Let's start with a little game. I want you to think back to the last time you received a job offer or came up for a raise. Now ask yourself: did you negotiate? Or did you smile graciously, say "that sounds great," and immediately text your best friend that you got the job - secretly relieved the awkward part was over? If it's the second one, you are not alone. You are also not weak, unambitious, or bad at your job. You are, however, part of a pattern that researchers, economi

There’s a point in many careers where things start to feel harder than they should. You’re delivering, showing up, doing everything “right”—but progress doesn’t quite match your effort. It’s easy to internalise that. But often, it’s not about capability. It’s about career friction—and once you understand it, you can start navigating your progression more strategically.

Let’s be honest. We all know what’s coming. In about two weeks, you’re going to be standing in a rented event space - maybe it’s that industrial-chic spot in Amsterdam-Noord or the converted warehouse in Eindhoven - holding a glass of lukewarm Prosecco. The DJ will be playing a remix of "Last Christmas" that nobody asked for. You’ll be nodding politely while your Head of Sales explains his "revolutionary" Padel strategy for 2026. But while everyone else is focused on the bit

Your succession plan gets decided in hallways, not boardrooms. Why informal networks are costing you your best female leaders-and what to do about it.