The Journey to Lead Program
Find out how we coach and guide a group of leaders to become the next generation of managers. Léonie Havekes and Nathalie Boerefijn share what they’ve learned in their Journey to Lead.
HSO is a dynamic organization experiencing rapid growth. This was one of the main reasons for establishing the Journey to Lead program. This training program was developed to coach and guide our diverse group of leaders through personal development to become the next generation of managers. Léonie Havekes (Recruitment Manager) and Nathalie Boerefijn (Team Lead Data & AI) share what they’ve learned in their Journey to Lead.
Léonie Havekes and Nathalie Boerefijn are training as part of the same group. Léonie has worked at HSO since October 2023 as a Recruitment Manager, while Nathalie has been with the organization for five years. Both women are enjoying the Journey to Lead program.
They are nearing completion of the program and share the interesting new insights they have gained. Léonie says, “This leadership training focuses on learning about your role as a leader, improving your communication skills, and motivating your team. During the sessions, I’ve had many ‘aha moments’! You get the opportunity to reflect on how these apply to your team and immediately put the session insights into practice. This enhances awareness in your individual and leadership roles.”
About the Journey to Lead Program
Veronika Brezovjakova, Learning & Development Specialist at HSO, collaborated with Lepaya (an external party) to design the program. She explains: “The program focuses on developing the skills, knowledge, and mindset needed to navigate through a dynamic business environment. The sessions are structured with a mix of targeted skill development, coaching, and best practices.”
Each group consists of about fifteen HSO colleagues. The program is hybrid – there are online and live sessions. The groups are diverse, comprising budding leaders and colleagues who have held leadership roles for some time. Additionally, there’s a good mix of participants from different teams, allowing everyone to network with colleagues from other departments within HSO.
“A benefit for my personal development”
Léonie and Nathalie feel that their group has a nice mix of participants. “Not only is there a mix of colleagues from different service lines, but also people who have just started their leadership positions and those who have been doing it for a long time,” says Nathalie. “It’s great to see that everyone really listens to and learns from each other, regardless of their level of experience. Younger colleagues with less experience offer a fresh perspective on certain issues. You notice that everyone is open to dialogue.”
Some parts of the program are familiar to Léonie and Nathalie – from their daily experiences or previous training. But both participants see this as positive. “The program offers valuable insights and practical tools to strengthen your skills and create a lasting impact,” says Léonie. She was invited to participate in the program during her first week at HSO. “I see it as a benefit for my personal development! That’s what HSO is all about. How great is it that you can participate in this development journey right from the start?”
Working and growing together
In addition to the Journey to Lead program, there’s several other training initiatives in development within HSO, at various levels. Nathalie says, “It’s good to see that this is being implemented across all levels of the organization. All HSO employees can participate in such programs, which are well aligned and build on each other.” This strengthens the culture of collaboration.
The importance of close collaboration is evident to Léonie and Nathalie during the sessions. “Since you are sitting next to colleagues with whom you don’t normally interact, you realize that many leaders are facing the same challenges,” Nathalie explains. This allows you to learn from situations that others have experienced before you encounter them yourself. “Thanks to Journey to Lead, you build a bond of trust with your colleagues,” Léonie concludes. “Not just a temporary bond, but one that you can rely on in the future. We help each other grow.”
Read more
About Life at HSO
From India to Silicon Valley, and from Malta to Rotterdam: Siddharth and Divya Singh have lived all over the world and worked for the same employers. Together with their daughter, they have seen it all. How did the couple end up at HSO in the Netherlands? In this interview, they share their remarkable story.
For many years, HSO has been recognised for its deep expertise in business applications and its ability to deliver complex, mission-critical solutions for customers across industries. That foundation remains central to who we are. However, the needs of our clients are evolving, as are we.
Expats bring fresh ideas and new energy. But they also face challenges. A new country, a different culture, unfamiliar work habits – and on top of that, building a social life. To exchange experiences and build connections, an expat community was created. Not a formal club, but a space where international colleagues can meet – over lunch, at a drinks event or just for a good conversation. We spoke with three of them about their experience: what was it like arriving in the Netherlands? What stands out in the work culture here? And what does it mean to be part of this community?
"Not your diploma, but your drive. Not your experience, but your curiosity." That seems unthinkable – but not at HSO. "With the right basic attitude, anyone can get started here," says Henk-Jan Brommer, manager of HSO Academy. It sounds ambitious, but practice shows that it works.
Please meet our recruiters in Germany and if there aren't any live vacancies feel free to make contact directly via email with your CV and cover letter.
Professional development begins with collaboration. The biggest steps are taken when we combine our knowledge and talents. Take Albert Hol (Project Manager) and Gerben Mulder (Consultant Management). They worked together on a project for a large retailer, where the billing process was renewed within Dynamics Finance & Operations using Azure Functions. The solution enables the retailer to process and invoice about 150,000 order lines quickly and accurately every day.
HSO has grown rapidly in recent years. This brings change, including in the company culture. To preserve the core of the old culture and embrace new values, a core group has developed a culture compass. Two members of the core group, Behnud and Otto, share their insights.
Find out how we coach and guide a group of leaders to become the next generation of managers. Léonie Havekes and Nathalie Boerefijn share what they’ve learned in their Journey to Lead.
After graduating as an Industrial Engineer in Turkey, Hatice Aydin decided to pursue a career in IT and Business Applications. She was working on ERP projects and doing a master’s degree in software engineering. "It was at this time I realized I wanted to be involved in international and diverse projects while also gaining experience abroad. And so my path crossed with that of HSO International." Here is the story that brought me to HSO International’s Young Professionals Program (YPP).
Join HSO?
Vacancies at HSO Netherlands