{"id":54154,"date":"2026-08-22T17:06:21","date_gmt":"2026-08-22T15:06:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.turner.nl\/uncategorized\/schoolyard\/"},"modified":"2026-08-22T17:06:33","modified_gmt":"2026-08-22T15:06:33","slug":"schoolyard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.turner.nl\/en\/blog-en\/schoolyard\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cSchoolyard\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Column by Peter de Bruin<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u201cSchoolyard\u201d<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In his latest column, Peter de Bruin reflects\u2014as a critical friend\u2014on the learning he experienced in the schoolyard.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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As a small child, I was (according to my mother) an innocent, rather sensitive, sweet boy. Through trial and error, however, I became \u201cwise\u201d at an early age. In the schoolyard, I often had to run for my life. That\u2019s how I developed a keen sense of danger and safety. Withdrawn in my bedroom, I escaped into music and dreamed of a career abroad. <\/p>

As I went through the rest of my adolescence, I developed a strong armor, sharp logic, and good intuition. Armor to protect myself, logic to chart a path forward, and intuition to stay one step ahead of danger. I don\u2019t want to exaggerate\u2014especially since everything turned out just fine in the end\u2014but it certainly wasn\u2019t all sunshine and roses. Many people know me as an unyielding go-getter. That willpower and drive to prove myself were born during my youth. <\/p>

At first, I built my career on strength and reason. Until it turned out that this caused too much damage. One example of that damage was that, as I later realized, the people around me were wary of my short temper. They were on their guard. Around the time I turned thirty-five, there was even a colleague who dared to tell me that she was afraid of me. I\u2019m still very grateful to her for that. That was the wake-up call I needed. That was exactly what I didn\u2019t want. Her intervention set a positive and important change in motion. <\/p>

By \u201cre-developing\u201d my sensitive or intuitive side, I was able to find my footing. An ever-improving balance between reason and emotion, strength and feeling, has made me a different man, professional, father, friend, manager, volunteer, \u2026 Without a protective shell, I\u2019ve been able to build the second half of my career on a combination of blue and red. This is reflected in the roots of the consulting firm that I\u2019ve dedicated myself to\u2014with my head, heart, and soul\u2014for more than twenty-five years.<\/p>

Now, as a \u201ccritical friend,\u201d I help teams and individuals strike that balance. As a professional, I certainly share everything I\u2019ve learned myself. In many of my assignments, I recognize a (similar) kind of schoolyard. In the analogy of a schoolyard, you can see virtually everything that\u2019s going on within the organization. All communication\u2014both verbal and nonverbal\u2014reveals the dynamics: power, influence, competencies, power plays, group formation, control, oversight\u2026 in short, everything. Being able to see through this\u2014by combining reason and intuition in leadership\u2014gives my clients a competitive edge. Highly recommended. <\/p>

With the advent of AI, the need for governance and management to take the intuitive aspect of leadership seriously is only increasing. Not in isolation\u2014that would be unrealistic\u2014but in a connected, grounded way. AI ensures that not only information but also knowledge is available everywhere. Moreover, when it comes to governance challenges, people\u2019s creative, intuitive, and connecting qualities are indispensable. I hope everyone has a \u201cschoolyard\u201d where they can practice these skills. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Meet the Author<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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