The Five Pillars of Leadership During Transition

Description

This book explores the essential pillars of leadership during transition to help leaders effectively manage the tension between protecting core values and achieving goals while responding flexibly to changing circumstances. Jakob van Wielink demonstrates how to transform the five most common failure factors – Bonding, Risk, Conflict, Change and Calling – into powerful principles for successful... Read more

Author(s)

Biography

Jakob van Wielink is a founding partner of De School voor Transitie (The School for Transition), The Netherlands, and is associated with the Portland Institute for Loss and Transition. He is co-author of The Language of Transition in Leadership, which was shortlisted for Management Book of the Year in The Netherlands in 2021.

Critics' Reviews

Endorsements | The 5 Pillars of Leadership During Transition

In an important sense, we can only teach what we have lived. In this significant contribution, Jakob van Wielink does just this, reaching deeply into the text of his life, as well as into the texts and lives of prominent philosophers, scientists, artists, political figures, organizational leaders and spiritual sojourners to distill the principles and practices that awaken us to our connections, our community, and our calling. I invite you to open yourself to the deep developmental dive to which he summons us, and the extraordinary world of possibility into which it can usher us.

Robert A. Neimeyer, PhD
Director of the Portland Institute for Loss and Transition, and author of Living Beyond Loss: Questions & Answers about Grief and Bereavement

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Many leadership books focus on what leaders should do; this one focuses on who leaders must become. Jakob explores leadership as a journey through transition—one that inevitably confronts questions of identity, vulnerability and calling. His five pillars do not offer quick solutions, but they point to a pathway that can help leaders remain grounded as they navigate complexity and change. This book invites serious reflection and rewards it generously. Leaders willing to engage honestly with themselves will find it both challenging and encouraging.

Dr. Jean-Francois Manzoni
Professor of Leadership, Organizational Development and Corporate Governance, and Past President (2017-2024), IMD - International Institute for Management Development

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Three years ago, I embarked on an intensive inner journey to better understand my leadership, triggers, and fears—and this book describes that inner process with remarkable vulnerability and clarity. Jakob van Wielink shows how the five most common leadership failures are actually invitations to know yourself more deeply, and that resonates profoundly with me. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand themselves as a leader and as a human being.

Heike Dekker-Schäch
Dean Deloitte University EMEA | Partner

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At moments of systemic crises, when chaos disrupts certainties and our basic values are put to the test, leadership becomes deeply personal. Jakob brings together transition theory and inner transformation, showing how leaders can deal with complexity and uncertainty without losing moral direction. His five pillars connect systemic tipping points with responsibility, vulnerability, and calling. This book offers a rare synthesis for leaders who understand that sustainable transitions begin where inner truth meets societal change. I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to all potential and actual leaders.

Jan Rotmans, full professor in sustainability transitions, Erasmus University Rotterdam

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The Five Pillars of Leadership During Transition by Jakob van Wielink is a leadership book that dares to slow us down. Rather than offering quick fixes or a handful of heroic prescriptions, it invites leaders into the deeper work of transition: the inner shifts that make sustainable influence possible.

With clarity and authority, Jakob van Wielink shows that leadership is not something we do to others, but something that unfolds between people, and is rooted in connection, courage, conflict, change, and calling. For leaders navigating uncertainty, loss, or profound change, this book is a wonderful companion. It helps leaders make sense of who they are while they are becoming who they need to be.

Katleen De Stobbeleir
Professor of Leadership, Vlerick Business School

Welcome, you live in a world for which all the maps you have followed…. are breaking in front of your eyes. This moment in history is unique. What better time to go on a journey to find the solid ground you have been searching for, in yourself.

Jakob takes us on his journey to help each of us shift from following the old broken maps to truly becoming a map maker of tomorrow… that others will follow!

Nick Craig
President Core Leadership Institute, author of Leading from Purpose. Clarity and confidence to act when it matters

The Five Pillars of Leadership During Transition is a meaningful and timely read for anyone leading in today’s uncertain world. Van Wielink shows that real leadership starts with being fully human; present, grounded, and willing to create the conditions in which others can truly thrive.

At the heart of the book is the importance of Transition Based Leadership to lead transitions. It is about balancing caring; offering safety, trust, and connection on the one hand, and on the other hand: daring; encouraging growth, courage, and exploration. This combination is what enables people and organizations to navigate uncertainty with resilience and purpose.

What makes the book especially powerful is how personal it feels as well as at the impactful and reflective questions it offers. It reminds us that the way we lead is shaped by our own story and history. And that organizational success begins with leaders who dare to care and care enough to dare.

Willem-Bart Overhand
Global Head Leadership, Talent & Learning, Robeco

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This important book discusses the concept of leadership during transitions, emphasising the importance of relational dynamics, self-awareness and the five pillars of leadership: bonding, risk, conflict, change and calling. It is an impressive work that deserves to be closely studied. Theory and practice both have much to gain from the insights it offers. This is a real tour de force.

Professor Neil Thompson
Author of Authentic Leadership Revisited

The 5 Pillars of Leadership during Transition by Jakob Van Wielink is a very compelling guide for anyone or any organization navigating change. Blending clear communication strategies with very practical leadership insights, this book details how to turn uncertainty into opportunity. Its real-world examples, disciplined mindset and actionable framework make it an invaluable resource for leaders at every level.

Without a doubt, this is a thoughtful and powerful roadmap for guiding teams through times of transition with a great deal of confidence and purpose.

Douglas A. Strouse, Ph.D.
President CEO Club of Baltimore, Managing Partner Wexley Consulting

The Five Pillars of Leadership During Transition is a profound, insightful guide for leaders navigating uncertainty. This excellent book reframes leadership as an inside-out, people-centered practice. Jakob van Wielink weaves psychology, philosophy, and lived experience into five pillars – bonding, risk, conflict, change, and calling. Practical yet deeply reflective, it invites courage, vulnerability, and renewed purpose. Highly recommended for leaders seeking lasting influence, authentic authority, and impact rooted in trust, dialogue, and conviction during challenging transitions.

Prof. Dr. med. Martin Westphal, MBA
APL-Professor at the University Hospital of Muenster, Germany
Vice President, Head of Disease Areas, Global Medical Affairs, CSL

I read The Five Pillars of Leadership during Transition in one sitting. From the very first pages, the book drew me in—not only through its insights into bonding, risk, conflict, change, and calling, but through the care and depth with which these themes are explored.

As I read, I felt invited to pause and reflect. The book gently but clearly held up a mirror, helping me see how my own history and background continue to shape the way I show up as a leader in complex organisations in transition.

Thank you for writing a book that is both generous and challenging, offering guidance while inviting honesty, courage, and self-awareness. It is a gift to anyone navigating change—professionally and personally.

Prof. Dr. Saskia Lavrijssen
Dean Nijmegen School of Management, Radboud University

Change in corporate environments is often treated as something to fix or push through, but The pillars of leadership during transition offers a different perspective. With this book, Jakob shows how transition is a deeply human and meaningful process. Grounded in scientific context and literature, the book challenges with practical questions to reflect and act. A valuable read for anyone who wants lasting, meaningful transformation.

Hanna Crezée
Leadership Excellence EY Netherlands, Executive Coaching EY Europe West

This book is an invitation to rethink leadership as a deeply human practice. With wisdom and tenderness, Jakob van Wielink guides the reader through the fragile spaces of transition, where identity, courage, conflict, and meaning intertwine. The five pillars offer not answers, but orientation, helping leaders stay present, grounded, and compassionate while navigating uncertainty and becoming who they are called to be.

Jaap Boonstra, Professor Organisation dynamics and leadership, ESADE Business School, Barcelona, Spain. Visiting Professor Organizational change, Rotterdam School of Management, The Netherlands

The five pillars of leadership during transition came to me at the perfect time, while I was in transition. As the book explains, transition is a journey. To me, it reads like the perfect guide, supporting you every step of the way. It invites you to look in the mirror for self-reflection, acts as a compass for direction, and provides real-life examples for practical insights and inspiration. The book is a catalyst for starting or deepening conversations—with yourself and others—whether in a business or personal setting. With its blend of caring and daring, it is an invaluable resource. If you want to deepen your impact as a leader, let this book be your guide.

Marieke Litjens, Regional People Leader Northern Europe, Energy Systems at DNV

"While reading The 5 pillars of leadership during transition, I underlined many sentences. In this book, Jakob van Wielink shares many beautiful insights, rooted in theory and personal experience. They invite the reader to reflect on their own life and work: how to give meaningful substance to leadership in times of change."

Prof. Dr. Edgar Karssing, Professor of Philosophy, Professional Ethics and Integrity Management, Nyenrode Business University

"This excellent book should be invaluable to anyone who seeks guidance on their journey as a leader. It is not a simple A to Z handbook of leadership, rather a deeply philosophical dive into the mindset of the leader, spiritual, emotional and relational. Ultimately practical and very readable, this is a book the reader may wish to return to again and again."

Jamie Andrew OBE, Quadruple amputee, Mountaineer

"This book has profoundly changed my view of leadership. Jakob presents powerful and directly applicable concepts and truly connects with the reader on a personal level. In doing so, he reaches not only the head, but also the heart. Highly recommended for any leader who has the courage to take a curious and honest look at their own attachment history and life story, and who wants to use that insight to give meaning to their life and leadership."

Huib Kranendonk, CEO Royal Lemkes

The Five Pillars of Leadership During Transition

Description

Table of Contents

Author(s)

Biography

Critics' Reviews

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