Wanted! Court Jester

It’s dangerous to surround yourself with yes-men. Who will point out your mistakes? Who will tell you the unvarnished truth? Who will hold up a mirror to you? You need critical people around you to enable true reflection. What you need is a court jester.

For centuries, the court jester helped the king reflect. But who was the court jester, really? And what can we learn from him in today’s workplace? This book shows how others can enhance your ability to reflect — and how you can do the same for those around you. You’ll get practical tools to bring reflection into your daily work.

Juri Hoedemakers (1987) is a professional court jester, PhD candidate, and international keynote speaker on reflection, social safety, and organizational culture. He helps major organizations – like Dutch Customs – bridge the gap between mission and reality. As founder of Het NarrenGilde (Jesters Guild), officially inaugurated by Princess Margarita de Bourbon de Parme, he trains professional jesters. His award-winning thesis led to three books, including this one, nominated for Business Book of the Year 2022. He blogs for a leading Dutch media platform and lectures globally. Currently, he researches the jester’s comeback in modern organisations. His mission: to reintroduce fearless truth-telling where it’s needed most.