Ep.131 The Hidden Leadership Trap Slowing Down Company Performance with Hein Knaapen

Show Notes:

In this episode of Business Growth Spotlight, host Heidi Schalk sits down with Hein Knaapen, Managing Partner at CEO Works, for a powerful conversation on leadership focus, value creation, and why most CEOs unknowingly derail performance by taking on too much. With over 40 years of global HR leadership experience, including serving as Chief HR Officer across multiple industries, Hein brings a rare mix of strategic clarity and practical wisdom.

He shares how CEO Works helps CEOs accelerate value creation by simplifying talent decisions, reducing priorities, and identifying the handful of roles that drive more than 75 percent of organizational impact. Hein explains why leaders consistently overestimate their company’s absorption capacity, how boldness fuels better decision making, and why behavior change always precedes mindset change.

From strengthening frontline managers to eliminating distractions, aligning top teams, and navigating AI driven operations, Hein breaks down what truly moves the needle. He also discusses cultural differences in leadership, the dangers of overengineering change, and what it really takes to build a team that keeps you grounded when it matters most.

Whether you are a CEO, founder, or senior leader seeking clarity, performance, and growth, this conversation delivers practical actions you can implement today.

Bio

I've spent over 40 years in HR, with 35 of those years driving value creation at major corporations. My journey took me through two decades at Unilever and two Chief HR Officer roles—first in telecommunications, then at ING Bank, where I designed and delivered a comprehensive people plan for the new bank strategy. This significantly enhanced management capability at all levels, particularly in performance management, while reducing HR costs by 20%.

For the past five years, I've been a Senior Partner at CEO.works, focusing on what I'm most passionate about: helping CEOs and their teams accelerate value creation by connecting talent precisely to where it matters most. I also work closely with CHROs to transform their impact on company performance—shifting from service delivery to strategic business partnership.

My approach is simple: precision over proliferation. After navigating countless boardroom dynamics, economic downturns, and complex transformations, I've learned what works, what doesn't, and what actually moves the needle. The "Talent to Value" framework, which I developed with my partners at CEO.works, helps leaders focus on the 20% of people priorities that deliver 80% of value impact.

I believe in practicing what I preach about peak performance. I stay sharp through regular running and fitness training, find creative energy in classical music and art, and expand my thinking through reading on history, leadership, and management. Based in Amsterdam, I bring both global experience and European insight to every conversation.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/hein-j-m-knaapen-a879289

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceo-works/

X:  http://twitter.com/TalentToValue

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/talenttovalue/

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5yHyCjIFrgKCPpR3yulbKw

Website:  https://www.ceoworks.com/

Connect with me:

🎁Spotlight to Scale:  Spotlight to Scale Blueprint

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/