{"id":54575,"date":"2026-08-22T17:30:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-22T15:30:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.turner.nl\/uncategorized\/column-by-peter-de-bruin-shoe-horn\/"},"modified":"2026-08-22T17:30:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-22T15:30:20","slug":"column-by-peter-de-bruin-shoe-horn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.turner.nl\/en\/blog-en\/column-by-peter-de-bruin-shoe-horn\/","title":{"rendered":"Column by Peter de Bruin | \u201cShoe Horn\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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\"Shoe Horn\"<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u201cIs my leader like a shoehorn?\u201d is a question we should ask ourselves regularly, at least as far as Peter de Bruin is concerned. Not some impossible definition of leadership, but a symbol of everything that a good leader\u2014in terms of character and values\u2014means to you. Don\u2019t worry\u2014this isn\u2019t going to be a book or a ten-point list\u2026 :)<\/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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I recently received a lot of praise because, according to them, I had effectively led and guided a team. I usually handle compliments pretty well :), and this time even more so because I didn\u2019t see the praise coming. My approach of helping people work together to achieve our objectives comes quite naturally to me. So why open a column with this now? Is it a bit of ego? I can\u2019t rule it out, but without wanting to hold myself up as an example, I think it\u2019s mainly a way to illustrate a lesson. <\/p>

Here\u2019s what I got back: \u201cYou\u2019re passionate about our shared goal, you let us contribute ideas and provide direction, you let go and make room for execution and development, but you do participate, and you\u2019re always there when we need you.\u201d That\u2019s quite something. Essentially, I can relate to it. I think it struck a chord with me because I spend a lot of time thinking about leading others\u2014both individually and collectively\u2014but I\u2019d never considered a real-life example so close to home. <\/p>

What might we learn from this? Well, I read a lot about how leaders can guide a group of people toward an objective or destination they don\u2019t (want to) know. And to be honest, I\u2019m pretty sick of it. Yet another new definition of leadership or yet another ten-point list of what good, inclusive, decisive, fair, open, intuitive, communicative, attentive, \u2026, and servant leaders who set a good example are supposed to live up to :). <\/p>

It\u2019s all true! And yet (therefore) these are useless lists of clich\u00e9s. Not only is effective leadership highly context-dependent, but there are simply too many factors involved, making it difficult to define. It\u2019s just like with other broad concepts, such as \u201clove\u201d\u2014once you start trying to describe it, you\u2019re lost. <\/p>

I think we\u2019d be better off stopping trying to rationalize a meta- and multidimensional concept like leadership. We can continue to reflect on it, but determining whether someone is a good leader\u2014for you\u2014is a very small, personal, and implicit judgment. Whether you \u201caccept\u201d someone as a leader is primarily a matter of perceived appeal\u2014on the levels of reason, emotion, and intention. <\/p>

Do I take action with, for, and on behalf of that person? Using \u201ccarrots and sticks.\u201d And what values do I then experience? Learning occurs, can I be myself, do I gain clarity, am I taken care of, am I held accountable for my commitments and agreements? A series of observations yields answers to these kinds of implicit questions. And that\u2019s how one also gets a sense of someone\u2019s true nature. Is it for our sake, or is he or she doing it mainly for themselves? Is there vulnerable (self-)reflection, or does the ego prevail? <\/p>

Thanks to the trumpet, I\u2019ve found not a definition but a symbol for all this incredibly elusive stuff. The shoehorn: a little nudge here and there, working on the conditions, making movement possible, so that someone can step in on their own and, equipped with the right tools, take steps toward the goal? And mind you, a shoehorn has no ego. <\/p>

This isn’t a new definition of leadership. There won’t be a book, nor a ten-point list. The only question I think everyone should ask themselves is: Is my leader like a shoehorn to me? <\/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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