Get in touch
Thanks for reaching out to us. Please fill in the form and we will get back to you with your request.
Download Compass
Co-Intelligence is the Future
You’re about to join the waiting list for The 8 Crafts Braintrust - a space for those who shape the future by testing ideas, exchanging insights, and learning in practice.
What to expect:
- Braintrust Circles: Monthly peer-led sessions to exchange insights, test ideas, and share real-world applications.
- Field Guide Tools & Practices: Proven frameworks, templates, and methodologies from the 8 Crafts for practical implementation.
- Themed Chats & Meetups: Ongoing discussions and live gatherings around emerging practices and shared challenges.
🚀 Spots are limited, secure yours now.
Regenerative Thinking
Regenerative thinking is about creating the conditions for thriving systems, finding a balance between seeking positive outcomes and avoiding unintended consequences.
Design Thinking
Design thinking is about harnessing creativity in order to foster collaboration and solve problems. It is about constant iteration and taking a human-centered approach.
Systems Thinking
Systems thinking is about seeing the connections between all parts of a system and recognizing that what we see as problems are the emergent outcomes of a deeper dynamic.
Futures Thinking
Futures thinking is about understanding that the future is not fixed, but instead that it can be shaped by the decisions that we make today and that we have agency in the emerging future.
West
The West represents autumn, the season of harvest and abundance. In this phase, we gather together to share the fruits of our labor and celebrate what we’ve accomplished.
South
The South represents summer, a time of busyness, focus, and hard work. In this phase, we harness our sense of focus in order to fully develop the projects we’re working on.
East
The East represents spring, the season of fresh possibilities and excited beginnings. In this phase, we turn inspiration and ideas into plans, in order to activate and motivate ourselves and others.
North
The North represents winter, a time of dormancy, rest, and transition. In this phase, we reflect upon and integrate our learnings in order to prepare for what comes next.
Why lead change
The world is changing faster and more radically than we ever thought possible. But our change strategies haven't kept up.
Traditional methods treat change like a neat, linear process. But in reality, change is messy. The real work happens in the chaos: in daily decisions, shifting habits, and how teams actually work together.
We work with leaders who understand that change is no longer optional. By embracing change and continuing to develop the skills to adapt and thrive in any context, you can effectively lead the change—instead of letting it lead you.
How we're different
We are not traditional consultants. We build capacity.
In complex times, teams don’t need answers; they need direction. A clear sense of where they stand, what’s shifting, and how to move forward.
With our 8 Crafts Method, we help teams adopt new ways of working, develop new habits, make better decisions, and build shared momentum. In this way, change becomes a capability, not a project.
Colofon
The strategic and creative development of WITHIN and The 8 Crafts Field Guide to Responsible Innovation was initiated by co-founders Franklin de Bekker and Patrick Leenheers. We were supported by a group of inspiring thought leaders and creatives.
- Art direction & identity: Bas Koopmans (Wellness)
- UX: Maarten van Sprang and Franklin de Bekker
- Digital design & no-code development: Rick Bossenbroek (Uncode)
- Illustrations: Lennart Kok
- Photography: Elmer Driessen
- Editorial copy: Christina Williams (Liminal-stories)
- Editorial images: Marcel C. de Vries (Studio Superaarde)
- General support: members of The Collective
- Overall concept & strategy: Franklin de Bekker and Patrick Leenheers (WITHIN)
The 8 Crafts’ Origin Story
Qui ad cillum occaecat deserunt do do ad reprehenderit nisi eu aute do dolore. Quis eu sit sunt consectetur dolor voluptate. Est quis culpa sint occaecat nulla anim cupidatat. Adipisicing eu cupidatat tempor cillum nulla. Magna nostrud et non labore aliquip irure anim deserunt. Elit velit elit anim. Exercitation veniam laborum est dolore dolore veniam labore.
Lead change with
clarity and confidence
Discover which of the 8 Crafts you master and the next steps you can take to grow your impact.
The 8 Crafts Method is for leaders who recognize “this has to change” and are ready to move themselves, their teams, and their initiatives forward.
Assess the stage of your initiative and your ability to lead it. Determine your next step and develop the skills to execute it well.
Select the right tools for your context and move your project forward. Adopt the practices to strengthen your leadership.
Deliver results even when things shift quickly. Strengthen your ability to build teams that can sustain momentum.
The 8 Crafts will be your compass
Set direction to navigate in uncertainty. Use this as a compass to see where you stand and what’s ahead. Act with clarity and confidence, even when the path forward isn’t obvious.
The 8 Crafts will be your toolkit
Access a curated collection of tools and practices tested in the real world. Grow your leadership while doing the work, building capability in context.
The 8 Crafts will be your shared language
Use the 8 Crafts to develop a shared vocabulary for change. Clarify intent, align across silos, and establish a rhythm to move forward together.
"WITHIN facilitated a program in which we co-created our story and our strategy, whilst also building team cohesion and individual leadership. We ended up with a winning plan, backed by a team that is willing and able to execute."
“WITHIN boosted our competency to drive change at KLM. Their approach breaks from traditional consultancy by making learning experiential, palpable almost. The 8 Crafts will help us become the frontrunner airline we aspire to be. ”
Assess your initiative & how you lead it
Take our three-minute questionnaire to assess the stage of your project and find out which crafts you’re already using. Discover what you could do next to move forward or level up your leadership.
The 8 crafts
Choose the pain point you recognize. Explore the Craft to find your next step forward.
Shift narratives through storytelling. Reframe perspectives to unlock new possibilities.
Scan the horizon. Spot signals and shifts to translate uncertainty into strategic direction.
Notice dynamics, relationships, and patterns. Create conditions for adaptive change.
Challenge short-term thinking. Ensure that decisions serve future generations.
Step into action. Embrace the messy, iterative process of testing, learning, and refining.
Create trust between groups. Align on vision, settle conflicts, and support co-creation.
Support organic growth. Scale ideas in ways that are natural, adaptive, and sustainable.
Carefully guide endings. Create space for renewal, learning, and new growth.
The 8 Crafts help changemakers lead with more creativity, clarity, and courage. Built on science, proven in practice. Explore the thinking behind the method.
Who you are defines
how you lead
Assess the state of your initiative and the leadership behaviors you bring into it. Take concrete steps to ensure change takes root.
"For four years they facilitated the yearly CEO summit of the World Port Climate Action Program. We saw a noticeable increase in leaders' personal power, and in the ambition and impact of the initiatives in the program.”
"The 8 Crafts method offers inspiration, perspectives, and tools to drive innovation and change in diverse ways. It helps professionals discover their most natural, effective approach to solving challenges with impact and creativity."
Answers for your questions
The 8 Crafts Method is an online resource full of insights and inspiration for change leaders. It brings together stories, tools, and leadership practices, inspired from the arts, nature, design, business and humanities. Each Craft offers a unique perspective on transformation—broad in scope yet practical in application. Start by taking the assessment to get personalized suggestions on how you might grow your impact.
The 8 Crafts were developed by Franklin de Bekker and Patrick Leenheers, co-founders of WITHIN. They began by drawing from their own experience, then consulted 100+ experts and built this framework to capture the most effective approaches to leadership and change. What started as a personal exploration became a practical guide for others.
If you’re leading a team through uncertainty—whether in business, government, or the social sector—the 8 Crafts help you navigate complexity and strengthen your leadership. Unlike rigid frameworks, they blend logic with emotional and intuitive intelligence, making you a more adaptable and confident leader.
The 8 Crafts are designed for complex, interconnected challenges with no easy answers. Leaders use them in diverse settings—from sustainability strategies at an airline to cultural transformation in the arts sector.
The method is not a rigid or step-by-step process. We believe leadership is contextual and depends on the project and the people who lead it. So we curated a set of tested tools for navigating real-world complexity. And we help you find the right tool for the right context. You're invited to browse through the Crafts to see what resonates, and we also created a three-minute assessment to help you figure out where to start.
The 8 Crafts are not personality types or archetypes. Labeling yourself might actually limit your growth. Instead, think of these as capabilities for driving change. See them as leadership qualities you can develop and apply in different contexts, or roles you can experiment with in your work.
Yes, the method was designed for real-world application. You can use its tools in strategy sessions, team development, and innovation processes. The Crafts are open-source, meaning you can adapt and integrate them into your work freely.
Getting started is easy. Browse the toolkit and see what resonates. Or complete the assessment (29 'yes/no' questions which you can answer in three minutes) to get a personalized roadmap for using the 8 Crafts in your work. You’ll identify your strengths, uncover gaps, and discover the most relevant tools to move your project forward and level up your leadership.