"If it was easy to become a great leader, we would have totally different politics, totally different companies, totally different burnout rates… "Okay, interesting, why is it so difficult for me?" I think investigating that makes us humans. And that makes you also a better leader if you understand what happens inside yourself. It's also easier to be compassionate with others." S02E10 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Wendy Van Ierschot, visionary founder and CEO of VIE people, an advisory firm for fast scaling companies in the Netherlands. Beyond that role, Wendy wears multiple hats: she's a business angel investor, a podcaster (with over 160 episodes recorded for The Work Professor, a Dutch business radio news channel), a leading member of the Entrepreneurial Organization, and author. She recently published her book, 'Scale-ups & downs', which aims to guide an organization through the stages of growth. She has spent years researching this topic and generously shares her best insights with us. Wendy's experience, however, is defined not only by her professional ability, but also by her resilience. Despite coping with visual impairment, which is elegantly hinted at by her distinctive spectacles, Wendy has emerged as a prominent figure in the global HR landscape, ranking among the top 100 HR influencers worldwide. The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company. Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions. Listen to this episode to find out: What are the 4 stages of a company's growth from 0 to 100 employees.Why leaders should encourage their team to exhibit appropriate behaviour, core values, and high performance.Why founders need to transition from working in their company to working on their company in order to grow their business.How a combination of tests, mentorship, mentoring, education, and self-investment is the most effective way to develop your leadership style.Why it is essential to hire people who have the potential to advance into leadership positions within your company from the start of building your company.What is the significance of good formal education, an effective feedback system, and instilling a sense of ownership in your team.How to embrace vulnerability by removing bits of our armour through compassion every day.How Wendy's visual impairment changed her personally and professionally, and how she's adapting to it.Why you should prioritize based on what is needed to scale your company, not what your experience or others tell you.Further resources: Wendy's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyvanierschot/Scale-ups & downs: Gids je organisatie door elke groeispurt, by Wendy van Ierschot: https://www.amazon.com/Scale-ups-downs-Gids-organisatie-groeispurt/dp/9047016807/ Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future, by Ashlee Vance: https://www.amazon.com/Elon-Musk-SpaceX-Fantastic-Future/dp/006230125X