A leadership journey: Finding your individual style

Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM), is one of Europe’s leading business schools and offers a portfolio of top-ranked programmes, as well as one of the world’s largest and most prolific management faculties.

There are an incredible number of articles, studies and research on leadership. You only have to search the internet for the word "leadership" and you will find multiple opinions and dimensions about what leadership is.

No wonder finding your true leadership style can be a daunting journey.

So what would happen if you found someone who could walk by your side on that journey?

Finding your leadership style

Over the past few years, Hetty Brand-Boswijk, a Personal and Team Coach at RSM, has been involved in many journeys with people trying to find the answer to "What is my leadership style?"

The answers have all been very different, solely based on the fact that each and every individual she works with is exactly that: an individual.

Some insights into the RSM leadership journey

Based on her extensive experience, Hetty has some interesting insights to share about the leadership learning process:

"Everyone brings their own perspective to their leadership journey. Whether they want to become a leader of a large multinational corporation, work in a small NGO or even just find some leadership within their own life, each of these goals is as valuable as the other.

This shows that leadership is such a diverse and dynamic term, it is not surprising that there is so much written about it!

The Personal Leadership Development programme

I have the privilege and honour to work with smart and driven individuals in the MBA Programmes at RSM.

In our Personal Leadership Development programme [PLD] as part of the MBA, we look at leadership from the I/we/it perspectives - focussing on the individual, the team and the organisation.

During the journey we look at the "you", who you are as a person and as a leader, followed by who you are in relation to being a team member and a team leader.

The next step on the journey is the organisational and societal perspective, never forgetting to check in with the "you" along the way."

Features of the PLD programme

As part of the MBA programmes at RSM, the PLD programme helps students to:

› Understand and be more self-aware of the personal characteristics and skills that directly influence an individual’s effectiveness when interacting with other individuals or groups.

› Provide a stronger awareness of one’s own motivations and character.

› Understand the process of sense-making and sense-giving as essential elements of efficient and effective leadership.

› Understand team performance and one’s individual influence on team processes.

› Learn about the interconnectedness and mutual influence of the individual, the team, the organisation and society.

The PLD programme, including the Personal and Team Coaching, runs parallel to Career Coaching, where assistance is given on an individual’s career opportunities including workshops on networking skills, CV writing and behavioural interview skills.

A fulfilling experience

Working with Executive and International Full-time (E)MBA students at RSM, Hetty finds the coaching experience extremely fulfilling, because of the candidates' drive for change that brings them to the programme in the first place.

"The drive for change is a motivating foundation for a journey of discovery and transformation, which is what every coach desires for their clients individually, as well for teams when engaged in team coaching.

I am eager to walk this journey with each individual to empower them to be the best they can be, while focussed on their individual leadership goal! Bring on your Leadership Journey!"

Join the RSM MBA Open Day on November 12!

If you want to lean more about this journey of leadership discovery, visit the MBA Open Day.

› Date: November 12, 2016
› Time: 10am - 2pm
› Location: Rotterdam School of Management
Erasmus University

RSM’s staff, students and alumni will gladly share their knowledge of MBA life on campus with you.
Sign up for the MBA Open Day!

Get in touch with RSM

› RSM official website
› Tel: +31 (0)1 040 82 222
› Email: vzaravellas@rsm.nl
› Address: Burgemeester Oudlaan 50 - Bayle building, 3062 PA Rotterdam