Game changers: 20 leaders on driving transition in vital infrastructures

Partial plans. Full movement.

The Netherlands’ vital infrastructures are under growing tension. From energy and water to mobility and digital connectivity: systems that long seemed stable are starting to creak under. They must keep running, even as they undergo fundamental change to adapt to new volumes, technologies and contexts.

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This is where traditional change management and strategic planning begin to fall short. They assume clarity, control and predictability — while today’s leaders operate amid uncertainty, conflicting interests and rising societal pressure.

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In this reality, a different kind of leadership is emerging. Game Changers (Dutch: 'Spelbrekers') are the leaders that do not wait for full clarity, but can set sail under pressure. They are the leaders that don't see transition as a slow side project, but as an opportunity and a responsibility to actively drive the system change.

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Game Changers – Vital Infrastructures in Transition brings together the experiences of twenty senior leaders, directors and key players from the utilities and infrastructure sectors. Not to introduce new blueprints, but to expose why progress so often stalls — and what leaders do when they decide to break those patterns.

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Four reflexes that block momentum

Under pressure, rational decision-making becomes harder. Organisational reflexes take over, aiming to soften the tension — but often slowing progress instead. Across our conversations, the same four reflexes surfaced again and again and are highlighted in this publication:

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• -> Deflecting — justifying the lack of movement

• -> Distracting — mistaking activity for direction
• -> Controlling — searching in vain for certainty
• -> Diluting — lowering ambitions altogether

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Game Changers are the leaders who recognise these reflexes and deliberately choose a different move. They do not aim to eliminate tension, but to safeguard momentum.

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“The idea of ‘Let's agree on this now, so we'll end up there later’ is the biggest misconception there is. You are constantly adjusting. Eight months in, you'll suddenly think: ‘Oh… was that what we agreed on back then?’ The moment you set up a roadmap, you lose the real sense of what needs to be done. You have to stay flexible.”
‍— Head of Knowledge & Innovation

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This publication is written for board members, strategy and transformation leaders, and senior programme leaders operating at the intersection of operations and change. And for anyone who recognises that large-scale system transitions rarely fail due to a lack of vision or planning, but because of how organisations deal with uncertainty and complexity in their daily operations.

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Download Game Changers – Vital Infrastructures in Transition
Insights on leadership, transition management and system change — based on conversations with 20 leaders.

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Please note: this publication is currently available in Dutch only.