A Mother and Son on TIAS: Leadership, Learning, and Working
TIAS EXPERIENCE
‘While my generation often had long-term contracts and tended to adapt more closely to the organization, I see that your generation is more focused on personal leadership. Autonomy and the question “what’s in it for me?” play a greater role.’ Mother and son Fenya and Axel Ten Kortenaar discuss generational differences in leadership, work, and learning. Both completed a master’s program at TIAS. Axel followed his mother’s advice at an early stage in his career. Where Fenya’s career developed gradually, and she chose the Master of Health Administration when she wanted to gain more business insight at a tactical-strategic level, Axel pursued the full-time Master in Management (MScBA) shortly after completing his bachelor’s degree. In his current role, he is building knowledge and experience to progress toward a project leadership position.
Axel & TIAS
Axel studied Mechatronics at the University of Applied Sciences in Enschede and realized early on that while he found engineering engaging, he wanted to move toward project management in order to guide people from an overview perspective. He currently works as a functional administrator at the Diakonessenhuis in Utrecht.
Personal Attention
“What I appreciated about the full-time MScBA was the structure of the program, in which a course is completed within two weeks. I also found the instructors highly knowledgeable. They teach not only from theory, but from their own professional experience, which makes the content directly applicable. The program was intensive, but the support was strong. Within a year, you complete a Master of Science. For younger people accustomed to traditional education, TIAS represents a significant shift. You receive more personal attention.”
Fenya & TIAS
Fenya began her career as a healthcare professional, progressed to operational management, and later to tactical-strategic management. Since 2013, she has worked as an independent advisor and interim manager in hospital care, carrying out advisory and interim assignments at the strategic and tactical levels.
The Model-Based Perspective
“I found TIAS surprisingly effective in combining atmosphere and content. The interaction with fellow students was valuable. We all came from different backgrounds within healthcare organizations, which allowed us to learn from one another. TIAS taught me to view organizations from a model-based perspective and to understand how different components are structured. Value lies in the integration of the entire chain. The most important insights for me were at the strategic-tactical level: understanding coherence, analyzing complexity, and leadership.”
Leadership
Axel: “TIAS taught me the importance of trusting people’s capabilities and giving them the space to perform. That aligns with how I view leadership, particularly in a future-oriented context. In my current role, I notice that younger colleagues adopt this approach more readily than older ones. This difference appears partly generational. Younger professionals are often less constrained by established structures.”
Personal Perspective
“I do see that as a generational difference,” Fenya agrees. “In my generation, the mindset was often: first deliver, then reciprocity follows. Your generation operates more autonomously. That has clear advantages, but it also means that leaders from my generation need to adjust how they engage and motivate younger professionals. That is something I also learn from you. I ask myself, for example: what matters to operating room staff who can work anywhere in the Netherlands? That is where the personal perspective becomes essential.”
“That personal perspective is what motivates me in my work,” Axel adds.
Self-Awareness
“For me, leadership starts with self-awareness,” Fenya continues. “Can you stay true to yourself, and do you know yourself well enough? Developing that inner depth, and creating the calm and space to recognize others, is an ongoing process. Leadership is less about adaptation or compromise and more about finding synergy. Knowledge and expertise ultimately come together in personal behavior and interaction. That is what gives leadership meaning for me. You are continuously working on your own growth, the growth of others, and shared development. What you often reflect back to me, Axel, is where your generation shows strength: autonomy. Where I sometimes lean toward adaptive behavior, you encourage me to accept situations as they are.”
Learning & Working
Generational differences in leadership also translate into different approaches to learning and working. “The way my generation learned was strongly focused on memorization and depth,” Fenya observes. “Your generation makes connections more quickly and accesses information immediately. That leads to a different way of working. What may be perceived as slower pace among older generations is often linked to a stronger emphasis on depth. I recognize that in myself as well.”
Speed versus Depth
Axel: “We tend to pick things up quickly and resolve issues efficiently, but we sometimes lack deeper knowledge, which means we have to revisit topics repeatedly. Colleagues with more experience often have that depth, but when new developments arise, their response can be slower.”
Fenya: “In a VUCA world, where complexity and speed continue to increase, both approaches are needed to navigate uncertainty and unpredictability, both in the Netherlands and globally.”
TIAS & alumni
Although their studies are now completed, both Fenya and Axel remain connected to TIAS. Recently, they attended an alumni event together, focused on AI in healthcare. “I found the insights into how AI can be applied in healthcare particularly relevant, given my work in the sector,” Axel explains.
Fenya adds: “For my generation, AI is a complex topic. Axel is more familiar with it, which made attending the event together valuable. TIAS continues to be an important networking platform for me, not only to meet others, but also to stay informed about developments in different fields. That exchange provides ongoing inspiration while allowing me to maintain my professional network.”
Full-time Master in Management (MScBA) The program Axel completed is an intensive track designed for ambitious early-career professionals who want to give their careers a strong kick-start. The Master in Management combines academic depth with personal development and practice-oriented projects, preparing students for impactful careers in business and management.
Master of Health Administration (MHA) Fenya’s program was specifically designed for healthcare professionals who aspire to grow into strategic leadership roles within the healthcare sector. The Master of Health Administration (MHA) offers a strong blend of business insight, leadership skills, and up-to-date knowledge of the healthcare landscape. Participants learn how to shape change and prepare healthcare organizations for the future.
Discover TIAS: The Business School for Tomorrow’s Leaders
How can organizations anticipate a changing, unpredictable, and complex market environment? What transformation is needed to operate with agility and resilience? How can organizations engage and activate employees in times of change? And how do professionals develop the leadership and business skills required for the future? These are challenging questions that organizations are grappling with today.
TIAS, the business school for executive education of Tilburg University and Eindhoven University of Technology, designs programs that address all key topics and disciplines relevant to business transformation. We offer a rich portfolio of degree and non-degree programs, learning pathways, and program formats for both individual participants and organizations. Our focus areas include Accounting, Finance & Control, Business Management, Governance & Education, Innovation & Transformation, Strategy, Leadership & General Management, and Healthcare & Wellbeing.
We offer these as open programs—MBAs, Master’s programs, Advanced Programs, and Masterclasses—and, in co-creation with clients from a wide range of sectors (both profit and non-profit), we also develop programs that seamlessly align with your organization’s specific needs. Unique and fully customized. Explore our open programs to get an impression of the possibilities, or learn more about our approach to custom-designed programs.
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