(Diary of a Yes We Can CEO, #1)
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Forgive me: this post is, for once, partly about myself. But fortunately for anyone who takes the time to read this: I’m usually quite media-shy, not exactly an open book, and rarely active on social media. Perhaps not the best trait for a leader, but I hope to make up for it with satire and a good sense of humour. Just ask my daughters... or on second thought, maybe don’t: they’ve inherited that same satirical trait, are already much smarter than their father, and certainly don’t agree that I have a good sense of humour.
Of course, I should start this post with: “It is a privilege and an honour, after years of serving as COO, to now be the CEO of Yes We Can Healthcare Group,”followed by the usual corporate language emphasizing my importance and outlining my vision for Yes We Can. Perhaps accompanied by a well-lit photo, with a professional smile in a navy-blue suit, or a Steve Jobs-like sweater, sitting in my office that’s just big enough for my ego. Ideally, I’d sign off with a visionary statement filled with buzzwords I despise like ‘synergy,’ ‘paradigm,’ ‘quick wins,’ and ‘best practices.’
But honestly: who does that help? And why should I, other than to stroke my own ego, write something completely intangible? Empty management talk, which the Dutch and international healthcare sectors are already overflowing with.
For those who’ve known me for a while, you’ve probably heard me say this before: I’m the most useless person in the building when I walk around our beautiful clinic in Hilvarenbeek. Unfortunately, I really mean that. Have you ever heard a flight attendant shout: “Help! Is there an economist on board?”
There isn’t a single fellow who, upon first passing through the gates at Yes We Can—after bravely stepping onto the bus in Waalre with 19 other future brave fellows—has anything to gain from me. The ones who truly matter to them are our coaches, therapists, psychiatrists, counsellors, nurses, housekeeping staff, receptionists, kitchen staff, technical service, and all other colleagues in care administration, HR, recruitment, policy, communication, case management, treatment coordinators, etc., who support them in giving everything to our fellows every day.
Together with Marcel and Jan Willem, I’ve had the privilege of steering this organization for years. In addition to our shared goal of ‘Everything for the Fellows,’ we actually have only three other goals:
(1) How can we relieve and support our colleagues as much as possible so that they can give everything for our fellows, residents,and families?(2) How can we get and keep even more young people out of specialized care?(3) How can we make Yes We Can accessible to all families—worldwide—who so desperately need help?
If you boil everything down to these three simple goals: then what we do is actually very straightforward. Every meeting, every day, every hour, we askourselves: does this contribute to one of the above goals? If not, you simply shouldn’t spend time on it—not a second. And if I may give ourselves a pat on the back: we’ve become quite skilled at saying ‘no’ (sorry to those who are now rereading an old email from me and thinking: “Hey, wait a minute... what a jerk...”).
You can actually reduce my, or our, work to this simplicity. If we do that: then maybe we contribute 1% to a better future in the Netherlands and other countries around the world.
A few years ago, based on the success of Yes We Can Clinics, we started the Yes We Can Healthcare Group. A group with organizations that each, in their own specific way, contribute to our (data-driven and specifically chosen) goals, to get and keep even more young people out of specialized care. We dreamed of a group in which:
.....protected living would have a place for those fellows who need it;
.....we could help more than 1,000 families per year;
.....families and young people from all over the world would have access to our treatment;
.....we would develop our own technology;
.....insurers and municipalities would become partners, rather than financial relationships;
.....we would still remain true to ourselves despite growth;
.....we would give the Netherlands access to an inside look through a documentary.
We are thankful this hasbeen achieved and has become a reality. We now treat more fellows from the Netherlands every year, but families from all over the world also come to Yes We Can. Additionally, we’ve welcomed Zero&Sano into the group and, together with fintech specialist Kees Haverkamp and his brilliant team, launched the health-tech organization Hawking. But our dreams have already extended further.
This article is the first in a series where I will take everyone—whoever wants to, and takes the time—into the world of Yes We Can Healthcare Group. Into the world where 550 colleagues give their all every day to give every fellow who is with us a new life, who then join a fellowship of more than 15,000 other fellows. Fellows who come from the Netherlands, Belgium, England, Germany, Switzerland, the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Luxembourg, Poland, Russia, and more than 40 other countries.
Monthly, and sometimes weekly, I will take you along in our future, successes, doubts, annoyances, peculiarities, and everything that’s worth it. Or not, but you can decide that for yourself.
Ah... now I’m going to end with it after all. Forgive me for the cliché. It really is an ‘honour’ to lead our beautiful organization, to succeed my good friend Jan Willem as the front man, but it’s also terrifying, exciting, sometimes nerve-wracking due to all the bureaucracy in the Netherlands, and at the same time the most beautiful job in the world.
Precisely because so many families trust us every year, whether they come from Texel, Eindhoven, Goes, Stockholm, Liverpool, or Hong Kong: they are all ourfellows, and we do everything for them.
