Joyce Bijl has faith in the ability of people to thrive within change, and she takes pride and pleasure in supporting them to do so.
What’s your story?
I’m Dutch by background, but Asia and the Middle East has been home for most of my career. I’ve built my career around people, business and the changing world of work, and I’m fascinated by what happens when you put those three things together. Outside work, I’m equally curious, I’ve done Ironmans, kayaked in the Arctic, climbed some mountains and travelled to some incredible places. I generally said yes to more adventures than was probably sensible. I love my work and on the side I’m exploring my future chapter: using my experience and curiosity to contribute at board level.
What excites you most about your industry?
The fact that nobody really knows what the workplace will look like in five or ten years. AI, skills shortages, changing employee expectations and new ways of working are forcing organisations to rethink what work actually look like. How do we help people adapt, lead differently and stay relevant? I love being in the middle of that conversation, connecting technology, business strategy and people. There’s never been a more interesting time to work in workforce transformation.
What drives you in your career to push beyond what other people consider normal?
Curiosity probably, and being slightly allergic to doing things just because “that’s how we’ve always done it”. I also have a fairly high tolerance for discomfort; I like a challenge, and I genuinely enjoy seeing what I’m capable off, which probably explains the multiple Ironmans, kayaking in the Arctic and a few other questionable life choices. They all started with… this sounds amazing, and is possibly a terrible idea.
I’m motivated by impact more than titles. If I can make something better, open a door for someone else or challenge the way things have always been done, I’m happy!
What have been the most useful skills you have learnt and applied in your journey?
Listening, asking better questions and connecting the dots. Early in my career I thought being good meant having the answers. Now I’m much more comfortable saying: “I don’t know, let’s figure it out”. I have also learnt resilience, things rarely go exactly to plan, whether that’s a complex business deal or a 5am training session when you really don’t want to get out of bed. And finally, perhaps most importantly, relationship building. You can have the best strategy in the world, but people are what makes it happen.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
Don’t wait until you feel ready! It sounds simple, but it arguably shaped my life more than anything else.
I rarely felt completely ready for the big things I’ve done. Moving countries, taking on new roles, doing an Ironman, going to the Arctic, there was always a moment of thinking: “What have I signed up for?”, “What exactly am I doing?”. But confidence often comes after you take the leap. I’ve learnt to get comfortable being uncomfortable. I’d rather occasionally jump and figure it out than spend my life wondering what might have happened.
Who inspires you?
Generally people who remain curious, generous and brave as they become more successful. I’m inspired by leaders who use their influence to create opportunities for others instead of collecting more power for themselves. I’m also inspired by everyday people who decide to do something difficult and then quietly get on with it. I’m lucky that my work, travels and sporting adventures constantly introduce me to people like that.
What have you learnt recently that blew you away?
How quickly AI is moving from being a technology conversation to becoming a fundamental workforce conversation. We’ve gone from asking, “will AI replace jobs?” to bigger questions; how work is redesigned, what human skills are important and what leadership looks like. What blows me away most is that technology is developing faster than many organisations can adapt. Winners won’t be the companies who just have the best technology, but those that can help their people adapt fastest. It made me even more convinced that adaptability is going to be one of the most valuable capabilities we have.
If you had your time again, what would you do differently?
I would worry less about what other people thought I should be doing. I spent too much time earlier in my career trying to prove myself and making decisions based on what I thought I should do. I would have trusted my gut feelings sooner, taken a few more risks and said yes sooner to opportunities before I felt completely qualified. And I’d probably tell my younger self that your career is an Ironman, not a carefully planned train journey. It’s okay if the route changes.
How do you unwind?
Coffee, dogs, friends and preferably somewhere outside. I love training, travelling, hiking and spending time with my two rescue dogs. Sports is probably my favourite way of switching off, although “switching off” while training for an Ironman is perhaps a generous description. My definition of relaxing clearly needs some work 🙂
I also love discovering new places, especially somewhere I can eat good food, have a drink with friends and forget what day it is. And sometimes, quiet time and doing absolutely nothing is exactly what I need!
What is a major mindset change, belief shift or ‘ah ha’ moment that you’ve experienced in relation to your career?
I realised I don’t need to be the smartest person in the room to add value. My strength is often in connecting the dots, asking the uncomfortable question, bringing different perspectives together and helping people move from discussion to action. That changed how I approach leadership. I stopped trying to prove that I belonged in the room and started focusing on why I was in the room in the first place. It made me much more comfortable being myself, which is probably a good thing at this stage of my career.
Everyone in business should read this book:
Taming Tigers by Jim Lawless. It’s not new, but the lessons are still relevant. The book is about challenging the stories and limitations we create for ourselves and then doing something about them. I’m a big believer that you rarely feel ready before doing something difficult. Sometimes you just have to stop negotiating with yourself and jump.
After reading the book I singed up (and completed) the marathon des sables, a 257km self supported foot race through the Sahara.
Shameless plug for your business or career:
I spend my days thinking about one of the biggest challenges organisations face: how do we build a workforce that can thrive when the world of work is changing faster than ever?
My sweet spot is where people, technology, skills and business strategy meet. Increasingly, I’m also interested in bringing that perspective into boardrooms, helping organisations think differently about workforce strategy, leadership and the impact of AI.
How can people connect with you?
The easiest way is LinkedIn. I’m always happy to connect with people who are curious about the future of work, workforce transformation, leadership, AI and boards. I particularly enjoy conversations that start with “have you ever thought about…? They usually lead to somewhere interesting.
Social Media Links?
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/joyce-bijl-98933910
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Joyce.bijl.9
This interview is part of the CallumConnects series.