16 January 2025

Dear colleagues,

We are now almost two weeks into the new year. 2025 started off calmly – perhaps even a bit slower than usual. Could this be an effect of our first teaching-free January? Who knows! What I do hope is that you all had a wonderful holiday and took the time to do what you truly needed. Maybe that was enjoying time with family, spending time in nature, learning something new, or simply doing absolutely nothing.

I personally found inspiration during the break in the work of Simon Sinek, a globally recognised thinker in the field of leadership and a source of inspiration when it comes to creating meaningful impact. In his book It Starts With Why, he emphasises the importance of defining a clear mission and purpose. Knowing the “why” behind what you do not only creates greater engagement but also fosters trust and energy.

Let’s make it a priority this year in our Institute to place our why at the centre of everything we do. Each of you, whether you’re part of the academic staff or the support staff, has your own unique why. Together, we form a complex network of interconnected gears working in perfect sync. And it is through this collaboration that we achieve our shared goals: high-quality education, groundbreaking research, top-tier patient care, and so much more.

Still, in the daily hustle, you might not always reflect on this, or perhaps you’ve even lost sight of why you do what you do. That’s why I’d like to challenge you to take a moment this year to ask yourself: What is your why? Reflecting on this can help you understand not only your own role within the institute, your department, or your team but also how your contribution fits into the bigger picture.

Let’s also be honest: we are in financially challenging times. This makes it all the more important to keep our why clearly in focus. In difficult moments, going back to what truly drives and motivates us can help. Our why provides direction and meaning to what we do, even when circumstances are less than ideal. By focusing on this together, we can remain resilient and continue to build impact – for ourselves, for the institute, and for others.

The fAiM project, Find Your Why, will hopefully help us in this process [New Year's Reception 2025: the power of diversity and collaboration - Leiden University]. Do you also have ideas about what fAiM could further address in terms of our culture, such as recognition and rewards or open science? Then join the interactive fAiM Roadshow on January 30th! We’ve already made significant strides toward sustainable cultural change, but we’re not there yet. Your input is essential.

And to close with Simon Sinek’s wise words: “The goal is not to be perfect by the end, the goal is to be better today.”

Let’s make this a year where our why is truly at the heart of everything we do!

Warm regards,
on behalf of the Institute Board,
Hanneke Hulst