Leadership that works – modern, practical, sustainable

Photo: Leadership trainers from flow consulting in dialogue

Effective leadership in times of change

Management training that creates orientation, stability and motivation in challenging corporate situations

Many companies are currently experiencing a lack of effective leadership in their organisation – and are clearly feeling the consequences: top performers are leaving the company, teams are working inefficiently side by side and important projects are coming to a standstill. Particularly in phases of transformation or under the pressure of multiple crises, it becomes clear that: good leaders are not only needed, but are critical to success. However, managers are often not sufficiently prepared for the tasks and challenges of the digitalised working world.

There are many examples of this: A new manager takes over a team, encounters resistance and tackles it head-on. An area entrusted with routines is given the task of working in an agile manner – but cannot cope with it. Employees are overwhelmed because they are given contradictory goals – and are then unsure how they should actually act. This can have consequences: The mood changes, conflicts escalate and the efficiency of the organisation decreases. Managers are then often preoccupied with ‘repairs’ instead of taking effective and preventative action.

The solution: A management seminar or training programme that focuses on exactly where it really counts – on people, their attitude and their specific everyday tasks and challenges. We help managers to fulfil their role in a new, accepted and effective way. With modern personnel and organisational development measures that initiate change, strengthen trust, create clarity – and enable managers to shape change instead of just managing it or standing powerless in the face of it. The training provided by flow consulting GmbH not only creates competent leaders, but also resilient teams, stable cultures and an environment in which health and work-life balance are compatible with constant high performance.

Leadership = Management + Leadership

We distinguish between two forms of good leadership: management and leadership. In order for a manager to realise their full potential, they should master both forms. Firstly, management. Management is the shaping, steering and development of strategy, structure and corporate culture. This means that modern management development enables managers to take a comprehensive view of the organisation and create the framework conditions for professional work. This makes it clear that organisational development and internal change management support are core tasks of every manager. The second form of good leadership is leadership. Above all, this includes employee management in relation to the tasks, competences and responsibilities assigned to individuals and teams. This means that the development of managers involves systematically preparing them for various situations, including unexpected ones. This makes it clear that personnel development and juggling established leadership approaches and new leadership approaches are part of every leadership role.

Behind this are four central topics that a manager should deal with:

• Personal development,
• skills development,
• motivation and
• mindset.

In an in-house management seminar, managers learn how to develop and manage themselves and others professionally in this sense. They can also take advantage of a scientifically based personality and potential analysis – the PowerPotentialProfile® (PPP for short). The PPP identifies the four key development opportunities for managers and provides a high-quality analysis of their potential.

Video: Leadership trainer Alexander von Bullion explains the PowerPotentialProfile® personality and potential analysis®
(In German language)

Illustration: Leadership models from flow consulting help managers with personnel leadership, management and self-control

Traditional training versus modern development programme for managers

We offer various in-house management training programmes, which can be roughly divided into two types. Classic management training and modern in-house management development programmes.

Typical topics and possible applications of classic management training programmes

We offer various in-house management training programmes, which can be roughly divided into two types. Classic management training consists of individual seminars that function independently of each other. Classic training courses are primarily used to impart methods and expertise with clear references to the day-to-day work of the respective target group and a high level of practical transfer. Typical topics include:

• New to leadership – leadership training for junior managers,
• Self-management and communication or
• Leadership tools and team development.

Classic further training can be realised at short notice with little effort. It is not only suitable for organisations that are dealing with management development for the first time. Another useful reason is to build up qualification buffers. This involves preparing employees for topics that will have strategic relevance for the organisation in the future. Current topics that fall into this category are, for example:

• Leadership of AI agents and AI teams,
• Development of a new organisational culture or
• The manager as sustainability expert.

Special topics such as labour law, inclusion or diversity, which may not be relevant for all managers in an organisation, can also be covered well with traditional training. However, traditional training not only has advantages, but also disadvantages. These occur when the training courses are only used for short-term inspiration or as an incentive. To avoid this, the use of classic training programmes needs to be carefully considered. We will be happy to advise you on this free of charge and without obligation. Simply make an appointment with us.

Video: flow Managing Director Silke Engel talks about leadership roles in a business talk interview.
(In German language)

Typische Themen und Einsatzmöglichkeiten moderner Führungsprogramme

Modern management training differs from traditional training in that it is closely linked to the long-term strategy of the organisation and the changing requirements of managers in their day-to-day work. Modern leadership training also teaches important leadership essentials with direct application to the participants’ real-life situations. Instead of leaving it largely to the managers themselves to transfer what they have learnt into their everyday lives, they are given intensive support in translating what they have learnt into their practice on the one hand and reflecting their experiences from this practice back into the training on the other. This is achieved in particular by adapting the methodology and didactics – instead of exercises, role plays or simulations that are far removed from everyday life, the following applies: Preferably, formats are used that can also be adopted in everyday life. These include modern methods and management tools such as:

• Guided project work,
• systemic coaching or
• meeting facilitation.

Another lever for increasing the effectiveness of leadership programmes is the harmonisation of different measures. This ensures that a consistent understanding of leadership is conveyed in the training, coaching and project work. This enables employees to work together much more effectively and smoothly on a day-to-day basis than if they were to use different models and tools. Methodology and didactics can be further optimised by involving the most important stakeholders across the hierarchy in the measures. The result is a modern high-performance organisation in which those involved can contribute their potential and achieve a state of flow. We will also be happy to advise you on this free of charge and without obligation.

Photo: Our experts for leadership and change management at the 30th anniversary of flow consulting

Typical challenges and solutions: 7 mistakes and how to avoid them

1. Needs analysis and objectives

Many companies start management training courses without first clarifying precisely which specific management skills are to be developed and how these should impact on the strategic, cultural and operational context of the organisation.

The result of inadequate clarification of needs and objectives is further training that fails to meet the needs of the organisation. Employees then often criticise the lack of a common thread and clear benefits. The content seems arbitrary or irrelevant – managers switch off internally or go on the barricades.

The first step towards a solution is often just a phone call away. Providers such as flow consulting are usually only remunerated in the implementation phase – prior consultation and initial conceptual considerations are usually free of charge. This includes a structured process to clarify target groups, learning objectives and strategic development priorities. HR managers therefore usually receive the solution to this initial problem free of charge – the basis for a training concept that can have a measurable impact because it is tailored to the specific needs and objectives of the organisation.

2. Budget planning

Budget planning for personnel and organisational development measures is fundamentally challenging. However, most mistakes can be avoided if needs and objectives are well clarified. Ask yourself: What problems does the organisation have? What goals should be achieved? And which measures are best suited for this and how? Budget planning only becomes constructive when the answers to these questions are considered. Instead of looking purely at the figures, measures and their performance take centre stage. This increases the likelihood that you will calculate the budget accurately and utilise it with maximum effectiveness.

If budget planning is not done in this way, there are two dangers. Firstly, it is not calculated what is additionally necessary for success, e.g. transfer support or organisational change. As a result, expectations regarding the impact of the training are too high and the budget too low. Or secondly: Instead of management development, another measure would have been better and more cost-effective to solve the organisational problems and achieve the strategic goals. However, no consideration was given to possible alternatives or additions such as coaching, team development or slight structural changes to the organisational structure or processes with the support of a change management consultancy.

Outstanding management development does not have to be expensive. Even small budgets can have an impact – provided the money is channelled into the right measures. We therefore recommend that you always discuss the budget in the context of your needs, objectives and options for action.

3. Training design and provider selection

The development of an excellent training design requires time and expertise, as does the selection of a suitable training provider. Unfortunately, training courses are still often bought ‘off the shelf’ – without a good fit in terms of content and without alignment with the culture and management topics of the organisation. Or: providers are selected purely on the basis of price, without considering quality and effectiveness.

Ideally, such training programmes increase motivation, at least in the short term, and employees feel inspired for a few days. Unfortunately, however, it is usually the case that the participating managers do not feel taken seriously. Trust in HR suffers, the willingness to participate in further measures decreases, more and more cynical comments are heard – the hoped-for practical transfer fails to materialise, the investment fizzles out and credibility is lost.

If you have experts in personnel and organisational development in your organisation, you should consult them for concept development and provider selection. If you do not have these qualifications in-house, or if they are not of a high quality, it is best to use the ‘flow canvas’ – the best checklist for in-house management seminars. With this tool, you can ensure that you have considered all the important questions and select the right provider based on customised quality criteria. This will increase the likelihood that your training will lead to greater impact, motivation and success.

4. Evaluation of the management seminar

We have already mentioned it: Experience has shown that an objective evaluation of the impact or return on investment (ROI) of management training programmes involves a disproportionate amount of effort. It is important that you take the findings of current research into account when designing and implementing the measures. Read the section ‘Typical topics and possible applications of modern leadership programmes’ above.

If you are not put off by the costs and effort involved in a meaningful individual ROI analysis, we will be happy to advise you on this too. Your benefit: You receive clear and measurable success criteria, which provide a more valuable basis for investment decisions and enable a more objective optimisation of your training measures. Please contact us if you are interested.

5. Sustainable practice transfer

Many organisations focus on short-term quick wins – a one-off training course, an impulse workshop, a video tool. However, sustainable development requires repetition, context, feedback and support. If this is not taken into account, development remains selective and isolated.

The problem: leadership skills do not develop in a linear fashion. Without sustained support, new leadership behaviour is quickly forgotten. As a result, long-term effects fail to materialise and managers become entrenched in their old patterns. The lack of sustainable change directly damages the company and the credibility of HR.

The solution: Think of leadership development as a process – with clear stages, repetition and feedback. Integrate targeted formats such as peer learning, communities of practice or mentoring to ensure long-term development.

6. Scalability

You may be wondering how flow consulting can provide enough trainers for large management training programmes for SMEs or corporations. In this context, the question of how we can digitalise our HR and organisational development measures also arises.

The fear: not all managers can be trained, the programme takes too long, the quality suffers, the impetus for change does not reach a broad audience, the leadership culture only develops in a fragmented way as a result and the impact does not have a systemic effect.
The challenge is therefore to design management development programmes in such a way that they are implemented in a high-quality, consistent and efficient manner, even if several training strands are running simultaneously.

flow consulting has a well-established team of permanently employed trainers and is able to implement leadership training programmes of any size – even internationally. We are supported by a network of independent partners that has grown over the past 30 years, many of whom have emerged from our company. This means that our customers can rely on the usual high flow quality, even with parallel programmes in different regions. In addition, we use the potential of digitalisation to specifically relieve the burden of face-to-face phases and enable sustainable management development – whether asynchronous, live online or in blended design. This is how modern personnel and organisational development works ‘at scale’.

7. See leadership only top-down

Two employees are having a conversation. One says to the other: ‘You, my manager was at a training course – now she’s behaving really strangely.’ The other replies: “Don’t worry. Give her two weeks, then we’ll have her back to normal and she’ll be back to her old self.” This fictitious conversation may sound exaggerated. But anyone with experience of management development knows that in many cases it is not that far removed from reality.

The mistake: leadership is often only seen as a matter for superiors. But this view only considers half of the leadership equation and ignores the other half: The people being led. Leadership is not a one-way street – leadership arises from a relationship. Therefore, both sides of the equation – the superiors and the leaders – must be considered.
The problem that arises when employees are not integrated according to their role as leaders is systemic in nature: they do not develop an understanding of leadership and are therefore unable to behave consistently. To make matters worse, colleagues without management responsibilities often either learn other training content or receive no equivalent training at all. As a result, the potential of employees is not utilised, there is a lack of understanding for each other and communication is miscommunicated. This leads to frustration and demotivation on both sides. The situation is particularly unpleasant for the top level – the organisation’s management board – because their management impulses are not transferred to the grassroots. It feels like driving a car while aquaplaning – you turn the wheel but nothing happens.

The challenge is to find ways of empowering every manager on the one hand and taking employees with you on the other. Make sure that this perspective is taken into account when developing leadership seminars so that a sustainable systemic effect can unfold.

And this is how your leadership training continues