‘Don’t look at what I am, but who I am’ – academic Kenny Meesters has no interest in climbing the career ladder

Nederlands

A system can only offer safety if human vulnerability is given a place at the table, argues bestselling author and professor of social work Brené Brown in her paperback Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. And: clarity is kind, ambiguity is unkind. A similar undertone emerges in a conversation with academic Kenny Meesters, which we held in connection with Tilburg University’s video series ‘The Career Path’*. We delve deeper into the question: when do you feel supported by the institution in your academic career?

Meesters is a lecturer and researcher at the Tilburg School of Economics and Management within the Faculty of Information Systems and Operations Management. He regularly applies his expertise in information management to conflict and crisis situations, providing advice to organisations such as the European Union and the United Nations. He is currently pursuing a PhD, which is a prerequisite for his permanent position. Although he enjoys conducting research, he struggles with the compulsory nature of the PhD.

Academic curiosity

Meesters sees little point in climbing the traditional academic ladder. What matters to him is what he does, not how that is reflected in the hierarchy. He explains this with sharp enthusiasm. ‘For me, it’s about who I am, not what. The system urges you to don a gown as quickly as possible, to think in terms of labels rather than expertise. Where does academic curiosity fit into this story? At the start of my career, I received some fantastic advice from my supervisor Bartel van der Walle: to first go out and discover how the world works, to get to know people. That’s how I developed my specialism and network organically. My own interests still guide me.’

Meesters emphasises that he is not opposed to the promotion process or formal frameworks per se, but believes that ‘we need to be more flexible’ when it comes to the conditions for operating within the academic context. He welcomes the fact that Recognition & Rewards (R&R) was set up with precisely that intention, but he has reservations about how it works in practice.

‘My faculty is currently using spreadsheets for R&R in the areas of teaching, research, social impact and leadership. These are linked to different levels, which you can achieve through competencies. The process feels rather like a game. That makes me think, “Ah, we won’t need management for this anymore; AI could take over in the future. Congratulations, Kenny! You’ve earned enough points to move up to the next level!”’

Although he understands that transparency and clarity are valuable assets, in his opinion, E&W loses sight of its core principle – ‘focus on the individual’ – when it operates in this way. ‘The human touch disappears; it becomes all about data and ticking boxes. Surely good management means knowing your people, utilising their talents and helping them to develop? Not that they have already realised their full potential.’

Spreadsheet management

He himself has noticed that this spreadsheet culture leads to difficult discussions. ‘People find it hard to understand that I carry out academic work without a PhD. At the same time, they emphasise how pleased they are with my teaching and my impact on society.’

‘I find myself thinking: why does that make you uncomfortable? It’s your own spreadsheet that’s getting in the way, when you could just as easily be the one facing a choice. From the business world, I know things can be done differently. Companies trust their management to make the decisions that are best at that moment. With us, everything has to be transparent, democratic and strictly by the book straight away. That kills any room for customisation. Sometimes you simply have the right person in the right place at the right time, and you have to go for it.’

The customisation that suits him stems from his experience in the business world and as a consultant, and subsequently took shape within the university through a four-year European research project. He then worked at both Delft University of Technology and in Tilburg, where he discovered his talent for teaching. Meesters says he grew to become a valued colleague within the academy and his expertise was recognised, but due to a lack of a formal academic title, he risked missing out on a permanent position. Ultimately, however, he succeeded in securing one through a scheme as an external PhD candidate.

‘That sort of bureaucracy absolves you of responsibility… Fortunately, I’m a Dutch speaker, and thanks to government policy, the university didn’t really have a choice at the moment. But it does happen to colleagues; with four years’ of experience, they’re being shown the door simply because those are the rules. A lot of talent is disappearing because it doesn’t fit into the spreadsheets.’

During the interview

The fact that his working practice consists of a programme he has put together himself does not stand in the way of Meester’s recognition and rewards. ‘I feel rewarded in practice. By students, close colleagues, support staff, and even when the rector calls me during a crisis that affects the university too. When people know where to find me because of my qualities.’

Indoctrinated

He is confident that there are many more members of academic staff who share his mindset, without making a fuss about it. ‘These are people who don’t need the pyramid. I also believe there is a group who doesn’t need the ladder, but is unaware of this. Because they have simply been indoctrinated with the idea that this is how things must be.’

As an illustration, he cites a professor who was given the floor during a meeting for junior lecturers. The professor emphatically stressed the importance of the PhD programme for one’s career. You simply had to have a PhD; otherwise, there was no future for you. ‘Yet we were all sitting there with people who love teaching! Why should our career be the same as his? He could also give us the opportunity to teach, so that he doesn’t have to use his highly talented researchers for that!’

‘Once again, I am not against PhD programmes, research or academic careers. They are all fundamental aspects of a university. Research and curiosity remain the foundation, but that does not mean everyone has to do a PhD. I would like the personal conversation to form the basis. And at the same time, we need to consider what we need as a university. Then comes the question of how, and whether, the rules and restrictions can adapt accordingly. You shouldn’t have a university full of people like Kenny either, as that would result in too little research. For me, it’s about the human dimension.’

*Tilburg University’s ‘The Career Path’ video series profiles academics, exploring their passion for their field of work and the unconventional steps they have taken to reach the point where they are now thriving.