Katoen Natie embraces Dare to Lead and takes performance to a higher level
Katoen Natie has been around for 170 years and employs no less than 19,000 people worldwide. “That’s mainly the result of the entrepreneurial spirit that defines our employees,” says CEO Fernand Huts. And because entrepreneurship and leadership go hand in hand, Better Minds was invited to design a tailored programme to support promising professionals at all levels in their leadership role. The Dare to Lead programme was born.
Approach
Leadership is not just about managing teams. It’s mainly about inspiring and motivating people and creating an environment where everyone can thrive. That puts a lot of pressure on today’s leaders. Our starting point for the programme was therefore: what are the essential core skills that every inspiring leader needs today? A co-creation session led to a six-day journey built around four central pillars: self-leadership, psychological safety, coaching skills and leading a team within the organisation.
Impact
The results of the Dare to Lead programme are undeniably positive:
- Establishing a culture of open feedback
Leaders now feel confident in giving and receiving constructive feedback - a skill with exponential impact on team performance. - A shift towards coaching leadership
Micromanagement made way for a more empowering leadership style. Leaders now inspire, motivate and support their teams, fostering greater ownership and accountability. - Strong role models
Many participants developed into powerful role models. Their behaviour influenced others and helped shape a new leadership culture within the company. - Diversity as a strength
Our trainers created a safe learning environment for participants from over 100 nationalities, allowing everyone to explore and express their authentic leadership style and voice.
The success of the Dare to Lead programme in Belgium has encouraged Katoen Natie to roll it out across other European locations. More than ever, the company sees leadership development as the key to its future success.
Would you like to take your leadership to the next level, just like Katoen Natie?
"Better Minds is a fantastic partner in our leadership programmes focused on coaching-oriented leadership. They are highly client-focused, flexible, collaborative and truly connecting. We see a significant impact among participants in these programmes. Even after the six-day journey, participants stay in touch and continue sharing their insights with each other. The impact goes well beyond the sessions themselves.
Their trainers have already inspired employees from over a hundred nationalities, always in a way that respects and promotes diversity and inclusion. I can fully recommend Better Minds to any organisation working on leadership development."
