Wendy Nieuwland

Based: Amersfoort, Netherlands

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With a strong background in management consulting and change facilitation (12 years), Wendy finds the use of Clean Language & Symbolic Modelling continues to enrich her work; which now evolves around working systemically with clients’ desired outcomes.  Clients range from individuals wishing to develop within their work environment, to teams wanting to work together better, to projects wanting to make a ‘flying start’ or review what they have achieved so far, to an organisations’ desire to change certain aspects of their culture or leadership styles.


Wendy’s working style consists of a combination of inspiration and pragmatism, a focus on results and relationships, working in the present and with the bigger picture.  She “loves it when a plan comes together”. To achieve the desired results/outcomes, she will creatively mingle methods and approaches. Systemic checks, in her view, are crucial to make sustainable change possible.

Wendy is the co-creator, with Annemiek van Helsdingen, of the Conversational Model, a simple and effective structure to use Clean Language at all levels in organisations, which is now used in many Clean Language trainings.

Wendy’s partner Roland is from the UK and they raise their amazing son Timo bilingually.  Language therefore holds a special place for them in everyday life.

Wendy is based in the Netherlands and owns a company, Gewoon aan de Slag, with two partners (Annemiek van Helsdingen, based in the UK and Maaike Nooitgedagt, Netherlands).  Their company is the only organisation in Holland that has translated all the materials and offers the open trainings of modules 1 to 4 in Dutch, which run parallel to those of the Clean Change Company. Wendy is currently developing a training course for experienced Clean Facilitators to learn how to work with the Clean Evaluation Method; Modelling Shared Experience (developed together with Stefan Ouboter).

Wendy and her partners use Clean Language & Symbolic Modelling in a range of contexts including:

  • Applied Clean Language & Symbolic modelling for specific target groups, e.g. business analysts, management consultants, project managers, sales managers;
  • ‘Modelling the Master’ programmes: making use of existing resources in organisations to enhance desired qualities and behaviours;
  • Programme to ‘Model Shared Experience’, used in a range of settings where multiple stakeholders are involved and need to create shared meaning and understanding;
  • Modules 1 to 4 of Clean Language & Symbolic Modelling in Dutch (title: Zuiver Communiceren);
  • Team & Organisation Alignment (e.g. creating a shared and ‘embodied’ vision);
  • Corporate Coaching; 1-1 and with teams;
  • Communication skills training;
  • Designing & Facilitation of meetings, events, trainings, workshops;
  • Consulting management about change or development approaches with maximum (sustainable) results;
  • Developing small-scale simulations to create awareness and learning, e.g. ”The Cheese Game”: a ‘whodunit’ played with a team to experience the effects of assumptions made.
    Gewoon aan de Slag also works internationally and has extensive experience working in both Dutch and English.

    • Qualifications include:

  • MA Communication Science (University of Amsterdam);
  • Training Systemic Perceiving and Acting in Organisations;
  • Training Facilitating Learning using the ‘Intervention Model’;
  • Personal Coaching trainings;
  • Accredited Reflector (360 degree feedback) facilitator;
  • Accredited MBTI facilitator;
  • Certified Clean Language Facilitator.

    • Clean-related articles
    http://www.cleanlanguage.co.uk/articles/articles/225/1/Using-Modelling-Metaphor-and-a-Clean-Approach-in-Business/Page1.html

    http://www.cleanlanguage.co.uk/articles/articles/220/1/Dutch-Clean-Questions-2008/Page1.html

    22/12/2008 | No Comments »

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