We are all winners!

What a week we had! In my wildest dreams I could not have anticipated the rollercoaster ride I took when we were meeting each other for the first time last Monday morning. A bit uncomfortable and unsure how this week would lift off, but already during our first lunch break it felt like we had known each other for ages. And when we had to say our goodbyes on Friday evening; we all tried to prolong the momentum. For sure friendships were born this week!

Our final presentations on Friday were all great, and despite the fact that most of us felt a little disappointed by the fact that the jury did not appoint winners, we did share the feeling that we are all winners. Monday morning Wouter asked us what our expectations were for this Masterclass; what we hoped to gain and what we felt we could contribute. The one thing we all had in common was the hope to gain inspiration and to contribute some knowledge from our backgrounds. Well, I think I can speak for every single individual that we felt part of something bigger than just a group of eleven individuals. Our expectations were definitely exceeded and we hope we were also able to exceed the expectations of the various stakeholders. For them the journey continues, and I hope they will be able to take our tips and ideas into practice. Hopefully we will be invited back to ‘De Rotterdam’ in a few months to see what progress they made.

I would like to thank every single person who made this amazing week possible and express my gratitude especially to my teammates, and yes, I consider Wouter and Josine as team members as well. I thank you for your energy, inspiration and effort, and I sincerely hope our paths will cross many times in the future!