Toward a Humanist Philosophy of Leadership and Design
Leadership as Human Art and Design as Possibility reflect Division Group’s integrated philosophy: leadership and design are not separate functions, but interdependent disciplines essential to meaningful change. Grounded in the humanist leadership theory of Abraham Zaleznik (2008) and the design framework of Boland and Collopy (2004), this synthesis sees leadership as a moral and creative act—and design as its structural counterpart.
Transformation, in our view, is not merely operational—it is principled, emotionally resonant, and strategically grounded. Together, these essays affirm our belief that to lead effectively is to design meaningfully—and that to design responsibly is to lead with purpose.
References
Boland, R. J., & Collopy, F. (Eds.). (2004). Managing as Designing. Stanford University Press.
Zaleznik, A. (2008). Hedgehogs and Foxes: Character, Leadership, and Command in Organizations. Palgrave Macmillan.
🎧 Listen to: Leading by Design – A Humanist Philosophy of Transformation
This 11-minute conversation introduces the humanist foundation of Division Group’s leadership and design philosophy. It explores how human-centered leadership, emotional architecture, and design thinking converge to shape meaningful organizational transformation.
🔗 Read the full essays below or explore more at dvsngroup.com.
Editorial Note: On the Conjunction of Two Essays
The essays Design as Possibility and Leadership as Human Art articulate Division Group’s unified philosophy of transformation. While distinct in focus—one examining design as method, the other exploring leadership as ethos—they converge on a shared conviction: that strategic change must be imaginative, ethical, and emotionally resonant.
Together, these texts reframe transformation not as a technocratic process, but as a human-centered practice grounded in moral character and creative intention. Design as Possibility defines what we do; Leadership as Human Art illuminates how and why we do it. At the heart of both is emotional architecture—a conceptual bridge that gives form to vision and meaning to structure.
This editorial note affirms their coherence and invites the reader to experience them as two dimensions of a single, integrated approach to leading change with conviction and care.
SENIOR PROJECT DIRECTOR, a.i. September 2005–May 2006 Rabobank
Note on Industrial Relocation Projects May 30, 2006
Eric Teunissen presented his groundbreaking research on industrial relocation projects in a paper for Rabobank.
“Large-scale industrial relocation projects can be effectively executed by deploying a universal organizational structure, despite unique technical, organizational, and logistical project characteristics.”
The project received international acclaim and was awarded the Benelux Enterprise Award. Division Group was later named “Best Banking Temporary Management Resources Provider” by EU Business News in 2020.
SENIOR MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT September 2002–February 2003 Van Nieuwpoort Groep
Reliably Forecasting Profits in Project Matrix Organizations November 8, 2002
Eric Teunissen presented research on forecasting profits within matrix organizations in a paper for Van Nieuwpoort Prefab Beton’s product group, Construction Elements.
He subsequently developed and implemented a breakthrough solution that enabled the project management department to reliably forecast profits for all precast concrete infrastructure projects.
