We need to talk. These words often trigger anxiety, whether at home or at work. In fact, for many, announcing feedback is right behind the dentist and tax return in terms of popularity. As coaches, we know good ways to counter this discomfort: Using the classic sandwich approach or the burger-method, where feedback is constructively wrapped between two or more layers of praise, recognition and mayonnaise. These methods are particularly effective when it comes to correcting errors on a factual level. However, if the focus of the feedback is on emotions or a sustainable change in behaviour, traditional feedback does not seem to be sufficient. If real change, if more creativity and personal responsibility are to be encouraged, feedback should not be improved, but be based on completely different basic assumptions. The first basic assumption that needs to be reconsidered is that the person giving feedback knows better what should have been done or said.

Nothing seems to be easier to answer than the question if you are successful. But the moment you start thinking about it, questions come up like “am I really successful?”, “what does successful mean?” or “successful in relationship to what?”. In a recent study with over 200 managers from all over the world I asked the question “What does long-lasting professional success mean for you?” I wanted to find out which ingredients are widely accepted in the recipe for success.

Ensure a positive team atmosphere!

Modern working life can often be stressful and challenging. People experience external challenges as a burden when they feel they have no control over them and do not believe they have sufficient resources to cope with the stress of everyday life. But there are ways in which you can make your working day stress-free.

The rapid technological change brought about by the digital transformation, the flood of ambiguous information, a large number of vacancies to be filled and an increasing shortage of skilled labour are just a few examples of how the demands of the modern working world are constantly increasing. This leads to mental and/or physical overload for employees and managers.

We hear and read a lot about topics such as "self-management", "mental health", "resilience" and "inner world". We are looking for help to better cope with today's demands. A recent study by Techniker Krankenkasse shows that a third of Germans sometimes feel stressed and a quarter even feel this way frequently.

In today's polarized world, conflict is inevitable. This is especially true in the workplace, where teams are often made up of people with diverse backgrounds, values, and perspectives. While conflict can be disruptive, it can also be an opportunity for growth and learning. Team coaching can help teams to resolve conflict in a constructive way and emerge stronger as a result.

Are Sales people coachable at all?

While B2C sales are very often product driven, focusing on the large consumer target market and maximizing the value of one single transaction, B2B sales are relationship based, very often with a very focused target market and aiming to maximize the long-term relationship value. While B2C relies to a great extent on the image created through marketing and tries to trigger an emotional buying decision, B2B sales are - at least on the face of it -characterized by rational buying decisions based on business value.

Since the 1950s, McKinsey [&] Company, one of the world’s leading strategy consulting companies, has been known to employ the best graduates from the best universities, and to use performance incentives and a very formative high performance culture to shape these young, hungry ‘high potentials’ according to their requirements. After these young consultants were pushed to the maximum by their international projects, most of them voluntarily leave the company on good terms after three years at the latest in order to take up leading positions in the industry and then to become potential customers of their former employer. Over the past few decades, this HR strategy and its accompanying high performance culture was adopted in the field of professional services by the majority of international companies and is now also entering many more traditional industrial and service-based companies.

In trying times, resilience is required. Resilience refers to the ability to adapt in times of pressure and 
stress and emerge strengthened from them. Resilience, in turn, is composed of various protective 
factors. One of these factors is authentic relationships. What makes them up, and how can coaches 
assist their clients in forming authentic relationships?

Resilience is being widely talked about. But what exactly is resilience, and how can authentic 
relationships help strengthen it? Furthermore, how can coaches support their clients in cultivating 
authentic relationships?