"I dare to be open about what I need and give others the space to do the same."

Nina Claessens (25) Accenture – Marketing and communication participated in October 2022 in the Rebel program.
 
Thanks to Rebel, a drawer has been opened full of experiences, realizations, and patterns, and that drawer can no longer be closed. During various assignments, memories and insights came up that I had pushed down for a long time. That was sometimes emotional. However, I am mostly grateful for everything that has been set in motion, because now I better understand why I am who I am. This self-awareness gives me confidence and helps me both professionally and personally. Although I am a person who likes structure and wants to find a solution for everything, I can now accept that this self-development is an ongoing process. Getting to know yourself never stops; with every puzzle piece that comes out of the drawer, I learn something new about myself. I notice that I am improving myself, daring to take more space, and having more belief in my own strength. I am also fully convinced that we at Rebel received the right guidance to learn to make use of positive patterns.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned at Rebel is that you only truly connect when you dare to be vulnerable. Before the program, I believed that business and personal matters should be kept strictly separate, but now I realize that showing vulnerability creates space for a deeper connection.

This helps me become the leader I want to be. For example, it makes it easier to maintain work-life balance because I dare to be open about what I need and give others the space to do the same. It is also a means to stand by my values, such as freedom, involvement, and responsibility. And I hope to inspire others to make that connection as well.