Build Your Future Masterclass: Insights from Karen Van der Aa (First Floor)

Who is Karen Van der Aa?

Karen Van der Aa is the founder and CEO of First Floor, an HR consultancy firm dedicated to transforming HR from within. Karen is passionate about helping companies grow by nurturing young talent and cultivating a people and business mindset. First Floor offers tailored HR services designed to build future leaders through innovative programs.

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Why did you decide to take the Masterclass?

I joined the 'Build Your Future' masterclass to learn new ideas and strategies that could improve how my company approaches leadership and innovation.

Get the program: Build Your Future Masterclass 2024

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Utility for First Floor

The lessons I learned from the masterclass have been really helpful for me and First Floor.

I’ve been focusing on:

          🌱 Self-awareness and resilience

          💪 Encouraging my team to use their strengths

          🎨 Recognizing that creativity and human skills are key for the future

This led us to rethink our strategy and aim to build leaders who can:

          🤝 Collaborate better

          🗣️ Communicate more effectively

This future-focused approach helps us stay strong in a competitive market

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Guiding Thread:  Towards a Relevant Future

🌍 The Challenge of the Future The masterclass focused on the big question: How can companies stay relevant by 2035? With challenges like climate change and tech advances, we need to consider both our customers and employees as key stakeholders.
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🔄 The Transformation of Relevance We learned that companies need to leave behind old systems and focus more on people. It made me think: Why could we become irrelevant by 2035?
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⚡ Embracing Change The program pushed us to embrace uncertainty and take risks. As leaders, we should reflect on what might cause us to lose relevance and identify three internal and external threats.
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🔑 Essential Elements for Success To move forward, we need:

          💡 A Compelling Reason to Change (CRC)

          🎯 A Clear Vision (V)

          🚀 First Steps (FS) for action
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Key Takeaways: Lessons for the Future

          🕹️ We already live in the metaverse; the line between online and offline is gone.

          🤝 Platforms are key; businesses and customers need to collaborate.

          🎨 Creativity and human skills like empathy and critical thinking will set us apart in a tech-driven world.

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Conclusion: The Path Forward

In today’s fast-changing world, staying curious and flexible is a must! The masterclass reminded us that being a leader isn’t just about managing—it’s about building, growing, and thinking ahead. With the fresh insights I’ve gained, I’m ready to lead First Floor to new heights, helping my team thrive as we tackle whatever the future throws our way. Let’s bring on the challenges with an open mind and a big smile! 😎🌟

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Register for Build Your Future Masterclass 2024