Dutch General of Defence Teaches Entrepreneurs

LEEUWARDEN, NETHERLANDS – The Grand Frisian Entrepreneurial Meeting (GFEM) took place at the city theatre De Harmonie in Leeuwarden on Monday, October 31, 2016.

Ten Frisian business clubs/organizations organized this business networking event. Peter van Uhm, former Chief of Defense of the Netherlands and author of the book I Chose the Gun, talked about personal leadership. Over 600 attendees silently hung to his lips for almost an hour.

Van Uhm has extensive experience and a deep understanding of personal leadership. During his engaging lecture, he connected ‘surviving’ with both the army and the business community. Survival during the economic crisis is unlike surviving in a crossfire, but both create tensions and in both situations a leader is needed: "An honest person who takes responsibility and translates words into deeds. Someone who has courage, who dares to make choices and who is open towards its staff. Someone who waits the right time for the right action, but who is not standing still. Someone who admits mistakes, takes his losses and continues forward. Even when he hears that his son is deceased by a roadside bomb on his second day. A leader must go on."

After the lecture of Peter van Uhm, a meet and greet was organized. Students and pre-selected entrepreneurs were able to meet the former Commander and ask him questions.

About the Grand Frisian Entrepreneurial Meeting
Every two years the GFEM is organized by a number of business clubs. This year ten business clubs/organizations joined their forces. In addition to the increased number of participating business clubs, also the platform Financial Business Services Leeuwarden and educational institutions (both Universities of Applied Sciences students and Vocational Education and Training students) are involved in the organization during this edition.

• Commerciële Club Leeuwarden
• Commerciële Club Noordwest Friesland
• Commerciële Club Zuid Friesland
• Friese Zaken (voormalig De Commerciële Club Friesland)
• Handel en Industrie Dokkum
• Handel en Industrie Sneek
• JBN Fryslân
• VNO-NCW Noord
• WTC Business Club Leeuwarden
• Platform Financieel Zakelijke Dienstverlening

To view photos from the event: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bc_wtc_leeuwarden/albums/72157672679182954

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3SaaJH8Fls

To learn more about WTC Leeuwarden, please click on the source link below.