Our Methodology | Management Drives & Leadership Habits | ArrowHead

Methodology

The
ArrowHead
Method

Two proven tools. Use one or combine both. Management Drives reveals what drives you. The 23 Habits Framework builds the behaviours that make you more effective. Your team. Your choice.

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Managers and direct reports interviewed across 9 countries in Sofie Maervoet's peer-reviewed research

Leadership habits identified, validated, and translated into coachable behaviours

15+

Years of experiential leadership training in extreme environments

Why We Built This

The 90%
Problem

In less than 3 weeks after a training, 90% of people return to exactly how they worked before. The tickbox gets checked — nothing changes.

— Fred Van de Walle, Founder

Traditional leadership programmes load you with solutions before identifying the problem. They ignore what actually drives each individual — and they deliver content in environments where nothing is at stake. Information fades. Habits formed under pressure do not.

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.

— Confucius

ArrowHead adds one more line: it works even better out of the comfort zone.

Two Tools. Your Choice.

Choose What
Fits Your
Team.

ArrowHead offers two proven leadership development tools — independently or combined. Each addresses a different question. Together they give you the full picture.

Know Yourself

Management Drives — Profile Analysis

Management Drives maps your individual motivators, rejections, blind spots, and how your behaviour changes under stress. It is not a personality test — it reveals what energises you, what drains you, and what happens when you are pushed beyond your limits.

Use it as a standalone programme: profile assessment, individual debrief, and personal action plan. Or combine it with outdoor experiential learning and the 23 Habits Framework.

Every ArrowHead outdoor programme includes Management Drives profiling as standard. It can also be delivered as a standalone online session in 2.5 hours.

Fred Van de Walle — Certified Management Drives Trainer (2019)
Certified Leadership Coach & Management Assessor

Act Deliberately

The 23 Habits Framework — Research-Backed Behaviour

The 23 Habits Framework identifies the specific, coachable behaviours shared by high-performing managers — regardless of geography, culture, or level. Developed through peer-reviewed research across 77 interviews in 9 countries.

Use it as a standalone coaching programme: habit assessment, individual debrief with Sofie, and a prioritised development plan. Or combine it with Management Drives profiling for the complete picture.

It answers a different question than Management Drives: not who you are, but what you do — and which specific daily behaviours will make the biggest difference to your team's performance.

Sofie Maervoet — M.A. Human Resource Management,
IU University of Applied Sciences (2025)
Thesis: 77 interviews, 33 managers, 44 direct reports, 9 countries

Pillar One

Management
Drives

Individual Profiles

Understand what motivates you and others. Identify your personal drivers, rejections, blind spots, and behaviour under stress. The foundation of everything that follows.

Feedback

Understand how your behaviour impacts others — and how to adapt it where necessary. Receive and deliver feedback with precision and without defensiveness.

Team

Map your team's collective profile. Identify diversity of drives, potential sources of tension, complementary strengths, and what the team is collectively missing.

Organisation

Understand what motivates every layer of your organisation — not just the leadership team. Align incentives, culture, and communication with what actually drives your people.

What You Walk Away With

A clear understanding of what motivates you and your team

Your personal strengths and weaknesses — named, not guessed

Insight into how to develop efficient, high-performing teams

Understanding of your behaviour under pressure — before it becomes a problem

A 360-degree view of how others experience your leadership

Access to Management Drives books, apps, and tools after the programme

Pillar Two

The 23 Habits
Framework

Research conducted across Randstad N.V.'s global sales operations identified a consistent pattern: high-performing managers share 23 specific, observable, coachable habits — regardless of country, culture, or management level.

These habits are organised into six clusters. Each is translated into concrete daily behaviours. Each can be coached, practised, and anchored — especially under the pressure of an ArrowHead expedition.

Interviews conducted

Countries covered

Coachable habits identified

Habit clusters

Cluster 01

High-Impact Operating Habits

Set clear goals and non-negotiable expectations
Drive rhythm through consistent routines and follow-through
Communicate with clarity — the why, not just the what
Clear the path so people can focus on what matters

Cluster 02

Habits for a Thriving Sales Culture

Foster collective success and shared accountability
Build play, resourcefulness, and persistence into the culture
Connect every team member to purpose and individual motivation
Protect wellbeing and flexibility within a clear framework

Cluster 03

Habits to Foster a Growth Mindset

Cultivate belief that abilities grow through effort and feedback
Delegate real responsibility — not just tasks
Give timely, specific, constructive feedback
Lead by example in learning, accountability, and development

Cluster 04

Courageous Management Habits

Own discomfort — admit mistakes, say "I don't know"
Receive feedback openly and with curiosity
Step into tough conversations directly and constructively
Make hard decisions without delay

Cluster 05

Trust-Centered Leadership Habits

Build integrity through consistent, transparent action
Create psychological safety — normalize honesty and vulnerability
Demonstrate competence and presence in the field
Ensure every team member feels seen, valued, and included

Cluster 06

Conscious & Authentic Management

Practise regular self-reflection and acknowledge growth areas
Lead from personal values — not external approval
Master emotional regulation under pressure
Hold space for others without personalising or reacting

Sofie Maervoet — Co-Trainer, ArrowHead

M.A. Human Resource Management · IU University of Applied Sciences · Graduated 2025

"The sales performance sustainability challenge: How leadership and purpose can drive lasting impact" — research conducted across Randstad N.V., 9 countries, 77 interviews.

In Practice

How a Programme
Actually Works

Profile Assessment

Every participant completes a 30-minute Management Drives questionnaire before the programme. Fred analyses each profile individually.

Individual Debrief

Fred presents each participant's profile — motivators, blind spots, behaviour under stress. The 23 Habits Framework shows what to work on and why.

Experiential Learning

The real work happens in the field — Arctic Lapland, the Swiss Alps, Turkey. Pressure reveals exactly what the profile predicted. Nothing is theoretical anymore.

Anchored & Applied

Observations from the field feed a personal action plan. Access to Management Drives tools ensures habits are reinforced back in the office.

Frequently Asked Questions

What People
Ask Us

What is Management Drives?

Management Drives is a leadership profiling methodology that maps individual motivators, rejections, blind spots, and behaviour under stress. It is used by organisations across Europe to develop leaders and build high-performing teams. Fred Van de Walle is a certified Management Drives trainer.

What is experiential learning and why does it work?

Experiential learning means learning by doing — in real, challenging conditions. Research consistently shows that information absorbed in high-stakes environments is retained far longer than classroom content. When your leadership profile is tested at −15°C in Arctic Lapland, the insight becomes permanent.

What is a 360-degree leadership profile?

A 360-degree profile collects feedback from your direct reports, peers, and manager — as well as your own self-assessment. Combined with the Management Drives analysis, it gives a complete picture of how your leadership is experienced by those around you.

How is ArrowHead different from other leadership trainers?

ArrowHead is the only training provider combining a certified Management Drives profiling system with peer-reviewed behavioural research (Sofie Maervoet's 23 Habits Framework, validated across 9 countries). This creates a complete methodology — not a single tool applied generically.

Does the training work online?

Yes. The profile analysis and individual debrief can be delivered online in 2.5 hours. This is the entry point for individuals and teams who want to understand the methodology before committing to an expedition programme.

What languages does ArrowHead train in?

ArrowHead delivers training in English, French, and Dutch. This makes us particularly effective for multilingual teams across Switzerland, Belgium, France, and the Netherlands.

Who is this training for?

ArrowHead works with corporate management teams, entrepreneurs, high-performance groups, and individuals who want to understand their leadership style and build the habits to lead more effectively. No outdoor experience is required.

What happens after the programme ends?

Every participant leaves with a personal action plan built around their Management Drives profile and the specific habits identified for development. Access to Management Drives books, apps, and tools continues after the programme.

Next Step

Choose Your
Starting Point.

Every ArrowHead programme begins with a Management Drives profile assessment. The online session takes 2.5 hours and gives you everything you need to understand your leadership profile — and decide what comes next.