As a young, ambitious, and growing organization, we at Infranea excel in digital engineering for infrastructure projects. Infranea fosters an open culture centered on learning and innovation. Our employees, most of whom possess technical backgrounds at the HBO or WO level, contribute to a friendly and inclusive atmosphere that promotes a strong sense of unity and collaboration. This collective spirit enables us to attract and connect with new team members even in a competitive job market.
It has become evident that success in one’s role is not solely dependent on continuous development in technical expertise but also on the enhancement of ‘soft skills.’
Personal Leadership
Our team members often work in project teams alongside clients and external stakeholders, necessitating clear communication, persuasion, and an appropriate tone of voice. This ensures that they are recognized as experts in conversations and meetings, enabling them to effectively present innovative approaches.
Infranea has recently partnered with Kijk op Zaken to organize a series of training sessions focused on personal leadership for our employees.
The ‘Personal Leadership’ training by Kijk op Zaken has now become an integral part of the onboarding process for all new Infranea employees, including more experienced professionals in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain. This training consists of five half-day modules, where approximately 10-12 participants work alongside two trainers who guide them through the process of personal leadership. The entire setup is geared towards applying insights and skills in the specialists’ daily work and promoting a culture of continuous learning.
“What’s enjoyable is that after the training, you can see the techniques learned by colleagues in conversations or meetings with clients. These small improvements are invaluable for both the individual and Infranea.”
Michel Dekker, Member of the Management Team
The training equips participants with the ability to handle challenging conversations and assertively manage situations. This is especially valuable for recent graduates entering projects, as it can be difficult to strike the right balance in advocating for oneself. The training also emphasizes commercial awareness, encouraging employees to consider alternatives to working overtime, such as discussing the possibility of increasing capacity.
The training offers tips and advice on how to ask questions effectively and how to position oneself within a project team. It perfectly aligns with Infranea’s DNA, always seeking to perform smarter, better, and more efficiently, not only in technical skills but also in the soft skills that this training addresses.
Kijk op Zaken, with Cobi and Nicolai, ensures that our team members become more mature in their soft skills. What’s remarkable is that this training was developed in collaboration with Cobi and Nicolai after identifying our specific needs and making necessary adjustments as we went along. Their flexibility and commitment to our organization make Kijk op Zaken truly unique in the market.”
“I am convinced that the principles I learned will continue to guide me in making conscious choices for active and organic development in the future. Of course, I am never done learning, and I will continue to attend training sessions in the future, especially for matters related to personal development and soft skills.”
Jur Fijen, Design & BIM Engineer
- “I found the atmosphere during the training very pleasant, with the right balance. Despite the diverse needs of the participants, there was ample space for everyone’s personal development, building upon our practical experience and knowledge from previous training.”
- “For me, a highlight was practicing challenging conversations that can occur in practice with managers or clients. After the training, I felt much more confident in a discussion with a client as a result. Additionally, I learned that it’s perfectly fine to learn partially organically and partially actively, just like in the training, which made my development feel less forced.”
15/10/2023
