"The CEO as Head Coach” Kobe Verdonck on Trust, Feedback and Building Winning Teams

The Boardroom Conversations

The Boardroom Conversations
"The CEO as Head Coach” Kobe Verdonck on Trust, Feedback and Building Winning Teams
Jun 23, 2026 Season 1 Episode 1
Bruce Fecheyr-Lippens powered by SD Worx

“The CEO as Head Coach” Kobe Verdonck on Trust, Feedback and Building Winning Teams 

  • How do you build a team that keeps growing as your business grows? 
  • What does it take to create a culture where people challenge each other and still trust one another? 
  • And why should every leader learn to let go? 

In this episode of Boardroom Conversations, Bruce Fecheyr-Lippens, Chief People Officer at SD Worx and co-author of Join the Club, sits down with Kobe Verdonck, CEO of SD Worx, to explore what it takes to build high-performing teams and future-ready organisations. 

From fostering a culture of open feedback to empowering teams with ownership and accountability, Kobe offers practical lessons on leading through change while staying true to your values. He also reflects on scaling SD Worx across Europe, developing future leaders and creating clarity in complex organisations. 

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

  • Why trust is the foundation of sustainable performance 
  • How honest feedback helps teams grow stronger together 
  •  Why empowering people leads to better and faster decisions 
  • How clear frameworks create space for ownership and innovation 
  • Why leadership is about developing people, not controlling them 

This edition of Boardroom Conversations is a conversation about people, performance and purposeful leadership, offering valuable insights for business leaders and HR professionals looking to build resilient teams and organisations that thrive in a changing world.