Is Your “Kind” Feedback Actually Causing Confusion?
Leading with Dialogue Newsletter #6
Read moreNieuwe Bladzijde is your partner for building an effective, continuous learning culture.

Nieuwe Bladzijde has supported:
James is an exceptional professional and a remarkable human being. During our agile transformation, he brought a refreshingly clear vision to our culture and team dynamics. His 'superpower' is building a feedback culture that actually works—he doesn't just preach it; he lives it. He combines deep expertise and warmth with a sharp vision for the future. An absolute recommendation.
The Feedback Journey showed me that feedback only becomes truly valuable, and easier, when it contributes to connection and collective growth. A training program that has brought me so much, both professionally and personally.
Unlike many other training programs that only focus on feedback techniques, this training targets the essence. James reframes feedback as the start of a dialogue. By making it a priority to check how feedback is received and staying genuinely curious about the other person, he transforms interactions into connecting conversations.
Thanks to this journey with James, everyone on the team now feels brave enough to speak up. We’ve become a closer, more productive, and more autonomous team. The trainer’s insightful questions helped us get straight to the heart of the matter and set clear goals.
This feedback training didn’t just give me professional tools—it gave me the confidence to handle challenging conversations in my private life through genuine connection. James consistently held up a mirror for me, helping to uncover the pain points in my communication style. I highly recommend it, even if you think you already know everything there is to know about feedback.
James combines strategic sharpness with genuine empathy. He helps teams and organizations grow in ownership, collaboration, and culture. A person of integrity and trust—someone of immense value.
The feedback training has helped me improve my communication. I’ve noticed that I connect with colleagues more easily, collaboration flows more smoothly, and I can apply my technical expertise with greater impact. As a result, I can now coach others in their growth more effectively.
I got to know James during my time at Coolblue, where I followed several trainings with him, including Nonviolent Communication. He created a safe and open atmosphere and used concrete examples that made the learning very practical. The training still helps me in my daily work and life, and the way he facilitated it has really stayed with me.
James was an amazing coach during our time at Coolblue. I grew a lot through his guidance and was especially impressed by how he balanced directness with genuine care. He shows how powerful feedback can be when done well and helped teams grow into self-managed, high-performing units. Working with him was a real pleasure, and he is a valuable asset to any team or organization.
The Feedback Training has changed a lot for me. I can better sense what others need and respond with more empathy. This has had a positive impact on my work, my relationship, and my family life. I have also become truly aware of my own needs for the first time. Being able to recognize and name them has been a real eye-opener.
Working with James is both inspiring and educational. His combination of critical thinking, curiosity, and empathy leads to valuable insights and constructive feedback. At the National Library of the Netherlands, he introduced Team Contracting and helped teams develop greater ownership. Through his training and coaching, he also made a lasting contribution to the development of collaboration, communication, and feedback skills.
The Feedback Journey made me much more aware of how I give and receive feedback. I feel less hesitant to give honest feedback without worrying that I might hurt someone. The safe atmosphere and practical exercises helped me experience how to give feedback from needs rather than judgment.
The Feedback Journey taught me how to structure feedback through observation, feeling, need, and request. What stayed with me most was the concept of giraffe language: listening for the need behind someone’s words. Practicing with real situations made the learning immediately applicable in everyday life.
I found the Feedback Journey highly valuable and insightful. The combination of theory and practice gave me a deeper understanding of my own behavior and communication style. The safe environment made it easy to share personal experiences, and that openness was what made the learning especially meaningful for me.
James listens with genuine attention, asks insightful questions, and provides honest, valuable feedback. Throughout the Feedback Journey, his guidance made me feel both supported and challenged to continue developing myself. He combines professional expertise with empathy and genuine care, which makes him a highly valuable trainer and coach.
Team contracting gave me much more clarity about the collaboration with the team. We concretely mapped out what the team was running into, which opportunities for improvement I recognized, what I could contribute to that, and what the team would pick up themselves. It ensures clear ownership on both sides. As a result, there was clarity about expectations from the very beginning, we could hold each other accountable, and there was a shared vision of when the assignment would be successful.
The trainer surprised me with his enthusiastic and powerful way of training. His energy was contagious, and the exercises made feedback directly applicable in the workplace. What I remember most is the safe environment he created, making everyone feel comfortable enough to practice. Thanks to this training, I give and receive feedback with greater confidence.
Leading with Dialogue Newsletter #6
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Read moreNieuwe Bladzijde helps organizations, leaders, and teams get a little better every day—through consulting, training, or coaching. Our broad range of services is designed to align with whatever challenge you are looking to tackle.
Feel free to get in touch for a no-obligation consultation; we’d be happy to start thinking along with you about the possibilities right away.
All trainings are available in Dutch and English.
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