Boy - Group Lead Physics and Analysis

What does it mean to be a Group Lead at VDL ETG T&D?

My objective is to maximise the Physics & Analysis team's potential. Therefore, I listen and guide, set goals on the horizon, review competence plans, and ensure continuous improvement of both soft and hard skills. To me, the role of Group Lead symbolises a win-win situation: my team gets the chance to develop themselves, and the company gets to tackle projects we've never done before. When these two go hand in hand, we have the ideal scenario. As a Group Lead at VDL ETG T&D, I can shape my role according to my vision. To thrive in this, I regularly collaborate with other group leaders. Sometimes I must be bold in making decisions, and I’m given the space to do so.

Furthermore, I need to have a good understanding of what happens in the projects. While I'm not directly responsible for the deliverables, I must understand the group and project dynamics to be able to deliver quality. With my background in Physics and my passion for this very subject, I speak the same language as my team. It's essential to have an overview of people's competencies and strengths. As a Group Lead, I am the connector. It’s all about contributing to a context where the team can excel.

What key characteristics make a successful Group Lead?

‘’Both communication and empathy are crucial in my role as a connector. Creating a space where my team flourishes means challenging them to push the boundaries of physics. Making mistakes is a natural part of this process. I want my team to feel safe enough to share both their successes and their mistakes so that we can learn from them as a team.

My leadership style is open and personal. I always stay open-minded and adopt good practices from others. The interaction within the team of Group Leads is positive, we drop by each other’s offices and help one another.

Can you describe a typical day in your role as a Group Lead?

My day begins with a coffee catch-up with colleagues. In the early mornings, team members often drop by spontaneously with short questions. After that, I usually have some individual work meetings where we discuss topics such as general well-being, challenges and project-based deliverables.

Additionally, I typically hold one individual development meeting per day focused on personal and competence development. This meeting has no set format; team members prepare topics they find important aligned with our group goals and targets.

I continue my day with "trilas," where we discuss the status of my team’s deliverables and resource planning together with the domain architect and project leader. My goal is always to match personal ambition and project needs on a competence level

Furthermore, I often have a workshop on process improvement. They are driven to make our company better step by step. You can think of, for example, improving our operational excellence by supporting and coaching engineers on their personal planning.

What is the biggest challenge you are facing as a Group Lead?

My biggest challenge is to foster ownership and confidence in my team. I believe in people taking responsibility for their work. However, this does not mean that we should work only independently. Creativity and quality thrive in a vivid group dynamic. By fostering this environment, we move towards true interdependence. The role of a Group Lead is to facilitate a vision of how to realise this state and dare to make choices accordingly.