Leadership Impulse
Employees want above all Humanity, care and inspiration from their superiors – not the next digital skill or a visionary PowerPoint.
Leaders 50+ bring experience and stability to the German labor market. Discover why their wisdom is a key strategic resource for future success.
Women in leadership embody empathy, networks & diversity shaping tomorrow. Learn how companies can strategically support female leadership.
The economic situation is currently preoccupying companies at all levels. It is particularly noticeable in the way employees interact with each other: competitive pressure is increasing, trust is dwindling, and even informal conversations in the coffee kitchen or canteen are increasingly revolving around the future of the company. These observations are of great importance to managers. They show how much external crises shape internal dynamics – and how important it is to actively create orientation, transparency, and trust now.
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Did you know that?
The economic crisis is leaving its mark on teams.
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55% of employees in Germany are currently experiencing increased competition among colleagues.
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47% complain that the level of trust within their team has deteriorated.
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63% talk about the economic situation of their company in the coffee kitchen or canteen
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20% frequently
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43% occasionally
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One-fifth of employees (21%) have lost faith in their employer's services or products during the economic crisis.
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29% have not only lost the meaning of their work but also their professional motivation
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What do you do to prevent the atmosphere in your team from deteriorating?
Source: “Economic crisis and team spirit,” jobtensor.com, June 2025.
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AI is changing our working world in many ways. When introducing AI, however, we should not only think about processes, but also about skills, what kind of employees will be needed in the future, how we can further train our workforce, and how this will affect corporate culture. The study by IESE Business School and KU Leuven shows that these changes will not stop at management jobs.
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Did you know that
the introduction of AI systems has triggered a boom in management positions?
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This proves that:
AI does not replace managers, but rather...
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requires leadership based on strategic vision and human judgment
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This correlates with the growing demand for cognitive skills and soft skills in other areas as well
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such as teamwork, creativity, and analytical skills
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The longer an organization has been working with AI, the stronger the effect
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and this also extends to rising salaries in management
Source: Study by IESE Business School and KU Leuven: Liudmila Alekseeva et al.: “AI Adoption and the Demand for Managerial Expertise,” Working Paper, September 2024.
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How has your need for skills changed?
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The economic situation is currently preoccupying companies at all levels. It is particularly noticeable in the way employees interact with each other: competitive pressure is increasing, trust is dwindling, and even informal conversations in the coffee kitchen or canteen are increasingly revolving around the future of the company. These observations are of great importance to managers. They show how much external crises shape internal dynamics – and how important it is to actively create orientation, transparency, and trust now.
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Did you know that
around half of the senior officials in Saxony-Anhalt's ministries are from eastern Germany?
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Women are more strongly represented in leadership positions in eastern German states than in the west?
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the proportion of East German managers is 12%, compared to 20% of the population?
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higher education for elite access is a relevant East-West difference?
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advancement to higher management positions is considered less attractive by East Germans than by West Germans (36% versus 45%)?
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The unequal distribution of foreign language skills also plays a role in job recruitment?
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In all federal states, 70% of elite positions are NOT held by people who were born there?
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And what about you?
Source: Elitenmonitor September 2023
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