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Wildlife lectures and workshops

Learning from wild animals

WILDLIFE LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS

With an original, enlightening perspective, Martine examines our animal behavior within our urban jungle and human 'ecosystems'. Her experiences in the wild and knowledge of wild animals are inspiring and serve as a major eye-opener. Physically and mentally, we are still exactly the same as when we lived in the wild. Wild animals, for instance, must also make choices, lead a group, collaborate, connect, deal with their vulnerability, utilize their talents, overcome fears, and manage their energy efficiently. Therefore, we can learn an incredible amount from them! A lecture or workshop by Martine is a celebration of recognition and simultaneously provides a refreshing perspective that you can put into practice immediately.

To lectures

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Watch the showreel (Dutch)

For whom?

As a speaker and trainer, Martine uses humor and optimism to connect the most diverse life lessons from the wilderness to the specific themes of every company, team, organization, or association. The program, format (interactive lecture or workshop), and duration are flexible and can be determined in consultation, depending on the size of the group and the length of the meeting. Everything is possible, from a morning workshop with five executives or a management team, to a lecture for 400+ people in a theater. With every booking, you will, of course, receive a signed copy of Over Leven in het Wild as a gift!

‘Wild animals are resilient in an uncertain existence. How do they do this? Why don't they suffer from burnout?’

LET’S GO WILD!

Wild animals are resilient and agile in an uncertain, stressful existence. How do they do this, and why don’t they suffer from burnout? How do they manage to be completely themselves, connect with one another, and handle scarcity effectively? Because we humans lived as hunter-gatherers in the wilderness for a long time, life lessons from the wild provide great insight into our own behavior and group dynamics. We can learn much from wild animals about, for example, leadership, learning, collaboration, and goal setting. How do they persevere despite setbacks and challenges? And how can we use these life lessons to become a better leader, colleague, teacher, team, company or partner, parent, and above all, a happier person?

To workshops

GETTING ACTIVE

In addition to interactive lectures, any group, organization, or association can actively engage with life lessons from the wilderness. The format and duration of a workshop are flexible. An intake interview will take place for every workshop, after which the program is tailored in consultation to the themes, wishes, and needs of the team, company, or organization. Since we are animals ourselves, every ‘human’ subject can be linked to animal behavior, including leadership, collaboration, and connection.

Following an introduction, an assignment related to your themes can be given to encourage all participants to think or to move in the direction necessary for the development of the organization or team. For example, how do wild animals connect, how do they collaborate, and how do they lead their group? In which animal do you recognize yourself or one of your colleagues? And from which animal would you like to adopt a trait, and why? How do wild animals handle stress and challenges? And how do you do this in your own jungle? In which animal do you recognize yourself or one of your colleagues? From which animals would you like to learn something, and why? How do you ensure you survive and don’t get eaten?

After a lecture or workshop, participants will recognize wild animal behavior in themselves and others. Through the lens of wild animals, the talents, behavior, and leadership styles of the participants will become clear, and they will also gain insight into which qualities they can still develop. The nurturing of everyone’s different talents and the importance of collaboration and connection will be naturally strengthened. Additionally, there is plenty of laughter. This workshop inspires the immediate application of life lessons from the wilderness, and participants are reminded of their own strength and potential, giving this workshop a practical, optimistic, and motivating approach.

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WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT MARTINE

An extraordinary story and a captivating speaker. Perfect for when you want something different. Resilience in challenging times—that was the theme of our networking event. It was a day where we wanted to touch and inspire our guests in a different way. Rather than focusing on technical content, we looked for someone who could build a creative bridge to our professional practice through a theme. It became a bridge from wildlife to human nature—a bridge delivered with great energy, humor, and insight. Captivating, entertaining, and educational all at once.

- Frederike Godron - TKP Pension

Sparkling! With her sparkling personality, Martine is able to capture everyone's attention immediately. She leads the group in a very natural way, using her photos to share her experiences and perspective. She also succeeds in holding up a mirror to the group.

- K.M. Laagland Klaassen - Julianadorp

Inspiring, positive, and engaging. Martine held an incredibly pleasant session tailored specifically to the topic we needed! She speaks with enthusiasm and inspiration. We were very pleased! During the preparations, Martine was easy to reach and contributed a great deal of wonderful ideas.

- Anne van Verre - Netcompany

Great lecture! Martine is a fantastic speaker who took us along on her journey in her own unique, spontaneous way. Her enthusiasm and knowledge about wild animals, and the valuable lessons she draws from them, are very interesting and engaging for any audience. She knew exactly how to strike the right chord for us in the context of Women's Day! Her warm personality makes you feel at ease immediately. We can absolutely recommend her!

- Nadine Wassing - SodaStream International Ltd.

Highly recommended! Martine's enthusiasm was very infectious. Not only does she have a powerful story about her own desire to work with wild animals, she also draws beautiful parallels between how animals deal with difficulties in their lives and how humans do. And what we can learn from the animals. Very inspiring. The audience for International Women's Day wished her story could have lasted much longer. A great success!

- Ingeborg Wind - Twente Library

Very inspirational and unique story for an international audience, illustrating the parallels between living in the wild and risk management: a ten out of ten.

- Bob J Reichenfeld - Gallagher Re

With her infectious enthusiasm, Martine shared her story about wild animals, their unique talents, and how they collaborate in groups to strengthen one another. It was an original and beautiful reflection of how we can achieve the same within our organization and towards our clients.

- Carlijn Backx - Nolost

We enjoyed an absolutely inspiring lecture by Martine during our annual off-site. She taught us about learning from wild animals and provided reflections on teamwork and leadership, while emphasizing the importance of diversity. Furthermore, she highlighted the importance of embracing elders—just as in nature—because they possess the knowledge and experience. In fact, we often behave like animals and navigate an 'office jungle' where, much like animals, we weigh and manage risks every day. In conclusion, we can say that we have much to learn from wild animals, not only in our professional lives but also in our private lives. Thank you very much, Martine, for your fantastic speech.

- Kim Kropff - NIBC Bank

I recently had the pleasure of attending one of Martine's lectures. I thoroughly enjoyed it! What an inspiring woman. Her translation of her years spent alone in the wilderness to the business world was truly thought-provoking. Nature as a wise source of insight. That same nature that is also our source, and from which we have unfortunately become so far removed, yet which is such a necessary connection as a guide for grounded and compassionate action. Highly recommended!

- Linda Dubois - Dubois Coaching

With her infectious enthusiasm and a compelling story tailored to our target audience, Martine took us on a journey into her wonderful world as a wildlife veterinarian. In a striking manner, Martine managed to relate her extraordinary life lessons very concretely to themes such as collaboration and leadership within our own context. A story full of adventure, plot twists, and humor.

- Anne Aantjes – Deloitte

Non-binding intake interview

During a non-binding intake interview, you can express your wishes, after which Martine will create a tailor-made lecture or workshop for you. Previous themes include leadership, collaboration, stepping out of your comfort zone, goal setting, primate behavior, making dreams come true, empowerment, following your heart, eat or be eaten, personal growth, body language, diversity, connecting, conflicts, dealing with stress, high pressure and challenges, self-care, setting boundaries, being yourself, core qualities, burnout prevention, teambuilding, trust, animal ethics, girl power in the animal kingdom, mindfulness, intuition, veterinary medicine and the overlap with human medicine—but all wishes and subjects are possible!

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