“The ‘Great Reset’ after the pandemic asks us to face uncertainty and discomfort bravely, instead of giving in to escape phantasies to alleviate our anxiety. Only if we are ready to welcome reality and take time to reflect can we remake the world,” says Smaranda Boros, Professor of Intercultural Management and Organisational Behaviour at Vlerick Business School. She sees the crisis as an opportunity for systemic transformation, to reinvent ourselves and restore our relation to the world as one ecosystem.

COVID-19 is a great lesson in humility. It’s the kind of experience that forces you to draw breath and reflect on who you are as a leader and the difference you want to make. After all, it’s all too easy to think that you can't have any kind of impact. According to Professor Katleen De Stobbeleir, everyone's choices and actions – no matter how large or how small your role – have a significant impact on the bigger picture. So, the question is, what difference do you want to make?

In a fast-changing market, traditional and hierarchical structures are making way for more agile teams that are able to respond quickly to challenges, come up with solutions and strive for innovation. Self-managing teams are in charge of a meaningful share of the work, with the role of the leader taking on a completely different function. Professor Karlien Vanderheyden explains how to lead self-managing teams and talks about the advantages and potential pitfalls.

It is with a heavy heart that we share with you the sad news that our respected colleague Peter De Prins passed away. Joining Vlerick Business School in October 2010, Peter De Prins was Professor of Management Practice for the past 10 years, specialising in change management and leadership. In this role, he leveraged his ample international experience as engineer, entrepreneur, coach and manager and had an impact on thousands of participants.

Since 2015, Rode Kruis-Vlaanderen (Red Cross Flanders) has collaborated with Vlerick Business School to support its international capacity building programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa. Every year, a small group of Vlerick students is dispatched to one of the partner countries of Rode Kruis-Vlaanderen to work on a wide variety of different projects.
Despite the ongoing CoVID-19 crisis, this year was no exception. While the Vlerick team worked remotely, they were tasked with developing an evidence-based and contextualised Business Game to train the employees of various Commercial First Aid (CoFA) departments associated with the various African Red Cross Societies with whom Rode Kruis-Vlaanderen has a partnership. Our students happily explain how their In-Company Project came to life and how they brought it to a successful end…

Working remotely one or two days a week can actually increase our productivity. But doing it every day can wear us out and slowly alienate us from our familiar office and colleagues. Some of us even experience a sort of grieving process we need to go through. According to Professor Karlien Vanderheyden, there are several things we can do to make the most of this ‘new normal’.

Employees care about fairness in outcomes, in procedures, and in interpersonal treatment. It is when the environment is uncertain and outcomes are less positive, that our evaluations of fairness become most important. Fairness shows that we can expect better outcomes in the future, that we are a valued member of the team, and that our managers have integrity. Fairness provides us with assurances regarding our future in the organisation, and makes it feel safe to invest and “go beyond the call of duty”.

The COVID-19 outbreak is threatening the jobs of many across the globe. Regardless of the exact numbers, it is clear that many employees will at least subjectively worry about the continuity of their jobs. Research shows that such job insecurity is very contagious and may affect the overall work climate in your organisation. To maintain a positive work climate, leaders should focus on three elements, says Professor Katleen De Stobbeleir.

Even if in due time we manage to tame the Corona outbreak, other new, unprecedented and unpredictable events will arise. There is one thing you can always focus on more: keeping stability during times of change. Surely, we cannot change what happens to us today, but instead of panicking, we can work on creating a feeling of mental and emotional safety and solidity. Professor Peter De Prins offers organisational leaders in crisis mode 6 recommendations to keep in mind.

David Patient, who was recently appointed professor of leadership, people and organisations, has always been passionate about literature. “Perhaps the most exciting teaching experience I’ve ever had was a course on leadership and Shakespeare, for which I used the play Henry V.” David’s love of language and communication is a common thread throughout his career. He joins Vlerick Business School from Católica-Lisbon School of Business where he was professor of organisational behaviour.