Meet Master Harm

We would like to introduce you to our Master Harm! Who exactly is Harm te Plate? What inspires him, and what is he proud of? Here you will find the answers to those questions.

Harm, Partner at Masters In Lean, was born and raised in the Achterhoek region of the Netherlands (Lichtenvoorde). He is married and the father of two daughters. After starting his career at SHV Energie, he founded Masters In Lean together with Sjoerd and Jurgen. Harm is a true connector who knows how to motivate people to get the best out of themselves. When he left SHV, his former director told him that Harm always managed to get people moving when they felt stuck and inspired them to take on new challenges. Harm is fascinated by people, the person behind the face, and especially by different cultures. Not only cultures from abroad, but also the many cultures within the Netherlands itself. As Harm says: “You can drive one hour across the Netherlands and encounter ten different dialects.”

In his free time, Harm is always active. From motorcycles to music, and from sports (walking, spinning, and fitness) to organizing festivals. He loves taking his enduro bike for a ride, but he also owns a classic motorcycle “that is simply beautiful to look at.” Music is another passion of his, and he enjoys attending different festivals. This passion led Harm to become involved in organizing the KEI Festival in the past. He initially helped build and dismantle the festival, but later joined the board. When a board member left, everyone naturally thought of Harm because of his love for music. In addition, Harm had already proven his organizational strengths at both SHV Energie and Masters In Lean. Eventually, he became responsible for organizing the festival himself, bringing a little bit of Lean thinking into the festival as well 😉. Today, Harm is no longer involved in the organization, but Masters In Lean remains a proud sponsor. That explains the sign in our office....

Lean also plays an important role in Harm’s daily life. According to him, Lean is a philosophy, it is a way of working and thinking that helps people achieve goals that are not easy to accomplish. Think of reducing CO2 emissions, eliminating wasted time and money, and breaking through fixed patterns. These forms of waste become clearly visible within value streams. The art is to become so well-trained that these value streams are immediately recognizable. In daily life, Harm has become highly skilled at spotting value streams everywhere, which enables him to quickly identify and eliminate waste. To remove waste effectively, it is also necessary to understand the reasons and motivations behind it. People need to be willing to change, and for that, you must understand cultures. This is where Harm combines his passion for different cultures with change management and ultimately with Lean.

It has now been 11 years since Harm and his partners founded Masters In Lean. During that time, they have achieved a great deal together and are proud of the many collaborations, clients, and the trust they have received. As Harm says: “Results are your best friend.”

Would you like to learn how Harm can help your organization? Please contact Masters In Lean for more information.