It's still a few weeks until Handelsblatt Change Congress In Essen – who among you already knows if they'll be there? 😉

I have the appointment in the calendar
📍 Zollverein Colliery
25 – 26 November 2025

I am looking forward to:
– new impetus for leadership & agility
– Straightforward conversations
– perhaps also a coffee with you (or more than one? 😉)

I'm curious to see who I'll meet there – familiar faces or new contacts?

If you're already planning to come, please let me know.

Let's talk – trustingly, friendly, and on equal footing. 😊

If a clear North Star is missing

In my work, I constantly see: many strategies fail because a clear North Star is missing. A goal to which everyone truly stands. Without this common sense of purpose, direction is lost. And motivation often falls by the wayside.

I've experienced the power of a purpose-driven strategy. When employees know why they're doing something, real energy is generated. Suddenly, the team pulls together. Decisions become easier. The direction is clear.

What's important to me about this:
– Purpose is not a poster on the wall
– It must be noticeable in everyday life
– Everyone in the team should be able to identify with this

This is the only way to create resilience. Especially in times of change and uncertainty, a shared purpose helps. It provides support and makes companies strong.

I remember my time as a sales manager very well. There, I experienced how trust, responsibility and clear goals work together. The best results always came when the team knew what they were working for – and felt connected to the goal. (And believe me, there were also times when I didn't always manage this!)

Today, I help companies create just that: a strategy that makes sense. That provides direction. And includes everyone.

My conclusion: Those who combine strategy with purpose have a good chance of remaining successful in the long term.

How do you live Purpose and Strategy in your company?

Let's talk – trustingly, friendly, and on equal footing. 😊

How can young people be enthusiastic about vocational training professions?

This question was the focus of a creative future workshop held on Tuesday (13 May) at the premises of the construction company Gieseke in the Brocker Feld business park in Senden-Bösensell. Around 20 participants from businesses and schools came together to develop new ideas for career orientation in Senden.

A group of adults and a teenager at a table, having a conversation. The young people were very engaged during the future workshop.

At the initiative of the WIRtschaft Senden e.V. business association, which has existed since summer 2024 and is committed to strengthening local companies, the first exchange of ideas took place, which resulted in the workshop concept. The event was organised by Tobias Matzelle (Gieseke), Jens Hemersch (Agile Augenhöhe), Derk Strybny (Rotary Senden) and Sonja Seidler (WIRtschaft Senden e.V.). The goal was to kick off planning for a large careers event – and to do so in a practical, modern, and student-friendly way.

The opening question was: „What was your first contact with the professional world?“. The subsequent reflection immediately led to an exchange on equal terms. Afterwards, a video of the career orientation course from the previous year was shown, among other things. It served as an example of how practice-oriented formats have already been successfully implemented.
Video for career path simulator

Workshop outcome: The apprentice event of the future

In a group project, the vision arose of a multi-day job festival in the summer that makes professional worlds tangible, exciting, and entertaining.

The core ideas:

• Street food & live music in a relaxed atmosphere, for example in a central park.
• Appearances by influencers, athletes or celebrities
• Diverse participatory offers from participating companies
• Strong digital support via social media, including invitations and event updates
• Additional services for parents, e.g. information materials
• Competitions and prize draws
• Low-threshold access during school hours, embedded in everyday school life

These elements are intended to make the event a real highlight for students. It is already clear that the successful collaboration will continue in further workshops. The aim is to further develop the concrete ideas together, clarify responsibilities, and bring the job festival to life step by step. All involved agree – this process thrives on dialogue, openness, and active participation from students, teachers, and companies.

Are you a managing director of an SME and want not only to improve processes but also to align your company for the future?

Then you probably know the dilemma: the will to change is there – but everyday life demands all your attention.

This is precisely where INQA Coaching comes in.
The funding programme from the federal government and the EU supports small and medium-sized enterprises in specifically developing their organisation – with grants of up to €11,520 towards consulting costs.

What's inside?

• A clear, pragmatic roadmap instead of pure activism
  Space for agile strategy that creates orientation
• Impulses for modern leadership that enables responsibility
  Approaches for sales at eye level, that truly live customer proximity
• And above all: solutions that arise together with your team – not in isolation.

As an authorised INQA coach – and in my role as a trusted advisor and leadership expert – I support companies in making real change possible: with a change of perspective, a clear focus on self-efficacy, and genuine collaboration on an equal footing.

You can find more information about INQA Coaching here: https://www.inqa.de/DE/angebote/inqa-coaching/informationen-fuer-kmu/uebersicht.html

Or you can contact me directly – I'll show you how to get started. Simple, results-oriented, and completely without consulting jargon.

Last week, we worked intensively on implementation with two great teams in OKR workshops – with different starting points, but a common goal: to make strategy tangible and empower teams.

OKR deep dive with 20 IT managers

Goal: Strategically embed OKRs, create clarity, and strengthen leaders in their role as enablers.

Topics that have occupied us:

• Why OKRs now? Context & Urgency
• The OKR Framework: Structure & Clarity – without Overwhelm
• Examples that work: What do good OKRs look like?
• The role of the OKR Master: Key to success
• Why OKRs at all? Creating a shared understanding
• From theory to practice: First steps towards implementation
• Sustainable anchoring: Team architecture & next steps

Vision and Goal Planning with the Personnel and Organisational Development Team

GoalPrepare the next step in the OKR process. Following a successful OKR Deep Dive in January, we have:

• The departmental vision scrutinised as part of the OKR workshop
• A narrative annual goal image (Moal) developed – with clear guardrails for the upcoming OKR cycle.

Living strategic goals in reality – rather than just holding onto them?

Let's talk – with trust, in a practical way and with real impact.

At every OKR deep-dive, three books end up in my bag. Why? Because they offer exactly the right support for different situations – from first understanding agile strategy work to implementing it in day-to-day life.

Objectives & Key Results (OKR): The Standard Work for Agile Strategy

At nearly 600 pages, it's a true reference for anyone who wants to understand OKRs profoundly and use them at a strategic level. The book shows how OKRs not only structure goals but also create a mindset for agile strategic work.

OKR: Short & Clear – Objectives & Key Results

This book gets to the heart of OKRs – and in just 50 minutes of reading time. Perfect for anyone who doesn't need lengthy theoretical tomes, but rather a concise, practical introduction. When someone asks me in a workshop, „Can you recommend a book I can read tonight?“ – this is the one.

OKR in Action

Brand new and written specifically for OKR Masters. It offers deep insights into OKR practice, highlights challenges, and provides solutions for everyday use of the framework. Those who have already understood OKRs and now want to embed them sustainably in the company will find valuable inspiration here.

Each of these three OKR books that I always carry with me has its place – depending on the need and the level of experience. OKRs are not a walk in the park, but with the right introduction, they become a real operating system for strategy and focus.

Recently, I had a conversation with a potential client who got straight to the point:

Customer:
„Jens, can you actually support us with our employee reviews? They're coming up again at the start of the year, but honestly, so far they feel like obligatory appointments that you just tick off.“

I:
„Of course, I can help! But if you're just looking for a new protocol, I might be the wrong person.“

Customer:
„What do you mean?“

I:
„Because my aim isn't just to create pretty guides. I help you shape conversations so they deliver real value – for both sides. Moving away from ’review and routine’ towards: What are the next steps for development? How do we create more ownership? And how do we ensure that mutual expectations, which you agree on together, are actually kept in view?“

At the start of the year, employee performance reviews are on the agenda in many companies. And that's precisely where a huge opportunity lies: A meaningful employee review can motivate, create clarity, and foster development – if it's done well. If not, it just remains... well, another mandatory appointment.

I help leaders to approach these conversations differently:
With a clear structure that favours dialogue over monologue.
With honest feedback that doesn't just hang in the air as a platitude, but is also heard.
With real agreements that don't gather dust in the minutes but actually change things in practice.

If, at the start of the year, you're also thinking: „This time we want to do better“, let's talk – confidentially, in a friendly manner, and guaranteed without any additional standard documents.

Agile strategies, modern leadership and sales on an equal footing. Sounds theoretical? Of course. But these are precisely the topics I work on every day – with companies that want to succeed in the real world.

Why exactly this sharpened focus?

Agile Strategies

Let's be honest – who plans a year in detail in advance these days and genuinely believes everything will turn out as imagined? Exactly. Instead, it's about staying flexible while still holding your course. This is where OKR comes into play. As a partner at die.agilen, I'll help you not only implement OKR and agile strategy work, but embed it so that it actually delivers results: focus, transparency, and real teamwork.

Modern Leadership

Leadership has long been more than just setting directions and goals. It's about creating an environment where people feel motivated to take responsibility, contribute ideas, and grow. I help leaders achieve precisely that – pragmatically, practically, and guaranteed without any corporate jargon.

Sales at eye level

Everyone wants to sell – but nobody wants to feel sold to. This is exactly where I come in: I help organisations to align their sales approach so that it feels authentic and creates real value for the customer. It’s not about aggressive sales tactics, but about building trust and finding the best solution together with the customer. The result? A sales approach that convinces both the customer and the team – with clear principles and a genuine passion for good collaboration.

My personal drive for 2025: Working as self-determinedly as possible, supporting exciting companies and giving honest input – without fuss, but with heart and mind. If this resonates with you: Let's chat about agile strategy, modern leadership, and sales on equal footing!

First step: A non-binding initial consultation – I look forward to your appointment booking!

I am pleased to have completed the advanced training in Narrative Organisational Consulting at the Stuttgart Media University in September 2024.

Continuing professional development in the area of Narrative Organisational Consultingwww.narratives-management.deenables me to work with an organisation's narrative foundations as a trusted advisor and leadership expert. It should help me to recognise and utilise the narrative dimensions of companies. Because a narrative organisation can make the hidden visible, put knowledge into flow, and discover new possibilities for action.

On a systemic basis, the fundamental attitude of narrative thinking and working, as well as methods of narrative working, were imparted in all essential contexts of organisational consulting – from coaching to development and change processes.

The narrative perspective – in psychology this is also referred to as a „narrative turn“ – enables a different approach to be taken in organisational development and coaching. This approach perceives and values the stories that „are there“, thereby facilitating more successful development and change processes.

This experience has shown me how powerfully narratives shape thinking, actions, and culture within organisations. To truly understand an organisation and guide change meaningfully, its often-invisible stories are crucial.

The advanced training course comprised 10 days over a period of more than 6 months. Successful completion was confirmed with a certificate from the Transfer and Further Education Society of the Stuttgart Media University.

A big thank you to Dipl. Psych. Christine Erlach and Prof. Dr. Michael Müller for the inspiring and educational guidance during the ten intensive training days!

Currently, as an organisational consultant, I am advising an ambitious, crafts-oriented Westphalian medium-sized company with around 40 employees. The aim is to drive forward holistic company development and, at the same time, to sustainably establish a modern form of employee management. More specifically: transformation in medium-sized businesses.

Our goal

We want to create a company that, after an intensive period of growth, not only gains structure and clarity but also consistently puts its employees at the centre. Because only in this way can a healthy and future-proof organisation be created in the long term.

Establish leadership system

Together, we are working to develop a leadership system that on the one hand creates clear responsibilities and on the other hand enables distributed leadership. This creates a dynamic interplay between management and self-responsibility – fitting for the company culture.

Strategic employee participation

Especially in times of change, actively involving employees is crucial. That's why we focus on workshops, dialogue, and transparent communication. In this way, we create a culture in which everyone can contribute to strategic development, alongside their day-to-day business.

Learning by leadership

Leadership development forms a central element of the transformation. Targeted coaching, continuous training, and practical impulses strengthen leadership qualities at all levels. This is not just about methods, but about attitude, effectiveness, and personal development.

Develop and unite vision and goals

Shared alignment on a vision as well as on concrete, annual target pictures provides orientation. Because only when there is clarity about the „why“, „where to“ and „how“, can the path into the future be designed to be understandable and motivating.

Methods and Tools

To achieve these goals, we rely on proven as well as innovative methods:

• Elements from the LOOP approach (https://www.thedive.com/en/the-loop-approach), to tackle changes appropriately and in manageable portions.
• Narrative methods to make invisible organisational knowledge visible and simultaneously foster exchange about the future (according to Christine Erlach & Michael Müller).
• The values and principles underpinning the OKR framework, with the aim of making strategic work collaborative and purpose-drivenwww.die-agilen.de).

Effect that becomes noticeable

A particularly noticeable example of the success of this work was evident when, about three months after the transformation began, a technician from production approached me and said:

„Jens, good that you're here! I've been here for 10 years now – and in such a short time, a lot has already changed for the better.“

More than change

This transformation in the mid-market is far more than just structural change. It is a shared process in which agility becomes tangible, not as a buzzword, but as an attitude and a daily practice on equal footing.

I'm holding my first – and so far only – mug with the AGILE AUGENHÖHE® design.

This small but meaningful gift from Daniela Urbanwww.danielaurban.com) stands for everything that is important to me: agility, collaboration on an equal footing and passionate leadership.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the past few years – and continues to do so. I look forward to many more inspiring moments. Preferably with a good cup of coffee.

Let's see when the replenishment will finally arrive. Until then, this one will be well guarded! 🙂

Let's take ourselves back to 2008: As a newly qualified sales engineer, I accompanied a sales appointment to learn from an experienced salesperson. In this meeting, the salesperson said a very clear „No, dear client, I cannot help you“ to our customer. At that moment, my world stopped making sense!

Ultimately, this sentence marked, on the one hand, the beginning of a long-standing and in-depth customer relationship based on commitment and honesty, and on the other hand, the start of a trustworthy fundamental attitude in my daily customer advisory service.

Back in 2024: The concept of the ‚Trusted Advisor‘ is not just a theoretical model, but a philosophy that guides all topics towards strategy and holistic development.

Positioning oneself as a ‚Trusted Advisor‘ requires not only expertise, but above all trust, integrity and a holistic perspective. It is not merely a strategic decision, but also a commitment to the highest professionalism and ethical conduct.

What did I learn? Consulting means more than just offering solutions – it's a collaborative process based on trust and cooperation. My daily work as a ‚Trusted Advisor‘ has not only helped me to advise more effectively but also to build extremely sustainable relationships with my clients.

Adopting the holistic viewpoint of a ‚Trusted Advisor‘ was not merely a strategic decision, but the very foundation of my consulting philosophy from the outset. A journey that has shown me that true advice is built on trust and partnership.

What models or principles shape your approach to strategic questions and business development? Let's discuss best practices and innovative approaches to consulting together!