Category: Leadership

”Het knettert in de bovenkamer”

”Het knettert in de bovenkamer”

Zo begon de mail van de mentee waarmee ik vorige vrijdag een afspraak had. De bakkerij in het Wintercircus bleek het perfecte decor voor een gesprek dat gepland was voor twee uur, maar uiteindelijk ruim drie uur duurde.

Een gesprek vol wederzijdse inspiratie. We bouwden bruggen tussen ideeën, concepten, businessdoelen, levenskeuzes, nieuwe connecties en oude samenwerkingen. Het ging van persoonlijk naar professioneel, van technologie naar zingeving:

💡 Je eigen pad vinden
Hoe kijk je terug op je verleden – zelfs tot aan je kindertijd – om te ontdekken waar je écht energie van krijgt? Die persoonlijke waarden helpen je om voluit achter de visie, missie en strategie van een organisatie te staan. Of om te beseffen dat het tijd is voor iets nieuws.

💡 Leren en groeien
Hoe blijf je jezelf ontwikkelen voor de uitdagingen van morgen? Een combinatie van menselijke en technische vaardigheden is essentieel. Formele opleidingen zijn waardevol, maar informele leermomenten en vooral het toepassen van kennis in de praktijk maken echt het verschil.

💡 Zelfstandig of ondernemer
Wat is het verschil, en wat past bij jou? Door je sterktes en ambities helder te maken, maak je bewustere keuzes. Voor sommigen is dat intrapreneurship binnen een organisatie, voor anderen een freelance traject in een niche. Er is geen universeel pad en je moet jouw weg vinden.

💡 Data strategie
Hoe wordt een organisatie écht data-gedreven? Technologie, architectuur en governance zijn belangrijk, maar de sleutel ligt vaak in cultuur, leiderschap en effectief management om de waarde van data te ontsluiten.

⚡ Ook in mijn hoofd knetterde het achteraf. Van de energie. ⚡

Mentoring is voor mij een manier van ‘paying it forward’. Tijd investeren in echte connecties, met de wetenschap dat je daar ooit – vaak op onverwachte manieren – de vruchten van plukt.

18/05/2025
Leiderschap in IT: iets uniek!

IT, leiderschap & management zijn mijn ding. Mijn passie.

Deze post van Gerrit en artikel raakten me omdat het precies benoemt waar ik elke dag mijn energie in steek … en, gelukkig, ook heel veel energie uit haal.

⚡ Wat ik helaas nog vaak zie in IT: mensen met ambitie die hun groei enkel vertalen naar een rol als leidinggevende of manager. Terwijl niet iedereen gelukkig wordt van managen. Integendeel: wie écht gedreven is door technologie, haalt zijn voldoening meestal uit iets totaal anders dan leidinggeven.
⚡ Ik heb al verschillende mensen voor deze valkuil proberen waarschuwen: groeien betekent niet alleen “de ladder op”. Groeien kan ook zijn: nieuwe dingen leren, uitdagende projecten opnemen, of je technische skills naar een hoger niveau tillen in een nieuwe context.
⚡ Eén van de ongemakkelijke waarheden van leiderschap is “expert wordt manager”. In IT is expertise cruciaal, maar de beste IT’er is zelden vanzelf de beste leider. Zet mensen in hun kracht of bied de juiste begeleiding als ze wél willen groeien richting leiderschap.

Het doet mij veel plezier om te lezen dat authenticiteit in dit artikel zo centraal staat. Dit is één van mijn kernwaarden. Misschien is dat ook waarom ik leiderschap in IT zo fascinerend vind: geen façades of maskers, maar échte connectie.

03/05/2025
The power of a good story

I got the opportunity to have a personal chat with Stefaan Vandist about the power of a good story while we were waiting for the rain to stop.

During the keynote about innovation, creativity and sustainability there were 4 key messages:
1️⃣ Find stakeholders willing to make a difference. Sometimes, they’re not the first ones you think of. Be creative in forming coalitions.
2️⃣ Dream big: Instead of worrying about what might not work, imagine how awesome it would be if it does.
3️⃣ Make solutions tangible quickly: Prototype, fail fast, fail often, but always fail forward. Learn from each experience.
4️⃣ Celebrate success, no matter how small.

But what resonated most was the power of storytelling: It can immerse people in a dream, make them believe in the possible, and inspire action among those willing to make a difference.

26/09/2024
Empowering Ambits with Scalable Back-Office Automation
Proj3ctS enables Ambits to scale with a future-proof, low-code solution that halves administrative costs and enhances user experience.

Ambits, a fast-growing Belgian startup specializing in leadership mentoring, faced a significant challenge: a manual, inefficient back-office process that hindered scalability and transparency. To support their growth ambitions, Ambits turned to Proj3ctS for a tailored digital transformation.

The Challenge

Ambits connects executives and management teams with experienced mentors through structured six-month programs. With a growing client base—including major players like Belfius and Umicore, as well as SMEs and startups—the administrative burden of managing mentor-mentee journeys became unsustainable. Initially handled via Excel by a single student worker, the process was inaccessible, error-prone, and lacked scalability. A later switch to off-the-shelf mentoring software proved too rigid, unintuitive, and disconnected from Ambits’ existing tools.

The Solution

Proj3ctS stepped in to lead the transformation. Leveraging its expertise in digital strategy, architecture, and project management, Proj3ctS designed a scalable solution built on the Microsoft Power Platform. The new application was developed using low-code technology, ensuring rapid deployment and seamless integration with existing tools like Jotform and Outlook.

Proj3ctS coordinated the entire project lifecycle—from high-level architecture to stakeholder alignment—ensuring that the final product met Ambits’ unique operational needs.

Key Features & Results
- Automated Communication: All forms and emails are now automatically routed to the right stakeholders, eliminating manual follow-ups.
- Centralized Data Access: Key users have real-time access to relevant data based on their roles, improving transparency and collaboration.
- Integrated Time Tracking: Mentors can now log their hours directly in the platform, offering valuable insights into program efficiency.
- User-Friendly Interface: Designed with simplicity in mind, the platform ensures a frictionless experience for both internal teams and external mentors.
- Cost Efficiency: Administrative costs have been reduced by 50%, freeing up resources for strategic growth.
A Scalable Foundation for Growth

The application went live in May 2023, just six months after project kickoff. Since then, over 50 mentoring projects have been successfully migrated to the new platform. The solution is fully scalable, allowing Ambits to onboard new users without significant increases in licensing costs.

“Proj3ctS quickly understood our complex workflows and translated them into a powerful, intuitive tool. The result is a back-office that supports our operations instead of slowing them down,” says Gerrit Sarens, CEO of Ambits. “We now have a clear, real-time view of our mentoring programs, which is essential for our continued growth.”

Looking Ahead

Ambits is now operating with a robust digital backbone that supports its mission: delivering impactful mentoring experiences. With all essential features in place, the organization is ready to explore future enhancements and “nice-to-haves” that will further elevate the user experience.

“Together with Proj3ctS, we’ve built a solution that aligns with the four pillars of successful digital change: people, process, technology, and data,” says Dries Vandevyvere of Proj3ctS. “Delivered on time and within budget, this project empowers Ambits to focus on what truly matters—growth and meaningful mentorship.”
01/12/2023
IT Transformation

Situation

The organization faced significant challenges in its IT department, including bad leadership, lack of ownership, an unclear vision, and excessive governance structures. These issues hindered our ability to innovate and respond to market demands effectively.

Key Project Areas

The transformation of the IT organization focused on several critical areas.

First, we aimed to balance demand and supply, ensuring that our IT resources were allocated efficiently to meet the needs of the business. We also undertook a comprehensive organization design, restructuring the IT department to improve efficiency and accountability. Clearly defining roles and responsibilities was another key area, as it helped enhance ownership and performance within the team.

We established clear levels in the Target Operating Model (TOM) to streamline operations and simplify the application landscape for better integration and usability. Improving vendor and contract management processes, along with executing effective service management, were also essential components of the project. Implementing stringent budget control measures ensured financial discipline, while enhancing visibility and transparency across all IT processes helped build trust and accountability.

Balancing the run and build aspects of IT was crucial for continuous improvement, and optimizing the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) led to better project outcomes. Strengthening project management practices ensured that projects were delivered on time and within budget.

Project success

The transformation project resulted in a new and future-proof IT organization that is easier to manage and more responsive to business needs.

We achieved better control over our budget, reduced third-party risks, and streamlined IT processes.

The application landscape is now more manageable, and our IT services are more reliable and efficient.

01/06/2023