Word-Dancing Together Towards Noble Outcomes

Reflectie op een zomerse workshopdag bij Logie Marie | Op 24 juni 2025 mocht ik samen met Pascale Naessens een bijzondere dag begeleiden voor een groep vrouwen die bewust wilden vertragen, verdiepen en verbinden. De locatie was al een verhaal op zich: Logie Marie, tussen de Lembeekse bossen, Lotus Bakeries en de boerenbuiten. Een plek waar de geur van speculoos, vee en zonnewarmte op het gras een bijna tastbare achtergrond vormde voor ons traject. De rust van aikido - met Greet Angèle De Baets Na een gastvrij welkom met een lcihte lunch leidde ik een aikidoworkshop. Geen zelfverdedigingstraining, maar een uitnodiging om via beweging en interactie te luisteren naar wat het lichaam vertelt. Hoe maak je contact zonder spanning? Hoe beweeg je mee zonder jezelf te verliezen? En hoe kunnen die aikidobewegingen – met een partner die de rol van tegenstander uitbeeldt – een perspectief bieden op hoe we omgaan met anderen in het dagelijkse leven? Als antwoord op een bedenking van een van de deel...

On 16 June 2025, I had the pleasure of attending Tom Hannes’ doctoral defence in Eindhoven (Netherlands). It was a generous and thoughtful exchange, shaped by art and philosophy, and animated by an ecological sensitivity that resonated deeply with my own research journey. A World of Beginners Tom Hannes' doctoral defence 16 June 2025, TU Eindhoven, Netherlands 📷 Greet Angèle De Baets Doctor Tom’s work offers a contemporary view of the world through an Eastern lens. Drawing on Buddhism as a methodological framework, he explores interaction as relational, ecological, and ideally situated in what he calls the mesocosmic critical zone : the thin layer between the microcosm (the self, the soul, reason, innermost feelings…) and the macrocosm (the cosmic Principle, God, nirvana, Truth…). The mesocosm is the in-between zone in which relations develop that are beneficial, even fundamental, to and actually the very goal of a meaningful life. What I sensed during the defence was not just an...

  [ ABC is the Association for Business Communication.] From 4 to 6 June 2025, I had the privilege of attending the ABC Regional Conference at NHH in Bergen (Norway), themed “Building Bridges Between Business Communication and Management.” Bergen was beautiful, even in the rain, cold, and wind. Against this dramatic backdrop, the NHH campus offered a warm and stimulating environment for exchange. The conference brought together scholars and practitioners to explore business communication in all its contemporary complexity. Bergen, view from the fish market 📷 Greet Angèle De Baets Topics that resonated Throughout the three days, I attended sessions on crisis communication , CEO letters , visual communication , teaching confidence , corporate social advocacy , the normalisation and (self-)orientalisation of intercultural communication , self-awareness , and many more. The diversity of topics reflected not only the scope of the field, but also the growing need to address complexity,...

There is no single accepted definition of conflict. The many definitions, whether they refer to international, political, religious, cultural, generational, organisational, interpersonal, or intrapersonal conflicts, focus on the incompatibility of concerns (Thomas & Kilmann, 2012, p. 2) , adversarial values (Dorjee et al., 2013, p. 115) , and the collision of cultures (Lewis, 2018) with the connotation that conflict is a negative, destructive, or inhibitive force. In reality, conflict can be healthy. It can bring to light previously unseen pressures or discontents, promote problems to be addressed, and improve understanding of goals and motives (Mohammed et al., 2009, p. 4) . Upon moving away from the negative connotations, conflict becomes more of an intriguing challenge and its resolution can be found in communication. Approaching conflict with a positive outlook, coupled with effective communication, can turn conflicts into opportunities. | Excerpt from the author’s  doctor...

The idea of national identity remains prevalent in this day and age, shaping how individuals and societies perceive themselves and interact with others. This perceived identity consists of behaviours and values that are reinforced through everyday experiences. Robert Dilts’ logical levels is a model that explains the relationship between behaviour and values, helping us understand how national identity may influence intercultural communication. Additionally, Michael Billig’s concept of banal nationalism provides insights into the subtle ways ideas of national identity are continuously reinforced in daily life. By integrating the model and the concept of banal nationalism, we can explore how national identity operates at different cognitive and behavioural levels, shaping both cultural self-perception and intercultural interactions. Dilts' model, however, does not apply solely to national identity; it was originally developed to explain the different levels of an individual's pe...

An aikido lesson involves a structured routine that generally consists of three groups of exercises: warming-up, rolling, and interaction techniques. Although great consideration is paid to warm-up exercises in aikido lessons, they are neglected in most books on aikido practice. Because warm-up exercises can be used to transfer skills into a communication training course, they deserve considerable attention. Warm-ups help prepare the body for the physical demands of training, enhance flexibility, and reduce the risk of injury. Although these somatic routines may vary across dojos, they usually include aiki-taisō, kishin-chinkon, dō-in, and makkō-hō. Aiki-taisō exercises are individual exercises aimed at developing and stabilising a relaxed suppleness and improving the rhythm of both respiration and circulation. The basis of aiki-taisō is verticality in a relaxed, natural, well-centred posture without excessive muscle contraction or tensing of the shoulders. From the vertical position, ...