Dirk Verburg

Why leaders should

• reflect on their own role and behaviors to prevent self-fulfilling prophecies,
• release control if they want to make things happen, and
• consider creating ‘a sense of belonging’ instead of ‘burning platforms’

if they want to implement deep and sustainable behavioral change in their organizations…

These were just some of the topics I discussed with the management consultant and change management guru (although he would reject that classification!) Arend Ardon.

Arend wrote a number of bestsellers in the area of change management and leadership, and is the co-founder and co-owner of the Change Studio, a consultancy firm specializing in change management and leadership.

During our conversation, Arend and I discussed the following topics:

• Why Arend decided to become a management consultant
• His success in implementing changes in large organizations, despite never having worked as a leader in such an environment
• His fascination for change and change management
• Why we, in the context of change, need to adapt a different paradigm than thinking in terms of initiating leaders on the one hand, and reactive and dependent employees on the other.
• Why leaders and experts should reflect on their own role in change processes
• Why and how leaders should release control if they want to make things happen
•  ‘Creating a sense of belonging’ versus ‘Burning platforms’ to drive change management
• What the undertow in organizations is, and why leaders should pay attention to this
• Why Arend decided to pursue a PhD study
• Arend’s drive for writing
• Why Arend decided to establish his own consulting firm (The Change Studio)
• The type of clients that are attracted by the Change Studio
• The profile of the consultants that work for the change studio
• Why Arend Still makes the time available to lecture at universities

► You can watch or listen to this podcast episode on

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► No time to watch or listen to podcast now? Here is a short summary of our conversation ⤵

Dirk Verburg: You advise large organizations effectively without managing them. To what do you attribute your success in implementing change despite this lack of hands-on experience?
Arend Ardon: My success stems from not having personal management experience. Consultants who were managers often advise based on their past actions, but I believe in approaching each situation uniquely from diverse perspectives, especially psychological and business administration angles. It’s a profession like a doctor who doesn’t need to have experienced all diseases to treat them. This allows for objective, tailored advice rather than simply replicating past solutions.

Dirk Verburg: What sparked your fascination with change, change management, and leadership, leading to the creation of The Change Studio?
Arend Ardon: My fascination isn’t in creating change plans or rolling out systems. Instead, I’m captivated by the behavior that often makes or breaks change processes. I observe how leaders, even while discussing change, might exhibit behaviors that foster resistance, like not listening or asking questions. My work focuses on helping managers reflect on their own contributions to either enable or hinder change, rather than just developing new strategies.

Dirk Verburg: Your book, ‘Break the Cycle,’ highlights how the classic leader-initiated, employee-reactive change model often fails. Why does this approach frequently lead to failure?
Arend Ardon: This model fails due to ingrained, self-fulfilling beliefs. Managers often believe they must initiate all change because employees won’t take initiative, or that resistance is inevitable. These beliefs lead managers to act in ways that provoke the very behaviors they expect. For example, anticipating resistance makes leaders firm and pushy, thus creating resistance. If managers believe employees need constant plans, employees become less motivated to offer their own ideas. This creates circular patterns and self-fulfilling prophecies, hindering genuine change.

Dirk Verburg: Your book suggests taking a self-timer picture, including yourself as part of the problem, to move change forward. How does this approach help leaders address and resolve change issues?
Arend Ardon: It breaks circular patterns. If leaders only see others as the problem (e.g., lacking initiative), they’ll repeat controlling behaviors. Including yourself means asking: ‘What do I do that stimulates their behavior?’ This requires self-reflection and courage, especially when asking others directly. It’s tough, but asking, ‘What do I do that contributes to this?’ rebuilds connection and breaks the impasse, unlike merely contemplating solutions alone. This direct inquiry is the only way to genuinely shift dynamics.

Dirk Verburg: Leaders fear losing control when empowering teams. How should leaders manage this insecurity, balance control with freedom, and communicate these boundaries effectively to their teams?
Arend Ardon: Be open about this dilemma with your team. Acknowledge the value of empowering them while also explaining your need for comfort and accountability. Have a mutual conversation: ‘What do I need to feel comfortable giving you space, and what can you give me?’ Define minimal rules or KPIs for reporting. This transforms it from a private dilemma into a shared, two-way interaction. This fundamental principle of openness, though sometimes impractical under time pressure, fosters mutual understanding and trust.

Dirk Verburg: You advocate creating a sense of belonging over a burning platform. Isn’t a burning platform faster and more secure, given the time and uncertainty involved in building belonging?
Arend Ardon: Both urgency (burning platform) and belonging are crucial; ideally, a combination. For structural changes, a burning platform can be effective. However, for fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, and creativity, a burning platform is counterproductive because it dictates actions. Belonging, or ‘excitement,’ inspires purpose-driven contributions. While a burning platform creates urgency for implementation, true innovation needs inspiration. Belonging takes time, but it’s essential for changes requiring genuine initiative and shared purpose, not just compliance.

Dirk Verburg: What do you mean by the term ‘undertow’ in the context of organizations, as discussed in your book?
Arend Ardon: The undertow refers to subtle, often ungraspable processes that profoundly influence change. These are hidden dynamics, like exchanged glances in meetings when a difficult topic is raised, or lingering sentiments from past failed change initiatives where people felt unheard. It’s the unspoken history and emotional currents that silently shape current interactions and progress, making them difficult to address but critical for effective change.

Dirk Verburg: What happens if leaders ignore the ‘undertow’ in their organization?
Arend Ardon: Leaders will repeatedly feel its effects, often without understanding why. For instance, if an employee feels loyal to a past manager who taught them a specific way of working, a new manager’s push for change might be met with subtle resistance or a feeling of ‘too fast,’ even if the employee isn’t consciously aware of their loyalty. Ignoring this ‘undertow’ of unspoken loyalties or past pains leads to disengagement and disconnect. The undertow, though seemingly unstructured, follows discernible ‘laws’ that leaders can learn to understand.

Dirk Verburg: What motivated you to leave a successful consulting firm to start ‘The Change Studio,’ specializing solely in change, change management, and leadership?
Arend Ardon: My personal motivation was to focus exclusively on leadership and change, building a dedicated team fascinated by these themes. We offer ‘change journeys’ and ‘leadership journeys’—step-by-step experiences, not just plans. Our approach is ‘lead, inspire, create,’ strong in content but creative in form. We believe change can be an inspiring adventure, making journeys literally into nature for leaders to discuss major dilemmas. I love this work and the impact we create.

Dirk Verburg: What specific type of customer or organizational challenge is typically attracted to The Change Studio?
Arend Ardon: We attract clients seeking behavioral change, culture development, or new leadership approaches. If they ask for ICT implementation, we refer them. Our clients struggle to implement new strategies or want to foster innovation and collaboration. They come from diverse sectors—profit-driven, hospitals, education—but all share a ‘courage’ to step outside their comfort zone and embrace less conventional, more adventurous paths to change.

Dirk Verburg: What type of people are attracted to working for The Change Studio?
Arend Ardon: Initially, young university graduates. Now, increasingly, professionals from ‘Big Four’ consultancies are drawn by our creativity and non-standard approaches. They seek inspiration and a creative environment. Their backgrounds are diverse: psychologists, legal, business administration, IT. The key commonality we seek in new colleagues is creativity—a willingness to innovate and embrace unique approaches.

Dirk Verburg: As a successful partner and young father, why did you undertake such a demanding PhD thesis like ‘Moving Moments’ with nothing left to prove?
Arend Ardon: To be honest, it was partly ego—I wanted to prove I was capable of such a demanding endeavor. More fundamentally, I was genuinely fascinated by the research question itself. It took me a full year to select the topic, knowing I’d dedicate four to five years to it. I needed to truly desire the answer to sustain the effort. That deep curiosity and fascination were essential.

Dirk Verburg: Beyond your thesis, you continue writing and publishing books. What motivates this — ego, curiosity, commercial aspects, or a mix?
Arend Ardon: It’s a mix. Primarily, I’m addicted to personal development; I get bored quickly otherwise. Writing forces continuous learning. Second, it’s my marketing strategy: instead of cold-calling, I write and speak at conferences, which attracts clients to us. Finally, my parents were teachers, and despite youthful resistance, I realize I enjoy teaching and sharing my ideas, hoping people are interested. This blend keeps me engaged and generates fulfilling work.

Dirk Verburg: You teach at universities. What do you gain from teaching and from your students, beyond what they gain from you?
Arend Ardon: My students are always postgraduate managers with extensive experience. This is a bit selfish, but I learn a tremendous amount from them. They bring real-world experiences, sometimes challenging what I teach, which leads to rich discussions. This continuous exchange helps to sharpen my mind and keeps my thinking current and relevant. It’s a mutual learning process that I greatly value.
Information about Arend’s work

Arends’ book Doorbreek de cirkel! has meanwhile sold more than 30,000 copies and was recently also published in English (Break the Cycle!). Other books include Ontketen vernieuwing! (which translates as ‘Unleash innovation’) and, more recently, with Cynthia van der Zwan, ‘Wat speelt hier? Laat de onderstroom spreken (which translates as: ‘What is going on here? Listen to the undertow’). All books have become best-sellers in the Netherlands.

In partnership with GoodHabitz, Arend developed the online Change & Innovation course, especially for use on smartphones and tablets. The course offers lots of video content, interactive tests, and a vast library of further reading (http://bit.ly/2qLlDr0).

Contact details and resources

Arend can be reached at: arend@changestudio.nl

The website of the Change Studio: https://www.changestudio.nl/?lang=en

Arend’s PhD Thesis “Moving moments” can be downloaded here:

Click to access complete+dissertation.pdf