TrueColoursV3 | for-yourself

Looking for help?

Whether you are a PhD, post-doc, professor, director or ATP, you need a guide who knows your context through and through, understands your challenge, and offers you this

A sounding board for the challenges that your role entails. Someone who helps, stimulates and supports your professional growth by providing a mirror, feedback and tips & tricks

New and more powerful skills – so that you take on your role (even) better in a way that still fits your personal style.

Knowledge and tools for taking real steps forward in your role and/or concerning the challenges you are facing. Hands-on, so that you can immediately apply them.

Our offer

You are bursting with innovative, challenging ideas that you can get started with right away. New perspectives guaranteed.

You go home with some experiments that you can conduct immediately. And the confidence that you can make things change for the better.

You (re)discover your freedom of choice and consciously make choices to take steps forward. You are again at the helm.

You embrace your mandate and take on your leadership. And that leadership is no longer an administrative obligation, but something through which you make a difference.

A hands-on, results-oriented process, unique to your context
Before we begin the process, we become familiar with your context and questions through an individual intake conversation: this way, we learn your language, and we head for solutions that work for you. So, your change process starts even before your programme begins.

Innovative, practically applicable ideas
You don’t want old wine in new skins, or vice versa? Then we’re on the same page. We are critical early adopters, learning from what we do and bundling insights from diverse sectors. Our goal is to broaden your horizon.

The bonus? You can come to us both during and after the process. "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave..."

How do you achieve these results?

Fuel session

This is an individual coaching moment that you plan. You decide which themes you need a sounding board for and how often you come to refuel. You go home with real experiments that you can put into practice immediately. Fuel sessions can be conducted at your workplace or at our office, without permission from, or reporting to, your leader.

Coaching

Do you want to improve your performance in one or more domains? And are you looking for a sounding board for this? Then a coaching process with multiple sessions is just right for you. We involve your leader in this, too:

First of all, he/she sets the objectives together with you and us.
He/she supports you and follows your evolution in real-life.
Together we conclude the process and evaluate your progress.

The goal? Visible, noticeable behavioural change in a span of 3 to 6 months.

Tailored training

Do you want to dive more deeply into a topic with a group, so that you also learn from each other? Do you not only want to gain new insights, but also discover how to apply them? Then call on us for a tailor-made training programme in which you work together with relevant peers.

The condition? You are open to being challenged in your knowledge, ability and actions. No fictional role play, but simulations based on cases from your practice. Crashing is OK in a safe environment, in which you experience and learn until you succeed and you can continue on your own.

Tailor-made training programmes range from modular multi-day sessions – often supplemented with individual coaching – to ½-day theme workshops. Count on carefully selected models and creative methods that have proven their success in practice.

These themes come up frequently: academic leadership, how to manage my PhD, leadership for post-docs, communication skills, effective teamwork, positive political skills, negotiation skills, etc.

Open training

Grant yourself a personal development process that combines group learning and individual coaching: a real learning immersion!

We ensure an environment in which you work with peers from contexts other than your own. So, safety is guaranteed since you run no risk of political games.

Every year we organise an Academic Leadership Journey for Professoren, Group Leaders and PI's. More information here.

Communities of Practice

Are you facing challenges in a position, mandate or role that you are taking on now (or will soon)? Do you want to look for answers together with peers from a similar context? Then a community of practice is something for you:

You come together during a number of sessions and determine the agenda yourself.
Each session focuses on 1 or 2 participants with their specific question.
We inspire you with relevant models and facilitate your exchange.

A community of practice consists of 5 - 6 sessions, spread over the same number of months.

For VIB, it is of utmost importance to establish a stimulating, supportive work environment in which effective leadership, coaching, feedback culture and individual coaching of team leaders are no empty words, but an essential part of our reality. We have been working on these aspects with True Colours for more than 10 years.

There are many reasons for our long-term partnership: they use a no-nonsense style, stand firmly with both feet on the ground, pinpoint the core of a problem and provide valuable advice. They are experienced in working with scientists and engineers, and they know how to convince them in a ‘difficult’ – because not supported by strict figures – process. Everyone who has been trained or coached by True Colours values them highly.

Marijke Lein, HR Director, VIB

For yourself

Are you looking for someone who knows and understands the academic context and its challenges? You can rely on us for innovative insights, practical skills and a challenging sounding board.