Nick van Summeren is an experienced leader in the technology domain. He has been leading teams in various roles within the Dutch financial industry. He has also been involved in organizational transformation and coaching senior management. His focus is always on ensuring that technology is delivering business value.

Besides his professional career, he has been leading church teams for over 15 years. When it comes to leadership, he argues that commercial organizations can learn a thing or two from voluntary organisations, such as the local church he serves in. Especially in a time where tech professionals can get jobs anywhere they want, and a good salary is a given, it is crucial that leaders in the technology industry grow as leaders.

Within the technology industry, the ‘war on talent’ is a hot topic. Leaders are having trouble retaining talent in their organizations, and a good salary is not something they can differentiate on anymore. So you could argue, what is the difference between an employee and a volunteer when a good salary has become a commodity?

In Nick’s church, people are led through 3 steps, 1. getting to know God, 2. finding freedom and 3. making a difference. Nick’s equivalent tactic for a business context is 1. knowing your purpose, 2. setting you up for success and 3. making a difference.

Nick shares tactics that have proven to be helpful in leading volunteers and maintaining a high quality of output. From the people who make the coffee on Sundays to the people who manage sound, lighting and live streaming, all the way to the Pastors themselves, nobody is paid a thing. How? People want to invest their time because they are becoming better persons by being involved. The focus of leadership is on helping people grow.

Learn more about Nick’s church: https://citylifechurch.nl/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-van-summeren-6a803912/