Prof. dr. Vincenzo Vitelli is Professor theoretical physics at University Leiden
“During my time as a tenure tracker, I was a participant in Aletta's custom-made coaching program focused on personal and professional development. I experienced these sessions as very valuable for both my career and my life. The philosophy behind this training was all about getting to understand yourself: your thoughts, emotions, and behavior. You can only be a good mentor or leader if you understand yourself and if you are able to reflect on your own behavior.
Aletta is a fantastic person who has a real talent for understanding people. For example, she senses immediately when someone is being untruthful. That means we quickly got to the essence of things. For instance, if I am agitated by the behavior of one of my students, is that because of the student, or is there something in my psychology that triggers the irritation? During this process I learned that it is very difficult to look at yourself objectively, from the outside. It was very helpful to have Aletta or the other participants hold a mirror up so that I could see myself clearly and honestly. The coaching was in-depth and personal but at the same time practical. The role-plays and discussions were very realistic and represented situations that we all recognized from our daily work.
This whole process has helped me to grow. The realization that I have to slow down, take a look at myself, and understand why I behave the way I do has truly been an eye-opener. Investing in personal development is very important, especially for ambitious tenure trackers who experience a huge amount of pressure in their working lives but lack experience and knowledge of the non-technical aspects of their jobs like leadership, communication, or reflection. The tenure track is an adventure, but adventures can be dangerous and insecure, so it's extremely helpful to be fully equipped with confidence, self-knowledge, and balance. This training course is an effective way to develop those aspects of your career readiness.”
December 2016
