I am Matthew Rich-Tolsma, a South African and Dutch organizational consultant, coach, mediator, and scholar-practitioner with extensive experience across multiple continents and sectors. With a profound commitment to nonviolent communication and transformative leadership, I have dedicated my life to enhancing organizational dynamics and fostering empathy within diverse cultural contexts.

Educational Journey

My educational background is as diverse as my professional experience. I hold a Master of Philosophy in Management & Organizational Sciences from the University of Hertfordshire and have trained extensively in group analysis and infant-parent psychoanalysis in the UK. My academic pursuits focus on critical pedagogy, conflict resolution, and transformative learning, seamlessly aligning with my professional goals.

Professional Pathway

Foundations in Education and Development

My career began in the realms of democratic education and development across South Africa, China, and India. Starting as a Montessori teacher and engaging in critical education initiatives, I laid the groundwork for my future endeavours in organizational consultancy. These early experiences were instrumental in shaping my approach to education and organizational development, blending theoretical knowledge with practical application.

Advancing Nonviolent Communication

Since being certified as a Trainer in Nonviolent Communication in 2012, I have been pivotal in promoting empathic dialogue and decolonizing nonviolent communication practices, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. My role as Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Centre for Nonviolent Communication allows me to mentor certification candidates and lead transformative conversations. Through serving as an International Intensive Training (IIT) faculty member, I strive to advance nonviolent communication globally.

Executive Coaching and Leadership

As an executive coach, I guide top executives through complex organizational changes and personal growth challenges. My trauma-informed, critical, and highly embodied understanding of leadership dynamics is highlighted by my affiliation as a Fellow of the Institute of Coaching. Over the last decade and a half, I have worked with global leadership teams across various industries and geographies, fostering culture change and collaboration.

Consulting in Innovation and Entrepreneurship

My consulting work is rooted in deep curiosity, compassion, and my ongoing striving to keep the complex complex. I am proficient in design thinking, culture change, and project-management, and coordinate courses on design thinking and business modelling at Tilburg University. My consultancy aims to help organizations implement innovative solutions and manage transitions effectively, ensuring sustainable growth and development. While negotiating shifting dynamics of power, privilege, and position, in a trauma sensitive way. This integration of innovation within organizational structures reflects my commitment to fostering adaptive and forward-thinking environments. I also integrate insights from constructive developmental theory into this work drawing on my extensive training in developmental theory and the Leadership Circle.

Academic Contributions and Innovations

In my role as a part-time lecturer and examiner at Tilburg University's Department of Strategy & Entrepreneurship, I oversee research in entrepreneurship and organizational behaviour while coordinating core courses in the Entrepreneurship & Business Innovation specialisation. My academic contributions extend to leading staff reflective practice at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and ArtEZ University of the Arts. I also consult for various higher education institutions, such as the TU Delft. As a trustee and director at the Institute of Group Analysis in the UK, I chair the Steering Committee on Decolonising the Curriculum, driving forward the agenda of inclusive and reflective educational practices.

My recent scholarship delves into the intersections of race, identity, privilege, and entitlement, offering critical insights into how these dynamics play out in educational and organizational settings. I also discuss the importance of integrative approaches in higher education, combining complex thought, critical realism, and integral theory to address contemporary challenges. Furthermore, my research on adaptive leadership examines how these principles can be applied in various cultural contexts to foster effective leadership and organizational resilience.

Creative and Theatrical Integration

As the co-founder of PlayScapes, I integrate critical and improvisational theatre with Nonviolent Communication and group analysis to resolve conflicts in organizational and community settings. My work with the Theatre of the Oppressed and Joanna Macy’s Work that Reconnects, both of which I have engaged with for more than 15 years, further showcases my innovative approach to education and consultancy. This creative and theatrical integration highlights my belief in the transformative power of improvisation and creativity in fostering mutual recognition and understanding, and resolving conflicts.

Emotion and Embodiment

My deep interest in rationality, emotion, and embodiment is a cornerstone of my practice. I expertly integrate mindfulness techniques into my coaching, facilitation, and mediation, enhancing emotional awareness and resilience among clients and teams. I have extensive experience in practising and teaching Shinzen Young’s Unified Mindfulness system. While my expertise in micro-expressions and the Facial Action Coding System supports me in detecting deception, resolving conflicts, and fostering deep, empathetic connections.

Power, Privilege, and Position 

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) are integral to my work. My skills in working intersectionally and addressing racial trauma in groups are underscored by my Fellowship with the Institute of Educational and Social Equity, and my work in decolonising the academy in a range of settings. This commitment enhances my ability to lead and advise on initiatives that promote inclusivity and understanding across diverse environments, ensuring that equity and a thoughtful engagement with difference remain at the heart of my professional endeavours.

Philosophy and Future Aspirations

Driven by a passion for exploring themes of conflict, anxiety, difference, and social complexity within organizations, my work is deeply informed by my interests in intersectionality, decoloniality, and global security, particularly in African contexts. My understanding of organisational leadership is social through-and-through, drawing on influences from the complexity sciences, process sociology, psychoanalysis, pragmatism, and Afrikan Knowledge Systems. Looking forward, I aim to expand my impact by continuing to integrate my diverse skills and experiences to foster environments where empathy and understanding thrive across cultural and organizational boundaries.

My career is a testament to my dedication to improving the way individuals and organizations interact and function globally. My multifaceted approach to consultancy, education, and mediation continues to influence and inspire, making a significant impact on a global scale. My narrative is not just one of professional success but also of profound personal commitment to fostering a more empathetic and understanding world.