sinnvollFÜHREN – We chose this name for our small company for several reasons – and today, after almost 10 years of existence, we are happier with it than we could ever have hoped for. Let’s start from the very beginning:

Security and sense

SENSE

Viktor Frank’s teachings reached me in 2008 when my dear friend and colleague Sabine Indinger took me to a 6-day seminar on the topic of “Meaning and value orientation in the world of business and work”, in which Paul Ostberg generously shared his life’s work with us before retiring. I was impressed by the power of meaning in our lives. It can move us when it is there, and it ensures our end when it is lost one day.

The stronger the meaning we recognize, the stronger our commitment to achieving a goal. Nothing else moves us in a certain direction as much as the meaning we can realize at the end of this path. However, meaning cannot be given to anyone. Each person has to find it for themselves. However, taking meaning is dangerously easy. Often, a single look, a single word, is enough to destroy meaning and stop people in their pursuit. This leads us to the second part of our name.

LEAD

If you type the word leadership into Google, you get around 113 million results. So it is undisputed that a lot of people are concerned with this topic – and probably always have been! Over time, however, the meaning of leadership has changed dramatically! While in the time of the ancient Greeks and Egyptians, it was probably about securing land and prosperity through strategically skilful leadership, the task of leadership at the time of industrialization was to ensure the quality of work results through targeted demonstration and control. And now, we are in the age of digitalization.

We hardly know today what requirements will be needed tomorrow. The main issue here is to create a framework in which personal responsibility, adaptability and a spirit of innovation can flourish at all levels – from the board to facility management – so that companies can keep up with the pace of progress to some extent. However, one thing remains the same across all eras of leadership: leadership is there to provide security. It’s just the type of security we need that has changed.

SECURITY

Like sense, no one can give us security. Both arise within ourselves. All managers can do is create an environment in which both meaning and security can be found. This includes a positive image of people as well as a mindful use of language, a focus on success, the establishment of a shared vision worth striving for, space for regular reflection, a learning culture in which mistakes are not only allowed but even welcomed and much more.

Today we know that leadership does not begin with the awarding of a title and a sign on the office door, but with the responsibility to ensure that employees have everything they need to be effective. This probably also includes the willingness to relinquish leadership from time to time, to trust others, and to follow them. For many, this is probably the most difficult part of modern leadership – after all, as a manager, you are responsible for results…

Giving up leadership does not mean that you are no longer allowed to look! On the contrary! Taking an interest in issues that have been handed over gives the new manager security and backing. “Command and control” is not deleted without replacement. It is indeed being replaced by “reflection and backing”!

The challenge of modern companies is not to deliver results faster, cheaper and better, but to offer everyone involved a working environment in which they can find a certain degree of meaning and security. This task cannot be delegated to any consultant, coach or HR department. Every single manager in the company must contribute to this themselves.

If this succeeds, anything is possible.

Security and sense – The founding fathers of sinnvollFÜHREN