Posting on Saturday, May 30, 2020

Best Relationship,

"Never Waste a Crisis", under this heading two months ago we launched the first two 'Carona Proof' master classes, with great success. This suddenly appeared in a different light. My crisis suddenly looked very different.

It was Monday, March 30, 6:30 p.m. -- the time I had a serious accident. What exactly, you can read in the posts below.

The status today is, "We are back at work and even better than before." With new insights I could not have imagined two months ago.

My profession, my life and possibly yours as well, has always proceeded from a certain perspective. I have mastered myself in all kinds of methodologies, for example, Planning Strategies, The 7 Habits by Covey, Getting Things Done by David Allen, Influencing and Persuasion Techniques, and Behavioral Theory. All aimed at getting and keeping a better grip on what you would like to achieve. This is where I and my clients have been able to reap the benefits.

However, it takes more for sustainable success, I have found out. The "new" insights and techniques, which I've gained over the past few months, have been, well, a gift. Frankly, I would have rather not had an accident to find out. But as Cruijf once aptly said, "Every disadvantage has its advantage. Actually a statement Willem van Hanegem had already made in 1971.

Because I was not only physically but also neurologically crippled, I could not get away with my old way of thinking for the first few weeks after my accident. My neo-cortex in the brain, as covered in our popular master class "Brain-Friendly Influencing and Persuasion," had taken such a hit that I was suffering from: memory loss, focus problems, confusion and personality changes. I was doing, letting and saying things, of which I was very convinced myself.

I was and still am a rational person, my surroundings thought very differently. As soon as I realized that, I started doubting myself enormously. You no longer trust your own thinking patterns. However, this uncertainty also has its advantages. It forces you to think differently.

In the following weeks, the brain slowly but surely recovered. What remained was that I started to look a little differently at old deep-rooted beliefs. It forced me to "Re-think" and now really look at past behaviors, mindsets and habits. I had to change, was my conclusion.

But change ... is easier said than done. How many times have you been able to successfully change yourself permanently? Not to mention, how many times have you been able to permanently change someone else? Change is one of the most difficult challenges in your life.

Change? How?
What I have learned recently is that we reach for a "quick fix" too much and too quickly. For thirty years I have been involved in change processes. Entire organizations, departments and through coaching programs also many individuals. What I have now discovered is that all those 'quick fix' methods certainly have their values. Unfortunately, you can't separate them from each other. One intervenes in the other. Does this make it even more difficult? No, actually it doesn't. When you know the right buttons to push, and you do it in the right order, it gets easier. Does that guarantee you success? No, but it does increase the chances of success. And don't succeed? Then dealing with your failure becomes a lot more bearable. So, left or right, you can come out better.

As you notice, I'm up-and-running again 🙂 I'm thinking again, coaching again, speaking again and giving better lectures than ever. In fact, starting next week, I'm starting the custom master class 'More grip on ...? How to! especially for Managers, entrepreneurs and of course salespeople. Naturally, the new insights I have gained have been incorporated into this.

My focus for the next two weeks is on all those people who have really given me heart over the last few months. They deserve to finally get answers from me. In parallel, the focus is on realigning and restarting the Sales Leadership Academy.

But the most important thing will be... putting into practice even better what I already knew in part and have now learned over the past few months and then... sharing these insights with others again. For my drive to help others be successful has remained unchanged.

See you soon, "stay safe" and optimistic.

With cordial regards,

~ Ben Mastboom

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Posting on Thursday, April 23, 2020

Best Relationship,

Please bear with me ... with this I opened this blog on Monday, April 6, 2020 following my accident on March 30, 2020. I thought. I would be up and running again in two weeks... Unfortunately, it became twice as long.

Physical obstacles healed quickly. The brain, however, goes a little slower. It was like an intensive post-graduate training program where you get new insights and have to start applying them. Not to mention learning new habits. But ... as with sharpening your professional skills, it's true that perseverance wins out.

Is it going well now?
This is too brief, but things are improving to the point that I have been told by the doctors that I can partially restart. It's like a corona crisis scenario, but different.

What is the approach?
First, I will start coaching calls with existing clients. These calls can be scheduled by the clients themselves via the link: https://calendly.com/ben-mastboom. If this goes well, this will be ramped up over the next two weeks.

The teaching program will resume "corona-proof" in two weeks. I am very much looking forward to this. In the past two weeks, I have seen how other institutions and individuals struggle with this. We can do this much better, more interactive and fun because we have years of experience with this. And I am eager to demonstrate this.

I will also slowly but surely contact again everyone who has contacted me personally 1-on-1. So please have some patience 🙂

What else?
A mind-expanding experience like such an accident also has its benefits. You gain insights that you otherwise wouldn't have, which in turn opens up new possibilities under the guise of "Never waste a crisis."

With cordial regards,

~ Ben Mastboom

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Posting on Monday, April 6, 2020

Best Relationship,

On Monday, March 30, we were having a blast. Because Corona Crises or not ... the focus of the true sales professional is always on how to help relationships. How to make them successful in spite of everything.

We had just had another interactive online video meeting on "Never waste a crisis. A high-profile meeting with a focus on tomorrow. We showed, with our international experience, professional Holland for the third time what we can still do in the current situation. The mood was good.

Unfortunately, a scooter accident happened to me in the evening. Result ... trauma helicopter, ambulance and an admission to the hospital LUMC with a broken jaw in an unconscious state. 24 hours later I was lovingly admitted home by my love. Aftercare ... a severe concussion and physical damage that will repair itself.

What is disappointing is my acuity and alertness due to the severe concussion. I am feeling slightly better every day but must acknowledge that I am not yet able to manage a master class, lecture or coaching session. My hope is that in the next two weeks this will change in such a way that I will be able to handle anyone, with or without corona challenges, again.

So please be patient ... 🙂 ...

Ongoing business

For matters that cannot wait, I have the following contacts:

HAN related matters: please contact Angelique Slotboom, at angelique.slotboom@han.nl

Sales Leadership Academy: please contact Thijs Verhees, at thijs.verhees@salesleadershipacademy.org

New schedule

Of course, a new schedule of all meetings will follow as soon as possible, for anyone who wants to come out of the current situation better and stronger.

You can also contact me directly, but an answer may take a while. I hope you will forgive me, given the circumstances.

NOTE I will update this post weekly as needed.

Stay safe and positive!

With cordial regards,

~ Ben Mastboom
Ben.mastboom@salesleadershipacademy.org