Emphases

In the work areas of the third sector, particularly in socially-oriented institutions, professional consultation has become essential – both for the personnel development and competency enhancement of management and specialists, and for the improvement of the communicative and cooperative skills of employees in team processes. As a specific form of consultancy, »coaching« – whether for individuals or groups – has become established in the areas of organizational design, senior management, project work, and personnel- and team development.

Coaching is a personalized, task- and goal-oriented, structured consultation process which can produce problem clarification – particularly in decision- and conflict situations and in changes to organizational structures – and can be utilized to identify constructive solutions, train for efficient working methods, and develop creative strategies.

The procedure in a coaching discussion follows the structural and process theory from existential analysis, and the »meaning-finding method«, which describes the means of clarification and reaching of a decision leading to the realization of a project, and focuses on the individual steps involved: perception, evaluation, decision and realization.

This involves encounter dialogues in which the subject’s personal capacities are activated in order to produce an understanding of her or his emotional values, accompanied by authentic responsive reaction and a self-responsible, decisive course of action.

The training of teams, above all at the leadership- and organizational level, occupies a prominent place in my professional practice. In contrast to coaching, here the general challenges of team cooperation take center stage in the – most often one- or two-day – training programs. These are often planned due to a process of change in the organization, such as restructuring or new groupings. Team-Trainings are ideal for motivating the group, creating a cooperative team spirit, and learning together as a preventive measure how to deal in a constructive manner with conflicts.

In some academies with a professional-political orientation and modularly-designed advanced training / continuing education programs, I have been part of the established training staff for many years (Social Democratic Leadership Academy, Municipal Academy (»Kommunal-Akademie«), Youth Political Academy, Academy for Management and Policy and others) and work primarily in the areas listed as follows.

On these subjects I offer regularly, within the framework of, for example, internal company advanced training, one-day or multiple-day seminars / trainings / workshops. The training and continuing education programs take place as internal courses on location in the organizational facilities or, sometimes, in external seminar rooms. In my coaching centers in Osnabrück and Berlin, such training units are also possible for smaller groups of up to eight persons.

»Humans are creatures in search of meaning.« (Viktor E. Frankl)

Anyone who holds a position of responsibility and possesses a high degree of professional commitment quickly reaches personal limits. Above all: conflicts, time pressure, and questions regarding goals and objectives can sap motivation and can easily make one’s own commitment appear meaningless. This can present enormous dangers which can result in not only frustration, but even in disorders or illness. Humans have a basic need for meaningfulness, which must be satisfied before a stable inner balance can exist. This involves not only mere self-realization – teams and groups, as well, need an understanding of what is meaningful for them and for their professional and personal commitment.

But in the professional sense as well: meaningful living and activity is most definitely not identical to »experiencing happiness« or »being successful«. Above all it must come to terms with its obstacles and limitations. Meaningfully-lived activity must also include coming to terms with the Want, Can, May and Should in life. This enables us to grow in the personal sphere and to increase our knowledge and competencies. Those who constantly push against the limits, however, of that which is actually possible, experience great frustration.

Under the heading »Value- and Meaning-Oriented Management« we address personal values and one’s own motivation, and research into what gives our activities and actions meaning. We reflect upon those aspects which hold us back and endanger our political commitment. We go on to ask ourselves what significance the meaning- and values issues have for our work and for other people in our organizations, and what opportunities they offer us.

The task of leadership is often subject to tensions between given conditions and necessities, and (voluntary) cooperation. Some of the questions which everyone exercising responsibility must deal with: What tasks does effective leadership really involve? In light of the special leadership situation in, above all, value-oriented organizations, what must be taken into account? What can and must management do in order for the common goals of – for example – a team to be met?

It is also important to come to terms with the various aspects of good actions and responsibility: a person can act, react and   ⁄ or come to a decision. A responsible-minded person acts, she or he does not simply react. And when does a person in a position of leadership truly act responsibly? Responsibility always implies the assumption of responsibility for the foreseeable consequences of a given action, as well. The creation of transparency in the decision process and in the associated exercise of authority is also part of responsible action. And one who acts responsibly will never hide behind the normative power of the de facto situation. Thus responsibility is directly related to leadership: only those who assume responsibility can truly take action.

Teamwork in its various dimensions plays, by far, the largest role when it comes to working together within one’s own organization. Sustainable success depends to a large extent upon its proper function. Group- and project teams must be able to deal with the special challenges which first emerge in team cooperation, and were perhaps not apparent in individual work. Communication without misunderstandings, the ability to deal properly with conflicts, a high degree of »self-organization«, the improvement of group performance, and a better general sense of common values are possible goals of a successful cooperative relationship.

Toward that end, it is important to develop teams systematically and »built to last«, to reach a well-grounded understanding of the psychological and group-dynamic aspects of cooperation, and to understand what roles in the team should be filled in a manner such that good, high-quality relationships in the team will result.

Empowerment is the support and the encouragement of perceived and consciously-sought autonomy, which leads to self-determined action.

Self-empowerment, personal taking of responsibility, strengthening of individual power, autonomy, and self-disposal are key terms which are associated with the principle of empowerment and are thus goals of my work. These goals can be reached when individuals come to understand the conditions for a value-sensitive, self-conceived and decent way of life, become conscious of their own capacities, and – whether individually or together in a group – implement these elements proactively in order to live one’s life autonomously. Recognizing one’s own basic motivations and driving forces, acknowledging them and, once motivated by them, being prepared to accept and embrace one’s life circumstances, are all conditions for the individual’s successful attainment of these objectives.

The empowerment approach and the methods I utilize in my work are based on existential-analytical-logotherapeutic anthropology. In this process I draw on my experiences with empowerment processes both at home and in other countries.

In the context of my work, »excellence« refers to the nurturing and enhancement of abilities which are necessary for a successful (professional) life, or for productive cooperation in a variety of professional, political and social spheres. Beyond any purely economically-oriented »efficiency practice«, my orientation is based on models which enable a holistic view of people and organizations. In Europe the term »excellence« is strongly associated with the concept of »outstanding quality«. In African countries (Kenya, Libya, Zimbabwe) I encountered Excellence processes and methods based on an approach involving the attempt to achieve a »good« or »better« (common) existence – which includes economic qualities (which one should strive to attain) as part of the overall quality of life. In Germany this idea has its traditional place in the concept of »Good Work«, scientifically substantiated and espoused by the Federation of German Trade Unions. In my work the term »Excellence« as described here is closely tied to the above elucidated term »Empowerment« and its accompanying framework in existential-analytical-logotherapeutic anthropology.

The term »Good Work« also refers to the development of a planned and systematic structure and culture in one’s own organization. Generally, it has to do with organizational performance capacity and the manifestation of core values and strategic goals.

Additionally, over the long term the quality of the life dimensions Work and Commitment come into focus – both for the team as a whole and for the individual team members. The organization’s development should take place with the greatest possible participation of the units and persons involved, and these persons should »evolve« on the basis of their personal resources and abilities.

In this process, a holistic approach takes into account the full spectrum of interactions between the participating »actors« and the individual environmental, organizational, cultural and power factors which are in play.

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We live in an age of enormous personal and professional opportunity, which also applies to a great many forms of sociopolitical commitment. These opportunities and choices require, however, the acceptance of responsibility for one’s own development and personal »ripening«. One particular area of self-management focuses on the sensible planning and preparation of assignments, meetings and projects. This also includes the setting of priorities and the fine-tuning of one’s perception of the essential. Yet another dimension of Self-Management encompasses one’s perception of personal responsibility for perspectives regarding, and design of, one’s own life plan and implementation concept.

This supervision begins with a process of general reflection upon the subject’s vocational (sometimes involving volunteer work as well) activity. This can involve recognizing and properly implementing one’s own resources and strengths, whether as an individual or as a group. Increasingly, however, it is the challenges associated with difficult working situations which assume a dominant position in the supervision. Regular supervision can also contribute to a minimization of the risks of phenomena such as Burn-Out or Bored-Out Symptoms.

Supervision has become an accepted ancillary process to professional action. It takes the form of a regularly occurring or situative »collegial consultation« within the framework of a Training and Continuing Education program on:

• Managing and overcoming difficult work situations
• Reflection on one’s own actions and behavior
• Prevention of Burn-Out or Bored-Out Symptoms
• Optimization of professional action
• Self-examination regarding one’s own abilities and limitations
• Self-awareness and external perception
• Solution of conflict situations
• Development of possible new courses of action
• Quality management
• Team development
• Nurturing of communicative competencies and authentic methods of dealing with people and issues

Starting points in the supervision discussions are most often challenging situations in professional daily activity, which emerge in cooperative work with colleagues, co-workers, customers and clients.

In the supervision process these issues, challenges and conflicts – which arise in work processes and professional daily life – can be understood from both the outer, superficial perspective and as regards their inner driving forces; based on this understanding, solutions can be developed and ways can be found of managing them more effectively and constructively.

For institutions with a social orientation I offer continuously accompanying or situative case supervisions which (tailored to the specific client) reflect on professional action, and which scientifically examine and justify specific ways of interacting with clients. Cooperative abilities and communicative competencies, which contribute to team development and more effective cooperation, are simultaneously imparted in training.

As a coach und supervisor, I teach and train especially in the context of team supervisions in politics and in the third sector (organizations and associations). In this work I draw on a rich backlog of experience in the spheres of politics, party organization and association development.

One particular emphasis of my work lies in the conveyance of, and guidance in, specific methods and capabilities which are necessary for a successful intervision (»collegial consultation«) within a team or a working group. Notable success has been achieved with collegial »rounds«, in which persons from a single organization, but from different locations take part.

The essence of existential counseling is existential analysis. This involves the application of phenomenological-personal psychotherapy, with the goal of helping the subject to a spiritually and emotionally free experience, to the making of authentic statements, and to a self-responsible approach to her or his life and world. Methods which may be utilized are, among others, biographical and personal existential analysis, dereflection, phenomenological dialogue exercises, and fundamental motivational work.

Logotherapy as taught by Viktor E. Frankl offers persons in crisis situations help in the finding, and realization of, meaning. Methods which may be utilized are, among others, meaning recognition methods, attitude change, paradoxical intention, relationship coaching, imagination, will-strengthening methods, perspective shifting, and emotional orientation.

In the process of psychological counseling I am available primarily as a therapist and coach for the previously-named life circumstances and ‑situations. According to the individual case I employ the methods existential analysis and / or logotherapy, but also other recognized methods from psychological counseling and coaching.

My work is centered upon an authentic and personal dialogue with the client(s). Existential-analytical counseling and consultation, accompanying logotherapy and coaching are, for me, always oriented to the person.

Within the framework of consultative accompaniment in a professional context it is also possible for me to issue certain »reports« which relate my evaluation of persons, personalities, and behavior. As a rule these are statements which can be used in cases of (for example) planned professional changes, or in application- and selection procedures (scholarships).

Standard elements in many trainings and workshops are widely-recognized (personality-) tests and potential analyses, which serve to reach better self-recognition and can thus help develop one’s own personal identity.

Based on standards in the research instrument »Good Work« of the Federation of German Trade Unions DGB I offer, in cooperation with trade unions and employee- and staff councils, my support on the subject of workplace analysis.