Executive Coaching / Training / Self-Improvement
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Supervision / Intervision and Counseling
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.