Our approach

Want to make a social impact

We face major challenges: the transition to a more sustainable economic model focused on well-being, climate change, increasing inequality, dealing with corona, migration, and disinformation are just a few. On a more individual level we see many people losing grip on their work/life balance and dealing with stress.

To address these, we need people who can listen, collaborate, reason critically, innovate, and build. People who do not get stuck in prejudice, top-down actions, and short-term gains, but who know how to initiate and sustain improvements. People who push themselves and do not stay in the comfortable zone.

This requires:

a good dose of insight and self-knowledge
courage
skills

These do not come naturally - we need to develop ourselves.

We believe that everyone can improve themselves and thus take on a more valuable role in the organization, in the neighborhood, and in society at large. This is what the Yep team wants to work on as much as possible every day!

Looking for insight, courage, and skill.

It is our mission to work with professionals on all those insights, courage, and skills needed to make their desired impact. We have developed an approach that suits socially driven professionals. On this page, you can read more about the characteristics of our target group and the methodology we use.

Characteristics of our target group.

In 2010, we guided our first participant. Initially, our focus was on young talents. By now, we have worked with hundreds of groups and found that our methodology also appeals greatly to more experienced professionals. It makes sense: everyone, young and experienced, occasionally needs a new impulse. Therefore, we no longer only work with young professionals but also with experienced professionals who want to further discover and express their voice towards making social impact. Employees who want to spread their wings and are eager to develop. It is wonderful to support the social organizations we find important in their drive to innovate and keep in touch with what is needed in society and the workplace.

What do people who want to make (more) social impact have in common? The driven professionals we have guided in more than 20 municipalities and many foundations, associations, and companies share a number of characteristics. We highlight the most important ones and show with examples how we translate them into our methodology.

Characteristics

Driven by own values

Authenticity is very important for the professionals we work with. They want to act from their own values, insights, and skills. Work in itself is no longer the primary goal. Doing meaningful work and being connected with stakeholders is important to them.

Collaborating effectively and pleasantly, with attention to their own personal and professional development, challenges, and work-life balance. They seek a role and organization that fits their personality and where their learning needs are recognized.

Approach

Translating own values into work practice

We encourage participants to place their own values at the center. We know how important authenticity is to them. And we know that it takes courage! Our training sessions are a place to experiment with this: a safe environment where you get honest feedback and experience support.

Characteristics

Wanting to seize opportunities

Many people in our target group set goals for themselves in many areas. They set the bar high and like to seize the opportunities that come their way. This can lead to decision-making problems; they want to do too much too well. This can lead to indecisiveness, stress, and disappointing results.

Approach

Not all opportunities are your opportunities

Because we know that participants can be 'burdened' by the many possibilities and opportunities, we help them focus on their vision and priorities. This allows them to filter the large number of opportunities they encounter.

Characteristics

Wanting to make a difference

Many professionals we work with are driven, optimistic, flexible, cooperative, and confident that they can add value. And that it is certainly worth the effort!

Approach

Learning in a group that is just as ambitious

The proactive attitude of professionals is strengthened in our training sessions. We often hear that the energy and commitment of our trainers and coaches prompt action and reflection. Another contributing factor to the learning process is that participants join a group of professionals who are just as ambitious. This creates an environment where everyone inspires each other, generating energy that stimulates.

This does not mean that everyone always gets along; rather, the honesty and critical perspective in the groups, the mirror that participants receive from us – that is appreciated.

Characteristics

Doing it yourself

They have a strong drive to develop personally and professionally, and they prefer learning by trying things themselves rather than accepting ready-made wisdom from others. They seek a balance between the opportunity to develop (challenge) and the freedom to make mistakes and enjoy what they do.

Approach

You set the goals and ideas, we provide the process and the sounding board

Independent professionals have nothing to fear with us: we do not take over. At Yep, you remain in control of your own development: you decide where you want to go and at what pace. We are not the gurus who tell you the key to your happiness. We offer you space and situations/simulations to experiment with your approach and see what effect you achieve. We give you feedback on what we notice, share our ideas, and explore with you the possibilities of applying your insights in practice.

Tips

Do you recognize these characteristics in your own employees? The better you know your employees and the better you can tap into their positive qualities, the more they have to offer the organization. Here are a few tips:

Regularly ask your employees what drives them in this line of work. Be genuinely curious about the ideas your people have.
Provide an inspiring vision for the future and explore whether your employees feel connected to it. Then give your employees as much autonomy as possible to determine the 'how?'
Introduce a culture of play and experimentation, where it is allowed to try something without being tied to it. This gives room for those employees whose perfectionism gets in the way.