Happy 2021!

Looking back…

In the grand scheme of things, 2020 will obviously be the year of the Corona-virus. But despite (and sometimes thanks to) Covid-19 it has also been a good year. In 2020 we re-invented the concept of family dinner into actually having a meal together at the same time. Well, at least five times a week, that is. Commuting has been great and I can definitely live without looking for a parking space or a free desk ever again. Finding an open spot in everybody’s diary is challenging enough without booking an available conference room at the same time. Funny also, that it took a global pandemic to realize that everybody is basically ‘one phone call away’. Especially during the first lock-down, this insight resulted in various calls to friends all over the world that I didn’t speak to for a long time.

2020 was also the year of successful projects. We really got into implementation mode in the project for the Dutch CIA (Custodial Institutions Agency aka ‘the prisons’, Dutch: DJI)) and the Sourcing project at Schiphol Telematics was completed successfully. On a more personal note, I acted on a long time ambition to start writing a novel. With the help of Coursera’s Write Your First Novel, I have now completed the first five chapters of ‘Mortal Ambition’.

Looking back, this year has a lot to be thankful for and a lot to be proud of.

What about 2021?

The new year will hopefully have fewer restrictions on meeting other people. We will be able to go back to some form of normal. But I sincerely hope that it will be a ‘new normal’ that keeps some of the good things of 2020. There will be differences, however. Besides more frequent contact with friends, family and colleagues, there will be more sports (cycling, indoor rowing and spinning) and there is, of course, that novel to finish.

2021 will also be the year that we will really kick-off Agile Sourcing. People provided us with great feedback and now it is time to translate this into practice. Furthermore, I was asked to expand my efforts at the Dutch CIA. The next couple of months will be busy and I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead.

Last but not least I want to wish you and the people dear to you all the best for 2021. May health, happiness and success be on your way in the new year!