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Follow the link below to access a curated library of insightful articles on leadership and life.

Christine Maassen Christine Maassen

Why we should listen to our tummies and how to do it

Think and be honest with yourself when answering this question: Did you ever end up in a situation that was not good for you after ignoring the warning signs? Something was telling you to get out, but you still stayed. Your intuition was to hold back, but you went ahead.

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Christine Maassen Christine Maassen

Work we love – How to flee the vortex

The Collins Dictionary defines a vortex as “a mass of wind or water that spins round so fast that it pulls objects down into its empty center.”

The reference to the empty center jumped out at me. I often think of some of my past roles as an incredible force, a vortex that took over my life.

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Christine Maassen Christine Maassen

Bringing humanity to work

Hello Brave Ones,

My peeps know that I have been thinking about hanging out my shingle for a while. In fact, I was poised a few years ago when I made the decision to accept a role “in-house.”

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Christine Maassen Christine Maassen

How leadership is a paradox and where it starts

Regardless of what leadership definition you subscribe to—there are so many—chances are it references influence over others. One of my favorite examples is Brené Brown’s definition from Dare to Lead, in which she described a leader as “anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes and has the courage to develop that potential.”

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Christine Maassen Christine Maassen

The illusory trickery of control

Do you ever get satisfaction from being able to proclaim, “I have things under control”? I know I do. I’ve got this. I have a plan. I have a handle on things, and people, I’m telling you, it’s all good!

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Christine Maassen Christine Maassen

Chaos and stars

Words have an uncanny ability to find you at the perfect time if you let them.

These words from Nietzsche grabbed me recently: “one must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.”

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Christine Maassen Christine Maassen

Reality check

It is Saturday, August 15. It must be around 2:30 p.m. We are standing in the open at Glen Oakes cemetery, and the sun is very strong. The temperature is close to 30 degrees Celsius. We are hot, and since most of us are wearing black, the heat feels even worse.

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How I Started Writing

My Pen is a longtime friend of mine; we share a special bond with my Words and my Soul. We all go way back, getting along famously and have quite the history of getting into all kinds of mischief together.

But one day, all of a sudden, my favourite Pen felt especially itchy in my hand.

I asked my Pen, “What is with the sudden itch?”

It quickly replied, “Sudden…really?”

I paused and reflected. Since I had committed to developing unbounded awareness, it seemed that a lot of things had been happening. Surely, some of these things had been in the works for quite some time. Was it possible that they had been staring at me without my noticing?

That’s when it dawned on me it was pretty likely that the itch was not new.

My Pen continued: “I have been telling you for years about the Words anxious to get out. Many of them feel strongly that they can help others.

What is the point of all the cuts and bruises you have sustained over the course of your adventures in the corporate world if they don’t serve a purpose?”

I remained silent and paid close attention, sensing my Pen was not done. It continued: “You often refer to your favourite book, The Little Prince. You have gifted many copies of it to people you love.” I nodded. “Do you recall The Businessman, the fourth person The Little Prince meets? He is so busy; he does not even have time to greet his visitor. If I may,” continued the Pen in a very calm and caring voice, “you have been very busy.”

Then there was silence.

After a while, not sure how long, I smiled at my Pen apologetically and said, “Tell the Words I am very sorry it took me so long to put two and two together. I’m ready to serve them. I see that we have work to do.”

That’s how it started.