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Is your team actually burning out - or just bored out of their minds?
Your team is dragging their feet... Meetings lack energy, initiative has slowed down, ideas are uninspired and everyone feels stuck in a rut. tIs this fatigue from too much work? Or is your team actually under-stimulated instead of overwhelmed? The 3 zones of effort The model is well-known, simple and every leader should be able to navigate their team through the zones efficiently. Comfort zone: Think of comfort as the soft landing. People feel safe, competent, steady. It is

Christina - Spark Back Coaching
Dec 10, 20252 min read


How do you decide who is ready for a promotion - and how do you lead the ones who are not?
In all my years in HR, I’ve seen promotions used for the wrong reasons: to keep someone from leaving or reward long tenure that “felt right" or to make a team look stronger on paper (and the leader more successful) even when the person promoted wasn’t ready. None of this helps the employee and it certainly does not help the #team. Now, don't get me wrong - I wholeheartedly believe in development. It is one of the strongest motivators we have. It sits together with sense of pu

Christina - Spark Back Coaching
Dec 3, 20252 min read


Sparking Leadership #17 - Happy leaders make great leaders
As I head off for a summer break, I'm taking a moment to reflect on a year in leadership that has been as rewarding as it has been challenging. It’s been a year of guiding teams, offering solutions, and being the steady presence everyone can count on. But in moments of quiet honesty, I'll admit there were times when my energy was completely gone. It's tempting to see this as a failure but, in reality, I was just feeling the emotional toll of constantly wearing the "leader mas

Christina - Spark Back Coaching
Aug 5, 20252 min read


Sparking Leadership # 10: Your attention diet and leading in the age of infinite distractions
Tell me if this you: Your mind feels like a web browser with 100 tabs open You are constantly juggling dozens of urgent tasks You are...

Christina - Spark Back Coaching
Jun 26, 20252 min read


Sparking Leadership #6: Why burnout feels different when you're leading
When you're the one people count on, there's no room to fall apart. So you power through, show up every day and pretend that everything...

Christina - Spark Back Coaching
May 28, 20252 min read


🎄 December Reflections: The Book that changed my work year 🎄
As the year winds down, it’s time for my annual tradition: a cup of tea, some festive jazz music and a reflection on what helped me grow...

Christina - Spark Back Coaching
Dec 17, 20242 min read


Joining the thriving Dutch startup scene: Is it the right career move for you?
Understanding startups, scale-ups, and SMBs Let’s first start by understanding the difference between startups, scale-ups and SMBs:...

Christina - Spark Back Coaching
Dec 11, 20243 min read


Brain Rot at Work: Why Oxford’s word of the year is all too real for professionals 🧠 🧟
"Brain rot" is Oxford’s Word of the Year for 2024. But honestly, it’s been the unofficial slogan of repetitive, soul-crushing work for...

Christina - Spark Back Coaching
Dec 5, 20242 min read


The hidden costs of RTO policies – fashion, of all things? 🤦♀️
I recently came across an article ( link ) discussing the "corporate-core" fashion trends emerging as people return to the office. And...

Christina - Spark Back Coaching
Oct 16, 20242 min read


How to ensure your time off leaves you fully recharged
Have you ever come back from a holiday feeling even more tired and drained than before? Taking time off work to recharge your energy is...

Christina - Spark Back Coaching
Jul 21, 20243 min read


Is your loyalty to your employer hurting your career?
Loyalty as a trait is associated with trustworthiness, reliability, commitment, patience and resilience. And, although it's an admirable...

Christina - Spark Back Coaching
Jun 25, 20242 min read
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