Welcome to Gründergewitter - the place where conflicts in start-up and entrepreneurial teams are not only illuminated, but also tackled with energy. Dive into our articles, in which we not only present tried-and-tested models and experts, but also provide practical tips and tricks for weathering the storms in the team.
At Gründergewitter, we show that it's not about avoiding conflict, but about dealing with it well and using it as an opportunity for growth and development. We shed light on team dynamics and show how conflicts can give rise to new opportunities.
In the world of start-ups and entrepreneurship, there is often a lot of pressure - be it in terms of time, finances, shareholders or customers.
Conflicts? Are often the order of the day. How do you deal with them?
Barely two years after the coronavirus pandemic, many companies are facing tougher times again: Stagnating or declining sales, investors who turn out to be "fair-weather investors" at the first sign of trouble and increase the pressure instead of providing support, and increasingly complex and challenging financing rounds characterise the picture.
In our often hectic everyday lives, how we deal with stress is crucial. Our brain and autonomic nervous system play a central role in this, controlling every sensory experience and every action.
For a year now, I have been supporting a project of my network partner, businessforce AG. It is a systemic transformation in a large corporation, characterised by more employee participation and the allocation of decision-making powers to the organisational depth.
Anyone who has been reading the management magazines and blogs of this republic for 2-3 years has the feeling that something fundamentally new has been invented: New Work (with meaningfulness, mindfulness, Shout Out Loud), agility, self-organisation, etc. with which companies can virtually reinvent themselves, arm themselves for digitalisation and position themselves for the future.
Decision-making teams or leadership teams - whether entrepreneurial teams, co-founder teams, founder teams or executive teams - often reach a point at which they realise and ultimately admit to themselves that there is a hitch in their collaboration. In most cases, an unresolved situation escalates into real showdowns, into conflict escalation in management, which then becomes public - especially in DAX companies.
I'm always amazed at the vehemence with which new trend "ities" are regularly pushed through the German corporate landscape. "New Work", "Work Out Loud", "Digitalisation" - everything is hyped, but what's really behind it?
I'm sitting here in Sri Lanka right now and thinking back to November 2017, when I was sitting in the same place and happily decided to join starwings, a self-organised startup with a product for dynamic share distribution based on blockchain.
Mindfulness is slowly but surely gaining recognition as a helpful method and leadership tool in the business world. It is slowly becoming socially acceptable. And for good reason, as the benefits are manifold and scientifically proven.
In times of global challenges, the world often looks to leaders who impress not only through their actions, but also through their attitude. New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern provides us with an impressive example and exemplifies a modern, co-operative style of leadership.