People over Process.
“Maybe-days,” when employees spontaneously cannot work, are less a benefit than a test of an organization’s culture. They only work where trust and responsibility are truly lived.
No one is too important for small tasks
Leadership rarely reveals itself in big words, but in small moments. The “waiter test” of Nassim Nicholas Taleb or the ritual of the New Zealand All Blacks (“Sweeping the Sheds”) show that true leaders remain humble and are willing to pitch in themselves. In the end, character and attitude matter far more for leadership than titles or status.
“The first half is physical, the second half is mental”
Savas Coban ran an ultramarathon every day for 80 days—physically prepared, yet mentally challenged time and again. The greatest challenge was not the distance, but the loneliness and dealing with his own thoughts. Precisely for that reason, small encounters with people along the way became the most important sources of energy.
How are geniuses made—talent or training?
László Polgár demonstrated through his daughters that excellence is not a coincidence, but the result of environment, deliberate practice, and enjoyment. For leadership, this means: it is not talent that determines success, but the culture we create. People grow where they are challenged—and at the same time find meaning in what they do.
“Strong performance should not be a free pass for poor behavior.”
Performance and team loyalty are not a contradiction—the real problem arises when performance is used to justify poor behavior. Studies show that this is exactly what often happens: high performers are given more leeway, even when they violate values. But when performance is placed above culture, leadership loses its credibility—and trust is lost.
High performance is created through friction!
Michael Schumacher showed early on that true high performance does not arise from harmony, but from constructive friction. By questioning things, setting high standards, and challenging his team, he elevated collaboration to a new level. Progress begins where people have the courage to question the status quo.
Performance instead of feel-good culture is the new company motto.
Performance is crucial—but pressure alone does not create high performance. True performance emerges where people act not out of fear, but out of conviction and intrinsic motivation. Leadership must therefore achieve both: clarity in expectations and an environment where people want to perform, not just have to.
Clutch Performance. Be ready when you have to.
Dennis Schröder shows what leadership is really about: not constantly being in the spotlight, but being present in the decisive moment. Clutch performance means maintaining clarity under pressure and taking responsibility. That’s exactly what makes the difference—in sports as well as in business.
Transfer market 2.0: million-euro transfers now also in business?
A €125 million transfer in football makes headlines, while a €200 million deal in the tech world goes largely unnoticed—and that reveals how the competition for top talent is fundamentally changing.
Love it, Leave it or Change it
“Love it, leave it or change it” reminds us that we always have a choice in how we deal with difficult situations. Either we accept them, we change them—or we leave. What matters is not remaining in a victim mindset, but taking responsibility.
