transcend daily management to find a long term vision, how to change a sum of strong individuals in an even stronger group exploiting its synergies and offering a common perspective.”
Liesbeth Weynants, partner HoyngRokhMonegier.
“Books on leadership risk to exaggerate either in theory or in storytelling. de Summa is different. For those who fear theory, there are a lot of small cases and hints, and for those who are a little suspicious towards cases only, there is a continuous conceptual flow that stands in its own right.
de Summa is a rare combination of insight and experience, of pragmatism and analysis, of sharing praxis and building understanding of the underlying dynamics. Moreover, de Summa is written in a vivid and fluid semantic style that incites the reader to turn the pages.”
Prof dr Leo NEELS, President Press Agency Belga, President Adv. Board AMS Family Wealth Institute.
“As a young entrepreneur, leadship – and becoming a leader – appears to me as a constantly evolving process. You have to challenge yourself on a daily basis, and sometimes even re-invent yourself in this vastly changing world and dito economic reality. De Summa is my personal guide in this journey to leadship. Fluidly written by the master himself, packed of quotes and practical guidelines makes this book a must have, or at least, a must read for every person who wants to elevate his or her personal development in leadship to a higher level”.
Jens Mosselmans, partner at Portico, a boutique law firm in administrative law
“de Summa succeeds in covering 2 complementary perspectives of the journey to leadership. It provides numerous stimuli for reflection and at the same time very practical techniques to adapt straight away. It works. You’ll become a better manager, a better leader, and maybe a better person.”
Alix Engalytcheff, PhD, Western Europe Market Access Director
“Find out what makes a great “LEADER + SHIP” with this resource. And also in Leadship: “The art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he or she wants to do it.” (modified from DD Eisenhower)
Business Unit Director, Ferring Pharmaceuticals.
Peter Van Ryssegem
Leadership and management books tend to end up on the shelf. This book is a roadmap on leadership and organizations that you will want to keep close to you for a daily dose of wisdom.”
Jef Brouwers, Vice President European Operations , CRC Industries Europe