Welcome to a new Spotlight on Essenters! Today we will have a chat with Annelies van Dijk, an Agile Coach at Essent.

HI ANNELIES CAN YOU TELL OUR READERS A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF?

Hi, I'm Annelies and I live in Den Bosch, love running, walking with the dog, enjoying good food and wine with friends, and traveling. I’ve been working at Essent for six years and plan to stay a little longer. I’m a co-founder of the neurodiversity community and am learning to speak publicly about it.

CAN YOU BRIEFLY SHARE A BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN IT?

Sure! I actually don’t come from a traditional IT-background, I have a more creative background and started my career at Rabobank as a webmaster. Over time, I ended up working as a Marketing Operations professional. Part of that role involved being the Scrum Master for a marketing team. Thats where the ball started rolling.

I explored Agile more deeply. I set up Jira boards and introduced more structure within the team. Eventually, I decided to take a Scrum Master training, and that’s when it really clicked for me.
I wanted to work in IT, where Agile truly originated and is applied in its full potential. That was the turning point for me.

After that, I worked for about a year and a half as a project manager for various brands. Interestingly, that was in the same building where Essent was located. I already knew a few (former) colleagues who were working at Essent, and through them, I became really inspired to take the next step in my career here.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN THE IT AREA?

I wouldn't say I'm specifically drawn to IT itself, what really fascinates me are the people who work in IT. I think there are very few departments as diverse as IT.

You’re constantly working with people from different cultures, neurotypes, religions, and languages. Our working language is English, which, for most of us, isn’t even our native tongue.

That level of diversity brings challenges, but it's exactly what attracts me. Despite all those differences, teams manage to deliver value every week. That requires a strong sense of empathy, curiosity, and patience from everyone involved.

What I really care about is helping build a culture where people can be as much themselves as possible. Where they know what energizes them, what drains them, and where they feel safe to speak up, even on tough days and express what they need. And being able to communicate that in a way that your colleagues truly understand… that’s not always easy, but it’s incredibly meaningful.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT A MAJOR TURNING POINT IN YOUR CAREER THAT LED YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?

A key turning point in my career was when I joined Essent and was surrounded by managers (Astrid & Nilguin) who placed a strong emphasis on soft skills and personal development. At the time, I sometimes found myself in situations I couldn’t quite explain, I didn’t fully understand how I ended up in certain patterns or dynamics. They were able to hold up a mirror in an empathetic way that mostly sparked my curiosity.

That curiosity led me to use my development budget to hire a coach, and that was the beginning of a much deeper journey. From there, I started exploring various methods like NLP-training, family constellations, Moving Questions (Rake Vragen), and Deep Democracy. Every year, I commit to a new training that helps me better understand myself and human behavior in general.

After years of reflecting on and analyzing my own patterns and behaviors, I now enjoy inspiring others to do the same. I'm deeply curious about why we do what we do, and how our background, conditioning, or family systems shape our responses. These kinds of conversations are part of my everyday life, not because I have to, but because I truly love them, and see how much impact they have on a daily basis.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC INFLUENCES OR PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED YOUR CAREER PATH?

Ever since high school, I’ve been fascinated by cultural anthropology. 

I especially followed the work of Danielle Braun and Jitske Kramer.
I just didn’t see a clear path to turn that interest into a career, unless I was willing to do fieldwork with indigenous tribes, which didn’t quite fit.

Now, years later, I’m following Deep Democracy training at the institute founded by Jitske Kramer and it’s everything I had hoped for. It brings together all my interests: human behavior, group dynamics, the "undercurrent" in teams, decision-making processes, and learning how to remain neutral.

It’s still incredibly challenging, but to be honest, I need that challenge. That’s what keeps me engaged and growing :)!

WHAT EXCITED YOU THE MOST ABOUT JOINING THE COMPANY?

What excited me the most was the chance to finally implement Scrum the way it was truly intended.

Also, in the beginning, I was really motivated by the steep learning curve. Facilitating IT sessions in English all day definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone, I had to step up my game quickly! But that challenge was exactly what made it so exciting haha.

HOW HAS YOUR ROLE EVOLVED SINCE YOU STARTED?

After working as a Scrum Master for two years, I got the opportunity to apply internally for an Agile Coach role, a chance I gladly took, and it turned out to be a great fit.

Previously, we were assigned as Agile Coaches to specific ARTs or departments, typically one coach for two departments, which worked quite well in many cases. However, we've moved away from that model.

For the past few months, we've been focusing more on strategic change topics rather than staying at the ART level. This shift has also created more space for senior Scrum Masters to take the lead on department-specific challenges.

As coaches, our work has become more overarching. For example, we’re now involved in implementing the Obeya method within IT, which supports alignment and transparency at a broader level, we focus more on providing training and onboarding sessions and thriving communities.

WHAT PROJECT OR INITIATIVE ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?

I’m most proud of co-founding the Neurodiversity Community together with my colleagues. It’s been so rewarding to help create a space where people feel seen, heard, and supported for who they are.

The idea actually started in September 2023. We attended a conference at Team Rockstars IT, and I joined a breakout session about diversity and inclusion. That’s where neurodiversity was brought up, and it immediately sparked something in me. I recognized so many of the dynamics from my own teams.

As a Scrum Master, I often found it both interesting and challenging to navigate situations where team members think, work, or communicate very differently. I wanted to respond in ways that were inclusive and respectful, without anyone feeling overlooked or misunderstood. That was quite a challenge for me at times, and looking back, with the knowledge I now have, I can tell that I didn't always handle it the best way.

It was my unawareness of the topic that inspired me to dive deeper. That curiosity led to research, reflection, and eventually building a platform, because I truly wanted to create change.

Together with two amazing colleagues, Yannick and Emy, we created that platform: The Neurodiversity Community. And the best part is: you don’t have to be neurodivergent to join. Just being interested and open to learning is more than enough.

ARE THERE ANY SETBACKS YOU’VE ENCOUNTERED IN THIS ROLE? HOW DID YOU NAVIGATE THEM?

Yes, one of the biggest challenges was that, due to circumstances, we didn’t have a permanent manager for about two years. Instead, we had a different interimmanager every six months. Each brought their own vision, leadership style, and ambitions, which meant we had to continuously adapt and figure out new ways of working together.

At times, this was definitely challenging, but in hindsight, it also brought our coaching team closer together. It pushed us to have more open conversations about our own preferences and to reflect on the impact each leadership change had on our work and dynamics.

Now that we have a permanent manager again, we finally have the stability to focus more on long-term goals and continue building in a more sustainable way.

HOW DO YOU MEASURE SUCCESS IN YOUR CURRENT POSITION?

How do you measure success as an Agile Coach? That’s a great question. In the IT department, we’ve made a conscious decision not to tie the success of an Agile Coach to traditional metrics like DORA, such as deployment frequency or lead time for changes.

Instead, we focus on the quality of interactions and collaboration.
That means we’re not tied to KPIs, we don’t have FTEs or budgets, and we operate as much as possible outside of hierarchy and political structures. This allows us to remain relatively independent and objective.

This independence is both a blessing and a curse. At times, it can feel like you’re completely lost, unsure of what you're actually contributing to. And most of the time, it makes you highly approachable, because you’re not driven by hidden agendas.

In general, our advice contributes to the bigger picture: better collaboration, more transparency, and higher quality interactions. That’s when we know we’re making a difference.

WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU THINK ARE MOST IMPORTANT FOR SUCCESS IN YOUR ROLE OR TEAM?

I believe one of the most important qualities is being able to sense what’s needed in the moment, and adjusting your style accordingly.

Some people might need encouraging words and inspiration, while others are looking for clarity and structure. Sometimes it's more helpful to let someone experience the consequences of a choice so they can learn from it; other times it's better to walk through potential scenarios in advance.

In some sessions, you need to facilitate tightly and even take on the “bad cop” role to protect the flow and purpose. In others, you create space and silence to make sure unheard voices are welcomed in. There are moments when you steer toward output and action points, and others when what’s really needed is alignment and shared ownership.

Every meeting, every conversation, every session calls for something slightly different. The more aware you are of your own default style, and the more flexible you are in adapting it, the more helpful and effective you can be. To me, that’s what success looks like: being of service to the system in the best way possible.

WHAT SKILLS OR ATTRIBUTES DO YOU THINK ARE CRUCIAL FOR ANYONE IN YOUR ROLE OR TEAM?

Self-reflection and vulnerability.
You need the ability to admit when something didn’t go well, to recognize that what you did or said often says more about you than about the other person. I often say: you need to be able to set your ego aside.

My experience is when you practice this, and others see that it doesn’t have negative consequences, it creates safety. It shows people that it’s okay to be honest, to own your part, and to grow from it. That kind of openness is contagious, and crucial in our work.

WHAT ASPECT OF YOUR JOB DO YOU FIND THE MOST REWARDING?

For me, the most rewarding part is seeing people leave work at the end of the day feeling proud of what they’ve accomplished. When they surprise themselves or overcome something they didn’t think they could.

For example, in our Neurodiversity Community, we have a WhatsApp group, and recently we organized an event where everyone contributed. The event itself went well and was enjoyable, but what truly made me happy was reading the messages that came in later that evening. People shared how fulfilling it was to tell their stories and how much satisfaction they felt after the day. That’s when I really felt the impact of our work.

CAN YOU SHARE A PERSONAL MANTRA OR PHILOSOPHY THAT YOU LIVE BY?

One mantra that really resonates with me is: “Where attention goes, energy flows.” James Redfield.

I truly believe that what we focus on expands, so I try to direct my attention towards the things that align with my values and goals. It’s a reminder to be mindful of where I invest my energy.

WHAT’S A PERSONAL OR PROFESSIONAL GOAL YOU’RE CURRENTLY WORKING TOWARDS?

Right now, a big focus for me is growing my skills in Diversity and Inclusion coaching.
I recently completed Level 4 of Deep Democracy, which has given me a lot of valuable tools as a coach. I really feel that’s where my strengths truly shine.

I’m also noticing that I can make a difference by speaking at events, where I can blend theory with practical examples and share them through stories. My goal is to build the courage to take on bigger events in the future. I hope I’ll have the confidence to step up to that challenge!

WHAT’S THE BEST CAREER ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?

Get comfortable with failure.

It’s something I’ve really struggled with, and still do at times. Recently, I started speaking at events about neurodiversity, and it’s been an exciting, nerve-wracking, and educational experience all at once. Along with the positive feedback, I’ve also received criticism, some of it less constructive. It hits me harder than I’d like to admit at first, and there were even moments when I considered quitting, thinking maybe they were right.

But I’ve given myself the choice again, to either stop or keep going. I hired a TED Talk coach and completely rewrote my presentation. 

And now, my talks have become more refined. I use more examples that show different perspectives, and the feedback has been mostly positive. The key lesson for me has been: Take the criticism, but don’t take it personally. That’s truly been a game changer and a challenge.

(Do you want to listen to Annelies? You can! check out her podcast episode about Neurodiversity in the workplace here)

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH OUR READERS?

We would like to thank Annelies for the time she took to speak with us, and the insights she shares. If you have any lingering questions for her, don’t hesitate to contact us. We will ensure you are promptly connected.