Leadership Espresso with Stefan Götz

AI has become the ultimate speed test for modern organizations, and the real competition is no longer “who can replace the most people.” It’s who can learn faster, adapt faster, and turn new tools into customer value before the market moves again. On Leadership Espresso, I sit down with Oliver and Robin, managing directors of Roover, to get specific about what that means for European SMEs and the...

Control feels comforting, especially when markets swing and supply chains snap, but Ulrich Lausecker, Member of the Executive Board of the Plansee Group, calls control what it often is: an illusion. We sit down to unpack how a 105-year-old, family-owned global materials company stays robust in volatile times, even as tungsten and molybdenum become strategic flashpoints for the semiconductor indust...

What happens when every employee has multiple AI agents with PhD-level expertise at their fingertips? How will this transform leadership as we know it? In this thought-provoking conversation, AI coaching expert Levin Keller reveals how artificial intelligence is reshaping the leadership landscape. Rather than replacing human capabilities, AI is creating unprecedented opportunities to automate rout...

Artificial intelligence isn't just changing what we do as business leaders – it's transforming who we can become when we leverage these tools strategically. In this provocative conversation with Patrick, a leading AI expert from BCG, we explore how professionals across industries can build their personal AI organization to dramatically increase their impact. Most discussions about AI foc...

The automotive industry stands at a critical crossroads, facing what Sebastian Kierysch calls "the biggest challenge we have had in the complete industry since its beginning." After 15+ years as a German executive in China, Sebastian offers rare insights into navigating this turbulent landscape where traditional manufacturers confront nimble Chinese competitors in a "bloody red ocea...

What if everything we've been taught about cleanliness, bacteria, and health has been steering us in the wrong direction? Katie Worth, MD of Microbz (www.microbz.co.uk), a UK-based probiotic company, challenges our fundamental assumptions about microorganisms and offers a revolutionary perspective on how we might work with nature rather than against it. The conversation reveals how modern soc...

What happens when conventional leadership approaches fail in the face of unprecedented challenges? Senior Vice President Dennis Hüttenmeister found himself building Europe's first lithium refinery just as COVID-19 lockdowns began and global supply chains collapsed. Starting with just a blank piece of paper and a handful of team members, he discovered that creating human connection would prove...

What if the key to extraordinary business success isn't found in better strategy, technology, or talent—but in understanding your organization as an energy field? Colin Tipping, the leading authority on radical leadership tools, reveals a transformative approach that's changing how forward-thinking companies operate. The conversation begins by exploring how every organization functions a...

Sustainability isn't just what you sell, it's how you operate. Maike Gebhardt, MD of Utopia - Germany's leading voice on sustainability - reveals how authentic leadership creates resilient, thriving organizations even during crisis. As both an environmental economist and mathematician, Maike approaches sustainability with analytical rigor and genuine passion. She shares why Utopia c...

What if the secrets to effective leadership were written down 1,500 years ago? The Benedictine order, with 25,000 monks and nuns worldwide operating schools, universities, breweries, and printing houses, offers leadership wisdom that challenges modern management assumptions in profound ways. At the heart of Benedictine leadership lies a paradox: authority emerges not from asserting power but from...

What drives someone to climb 500-meter vertical walls without ropes or attempt seemingly impossible feats that push the very limits of human capability? In this riveting conversation, the legendary Huber Brothers—Thomas and Alexander—take us deep into the psychological landscape of extreme alpinism and reveal striking parallels to leadership and personal growth. The brothers articulate a philosoph...

What if the greatest crisis of our lifetime is actually the catalyst for the transformation we've been waiting for? Dr. Chuck Spezzano, author of over 50 psychology books and global business leader, reveals how COVID-19 presents a pivotal moment for visionary leadership. "When a big wave is coming, turn your ship into the wave instead of getting hit broadside," Dr. Spezzano advises....

Leadership isn't about charging ahead full steam—it's about positioning yourself at the center of the wheel, staying calm, and listening deeply. Jeff Allen, a business leader with experience as a container ship captain, shares how navigating stormy business conditions requires exceptional awareness and personal responsibility. The fundamental principle is "Leadership is hearing the...

What if everything we've been taught about competition in business is fundamentally flawed? In this thought-provoking conversation with Jeff Allen, we challenge the core belief that competition brings out our best and explore why it actually creates dysfunction instead of excellenc e. Competition divides the world into winners and losers, destroying the very relationships that make success po...

What happens when you combine curiosity with courage? Leadership coach and author Elizabeth McCourt brings this powerful dynamic to our conversation about the future of leadership. From her base in New York, Elizabeth shares her philosophy that has guided her through multiple careers and athletic pursuits: "If I can do it, you can do it too." The magic in Elizabeth's approach lies i...

What happens when you buy a 180-year-old family business that desperately needs transformation but has no clear path forward? Astrid shares the remarkable journey of how she revitalized the Berenson Group by building trust rather than demanding change. When Astrid acquired this promotional products company with approximately 1,000 employees, she faced an organization paralyzed by uncertainty. Rath...

+++ #Successful career or being #human ? Astrid Schulte, #CEO and co-owner of the #Berendsohn Group reinvented a multi-million dollar family business by #reinventing herself first.  She transformed an unfulfilled 80-hour week of being the lonely star into a mindful team player inspiring everyone to his and her greatness. +++  Astrid Schulte claims: “Being human is not the opposite of being a tough...

+++ The #NewNormal in business comes from the power of accountability. What do you think you are accountable for? Just for your success, or the success of your team, company or even the competitor? And what about the failures? +++  Serial entrepreneur Jeff Allen from the UK claims: “If you want to be successful long-term than you want to choose to become a good learner.  As life is a mirror, you c...

**Key Lessons & Insights** 1. **Leaders as Sense-Makers**      - Leaders must help teams make sense of uncertainty in a world of constant change rather than seek fixed answers.      - Embracing multiple perspectives allows for adaptive leadership rather than rigid decision-making. 2. **From Command to Facilitation**      - Leadership is evolving from being directive ("pointing the way&quo...