For Zoë Van der Weert, her leadership journey began at a young age. She was only eighteen when she started as a supervisor at Breedweer, younger than many of the colleagues in her team. At first, that made the role challenging, but in the end, her age turned out to be one of her greatest strengths.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, Zoë speaks openly about her personal development, the challenges she encountered, and why she believes leadership is one of the most rewarding roles there is.
Zoë Van der Weert Started as a Young Supervisor
When Zoë Van der Weert was given her first leadership role, it took some getting used to. Not only for herself, but also for the people she worked with. “Sometimes colleagues found it quite difficult that such a young woman was suddenly leading the team,” she says with a laugh. “And I can understand that.”
In the beginning, she regularly doubted herself. “There were definitely moments when I thought: maybe I should just quit.” Yet she decided to keep going. The trust she received from her director, combined with the guidance and support she was given, helped her persevere.
Gradually, she started to see her age differently. What had once felt like a weakness eventually became a strength. “Because I was young, I was also very open to learning. And step by step, I earned the trust of my team.”
Leading with Care for People
Seven years later, Zoë is firmly established in her role. Even so, there are still occasions when people need a little time to adjust.
“Every now and then, a colleague or client finds it difficult at first that I’m the main point of contact,” she explains. “But that usually changes after a while. In the end, people are often happy that I’m there.”
When asked what she enjoys most about her work, she does not hesitate.
“Leadership is one of the most rewarding roles there is.”
For Zoë Van der Weert, leadership is all about people. She gains energy from seeing colleagues grow and become more confident in their work.
“The best moments are when someone is given opportunities and develops themselves.”
Of course, leadership also means that not everything is always easy. Sometimes she has to adjust her schedule because someone needs her support. And sometimes difficult conversations are part of the job.
“But that comes with the role,” she says matter-of-factly. “I do it with a lot of love.”
Small Moments Make a Big Difference
Zoë Van der Weert: Working Together to Build a Strong Team
For Zoë, leadership is above all about being there for your team. She sees herself as the point of contact for employees and the link between the team and the client. At the same time, she emphasises that leadership is never something you do alone.
“My motto is: we have to do it together. Without my colleagues, I can’t do my job properly.”
One of the moments she is most proud of took place at one of her first locations. When she started there, the team members barely knew each other, even though they had already been working together for months.
“That didn’t feel right,” she says. “My first goal was simple: we needed to become a real team.”
She introduced weekly coffee breaks and encouraged the team to start each workday together with a short check-in.
“We always started with the same question: how are you doing?”
That small change had a surprisingly big impact. Before long, colleagues were saying how much they appreciated getting to know one another better.
“For some people, that may seem like a small thing,” she says with a smile. “But for me, it was a moment I was truly proud of.”
About Women in Leadership
When the conversation turns to International Women’s Day, Zoë takes a moment to think. She has a practical view of it.
“To be honest, I’m not really into special days like this.”
For her, it is not about being a man or a woman, but about talent and commitment.
“I believe we should appreciate what people achieve every day. That doesn’t have to be linked to a specific day.”
According to Zoë Van der Weert, the principle is simple: everyone deserves the same opportunities.
“If you do what you enjoy and are willing to learn, you can achieve anything.”
She concludes with a smile:
“Let’s spend less time focusing on our differences and more time helping each other become better.”
