"My vision: creating innovations for people"
think tank founder Mohamed Chergui in an interview
When did you first think about founding your own company?
The idea came to me during my student days in Germany. At that time, a fellow student and I updated all the programmes on a company’s computers at night by going from computer to computer with a CD. That was good for earning money, of course, but we also thought about how we could do it better. That’s when we came up with the idea of networking the world together to help people do their work. That made the direction I wanted to go in clear: new technologies and IT. My diploma thesis was about how to install software once, deploy it and then use it indefinitely.
You were offered a job at a consulting firm, but you preferred to become self-employed. Why?
I wanted to realise my own ideas and work innovatively right from the start. It was also important for me to combine the two worlds of Tunisia and Germany in order to create a synergy from the different mentalities. Initially, I and my colleagues started in Tunisia and worked with partners in Germany. We first wanted to take time to strengthen the bridge to Germany and adapt the structures in both countries, and then scale the business with the resources in Tunisia. It became clear that it is important to establish a presence in Germany as a window to Europe. Think tank Business Solutions AG was then founded in December 2002.
What were the first years like?
In the first few years we were often something like the fire brigade. We were deployed wherever there was a fire, because we were set up from the beginning to be able to react quickly. In addition, we have always relied on the latest technologies. This is how we were able to convince customers like Osram and BMW of our merits and can now look back on almost 20 years of successful cooperation. Our first projects were, for example, the optimisation of the filling of ATMs as well as the reduction of returns of the Springer publishing house from 1,000,000 to 150,000 to 200,000 within one month with the help of AI.
What were tt's biggest successes in terms of innovation?
We developed an automatic news dispatcher for dpa. This was based on the first use of an XML database with keywording in Germany and was developed as part of a diploma thesis. Even today, many good ideas are generated in this way, as we still supervise three to four diploma students a year in Tunis.
We developed the first online grocery delivery service for Karstadt. However, we were ahead of time and it was not accepted by the customers. It was important for us to be able to expand our expertise in web applications. At Osram, we implemented the first digital asset management for video and image management back in 2002, which we still maintain. In the health sector, we helped to develop the health card.
To date, we also have a wealth of experience in banking finance, ranging from online transaction processing to risk analysis regarding money laundering. We have been supporting PlanetHome as a full-service provider in the field of real estate since 2011, and together we are developing a platform on which both real estate agents and prospective buyers can take care of everything related to the purchase of a house or flat.
In the automotive industry, we are broadly positioned, from the development of an electronic calculation model to the conception and implementation of a tool for testing car parts to collaboration on an application for agile process planning.
You mention the topic of agile here. For some years now, the think tank has been increasingly focusing on agility. What is agility for you?
Developing something is very difficult because you have to react quickly. We realised pretty soon that we had to coordinate at short intervals. To do this, we set ourselves internal deliveries every week, which were reviewed by the quality assurance team the following week. So basically we were already working agile there without calling it that. The change to an agile organisation was therefore only the logical step for me on the path of digitalisation, which we have been following for a long time.
How do you see yourself as a boss?
For me, it is important to have connections, to work with people. The basic prerequisite for this is trust. I trust my team and let them decide a lot for themselves, because teamwork is very important to me. I don’t like prohibitions and I believe in flat hierarchies. The worst thing for me is when I influence someone to change. Everyone should be able to develop as they wish. First of all, there is no “must” with me, you can talk and discuss about everything.
What do you see in the staff?
Every person is special and the most important thing for me is that I perceive and value everyone as a person. I find it’s best to let people run themselves. That way I can learn from their experiences and their knowledge. Because everyone is innovative and can contribute in this way. That way, everyone benefits and a sense of “we” can develop. For me, think tank is much more than just a job; my employees are like a family to me.
What is your personal vision for the future?
I would like think tank to continue to establish itself as a think tank and contribute to simplifying people’s lives, bringing people closer together with the technologies that are available to us.
Content:
Agile transformation begins in the mind
The six biggest prejudices about agility
The topic of agility and agile transformation has arrived at most companies as an alternative to traditional work processes. But to this day, some misconceptions stubbornly persist among both proponents and critics of agile working.
Agility is chaotic
Until today, many decision-makers in companies believe that working agile means that there are no fixed responsibilities. The result is organisational chaos that no one can keep track of. In reality, however, there are requirements that have to be met even in agile working. What is not specified is how these are to be implemented. The responsibility for this lies with the team. The advantage is that there is no basis for assigning blame and the focus is on solving the problem.
If I use agile methods, I am agile
Another misconception is that it is already enough to introduce agile methods such as Scrum or a Kanban Board in order to benefit from the advantages of agile working. But there is much more to agility. A prerequisite for the successful implementation of the agile transformation is that it is incorporated into the company’s goals. Only in this way a corresponding agile mindset can develop among the employees and the company management.
Agility only works for software development and start-ups
If you start from this premise, it is also quickly clear that agile project management works in many areas. After all, agility is a matter of mentality and means above all that all employees are willing to take responsibility and to design and adapt their processes themselves according to the tasks to be solved require. This enables companies to react better to the ever faster changing circumstances.
Agile working is the answer to everything
Conversely, this does not mean that agile working makes sense for every company or every task. If the existing structures and processes work well, there is no reason per se to adapt them, as change causes unrest and must be accompanied. A regular review of the existing organisation always makes sense, because as the Corona pandemic showed, circumstances can change quickly.
Agile transformation is done in three months
The experience with the pandemic and the necessary adjustments associated with it have shown that change takes time. The same is even more true when introducing the agile way of working. Not only do the processes have to be adapted, but the entire corporate culture has to be changed. The transformation towards agile working is an ongoing process in which the narrative that exists in every company has to be reworked and developed.
Agility no longer needs leadership
The last misconception closes the circle. Because of course agile organisations need leadership. However, the understanding of a leader is different. He or she is part of the team and becomes a coach, creating the framework conditions so that the team members can carry out their work as undisturbed as possible. Important here is communication at eye level and a pronounced tolerance for mistakes.
If one takes a closer look at these prejudices, several conclusions can be drawn: Firstly: every company should check for itself whether and to what extent agile working makes sense for its own goals. Secondly, anyone who decides in favour of agile transformation should be aware that, in addition to the external structures, the attitude of the employees must also change. Because agility begins in the mind. That’s why the agile transformation needs time and often support from outside.
Content:
More investments through simplified lending
Government of Madagascar commissions think tank
Workshops and meetings to plan the project
A delegation from think tank Business Solutions flew to Madagascar with a finished concept and UX design. In four full-day workshops with the various partners, all details for the implementation were clarified. In addition, the project staff from all organisations were able to get to know each other in this way in order to clarify roles and responsibilities and to ensure that the project runs even more smoothly. In addition, further meetings were held with payment providers to guarantee the connection to the interfaces with the other platforms such as payment solutions, electronic signature and with the RCS-CM trade registry of Madagascar. A highlight of the trip was the signing of the official project contract by Mrs. Micheline Hery Manantenasoa, Head/President of PIFM and Yassine Kaaniche of think tank and with the local IT partner IBONIA. IBONIA is to support think tank on site, organise appointments and provide all necessary information for the project. After the go-live, it is planned that IBONIA will support the tt team with training and support.
Project members and go-live
In total, five major organisations belong to the project team besides tt: the International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, PIFM (Project d’Inclusion Financière de Madagascar), RNCS (Ministry of Justice of Madagascar), UGD (Unité de Gouvernance Digitale), EDBM (Economic Development Board of Madagascar) and tt’s local partner IBONIA. After the successful kick-off meeting, nothing now stands in the way of the go-live on 3 November this year.
Why is digitalisation so slow in Germany?
Background, causes and solutions
Corona has provided a digitalisation boost in some areas, but overall Germany continues to lag behind in digitalisation. In a study by the Berlin-based European Center for Digital Competitiveness (ECDC), Germany only ranked 17th among the digital upstarts of the G20 countries. Why is Germany having such a hard time with digitalisation?
What does digitalisation mean: a clarification of terms
First of all, a clarification of terms: what exactly is meant by digitalisation? Digitalisation affects everyone in society, but especially the economy. Here we speak of digital transformation or digital change. It refers to changes in processes, forms of work, customer interactions, products, services and complete business models. For example, during the Corona crisis, communication was moved to online platforms or companies are developing apps to offer their services there as well.
Front-runner and tail-runner in digitalisation
Looking at these examples, it is not surprising that there are large fluctuations in the state of digitalisation in Germany, both among the sectors and among the company sizes. Overall, however, an upward trend can be seen in most sectors and company types. The frontrunners in terms of sectors are the information and communications industry, followed by the automotive and mechanical engineering industries and business-related service providers. In terms of company size, companies with more than 250 employees are ahead with a digitisation index of 205.2. The value for medium-sized companies declined (125.4 to 119.4), and companies with 1 – 49 employees were able to increase their degree of digitalisation, but still only have a value of 93.9. The digitalisation index is based on 50 indicators such as the digitalisation of processes or human capital.
Ziele der digitalen Transformation
Klar ist jedoch, dass die Notwendigkeit des digitalen Wandels in den Köpfen angekommen ist und dass Unternehmen begonnen haben, an ihrer Transformation zu arbeiten. So verfügen inzwischen insgesamt 83% der Unternehmen über eine Digitalisierungsstrategie. Allerdings gibt ein Drittel der Befragten immer noch an, keine zentrale Strategie für die Digitalisierung zu haben, was sich langfristig auf die Erfolgschancen der Unternehmen auswirken kann. Hauptmotive für die Digitalisierung sind laut einer Studie der DIHK unter etwa 3500 Unternehmen vor allem die strategische Unternehmensentwicklung und Effizienzsteigerungen durch Kostensenkung (jeweils 57 Prozent). Auf Platz zwei liegt die Erhöhung der Kundenbindung (53 Prozent), gefolgt von der Flexibilisierung der Unternehmensprozesse bzw. Workflows (52 Prozent).
Goals of the digital transformation
What is clear, however, is that the need for digital transformation has entered people’s minds and that companies have begun to work on their transformation. Thus, a total of 83% of companies now have a digitalisation strategy. However, one third of respondents still say they do not have a central strategy for digitalisation, which can have an impact on companies’ chances of success in the long term. The main motives for digitalisation, according to a study of around 3,500 companies by the DIHK, are above all strategic corporate development and efficiency increases through cost reduction (57 percent each). In second place is increasing customer loyalty (53 percent), followed by making company processes or workflows more flexible (52 percent).
Main reasons for problems with digitalisation
There are many reasons why digitalisation projects fail or are not tackled at all. According to a survey by the DIHK, small and medium-sized enterprises in particular shy away from the high investment costs. In the first place, however, is the complexity that companies see in the implementation inot existing systems and processes. Of course, human capital also plays a role here. As in the case of the digitalisation index, it can be seen here again that the know-how for the conversion of processes or business models is lacking in the companies and must be purchased or created through further training measures. A study by the d.velop blog looks at other reasons for the failure of many a digitalisation project. The respondents see a major issue in the fact that digitalisation affects every company differently and a clear definition of requirements across all departments and areas of the company is difficult. A good third also stated that they have methodological implementation problems because they are not familiar with the agile way of working, which is important for change, and therefore do not succeed in the transition.
Possible solutions: Use of consultants and nearshoring
As is so often the case, it is difficult to change and make a transition on your own. Especially in the area of digitalisation and agility, it therefore makes sense to hire external consultants and thus buy in the missing know-how. With expert eyes and the necessary distance, they can achieve what internal employees can almost only fail at: a precise analysis of the current situation with a roadmap on how companies can use digitalisation for themselves and gradually adapt their processes. In training and coaching sessions, employees can learn new agile ways of working and adjust their mindset, which is necessary for this new form of collaboration. In order to avoid a cost explosion when adapting processes that require a new technological solution, outsourcing IT projects to nearshoring partners is a good alternative, as communication is guaranteed here due to a common working language and similar mentality . We offer a full service solution in this area. Do you have any questions? Contact us!
Content:
160 Days Sprint - The Lockdown as a Creative Break
A salutary shock for digitalisation or a burning glass for societal and social inequalities?
One thing is certain: in situations of crisis, our values and ideals are put to the test. Actually, it is only in situations of crisis that they become visible and gain in importance, since before they are only lip service and ideas of what we want to be as a society. Political decisions, legitimised by the containment of the pandemic, have to be implemented overnight. People and companies are permanently confronted with new procedures and instructions.
The state of emergency as default mode
In the think tank, too, the working day has changed radically. We now meet every morning at 8:45 in the daily. The cheerful, pleasant sounds of the team app have become a wake-up call to work for all of us and a fixed part of our daily routine. The daily exchange gives us support and structure in a time of volatility.
In a virtual walk & talk, we meet for small talk. What used to happen automatically and without thinking must now be institutionalised. For many, work is a big part of life. Not everyone has a family or a large circle of friends. The “good morning” in the chat is often the only signal from outside. That is why formats of this kind are only the beginning and must be constantly renewed and expanded.
My impressions after 100 days Corona
160 Days Sprint - The Lockdown as a Creative Break
Nevertheless, we used the lockdown as a creative break and completely revised our website.
We reworked the design, the content, the graphics and even the tech stack together. In 160 days. We changed our organisation from a loose working group to Scrum.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has tirelessly designed, written and coded.
That’s why this story is a success story for me.
Conclusion
Certainly, Corona is the fuel for digitalisation. Nevertheless, we need to constantly review our actions and their impact. As the pace increases, so does the risk that some will fall by the wayside and be left behind. We need to continuously question what we can do better. How can we bring everyone along? How can humanity and warmth of heart be transported despite distance, masks and isolation?
Do you need a Blockchain?
Do you need a Blockchain?
- Decentralisation,
- security and
- trust.
In order to get a better overview of the different areas of application, the categories to which most use cases can be assigned, regardless of the industry, are listed below:
Digital Identity Management: Many people have certainly come up with the idea of managing digital identities. Not least Facebook and Google, which are integrated as registration services in many online services. From the user’s point of view, this is both convenient and questionable, as it is not always obvious when which data is passed on to third parties and for what purpose. The decisive factor in this category is the purpose, namely the storage of personal data that can be validated and thus used for authentication for other services.
Market creation and digital currencies: This category refers to the creation of new markets. Usually, this is a blockchain-based market on which goods or services can be traded. All cryptocurrency applications are examples of this category. Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) in which investor funds are collected in an initial funding phase are also examples of market development.
Origin and tokenisation: In tokenisation, a real object that represents an asset is converted into a digital asset. The value is transferred to tokens and uniquely assigned to an owner. The tracking mechanism can be used to prove the origin and ownership of an object at any time (provenance).
Meta-consensus: Meta-consensus is one of the fundamental paradigms of the blockchain, as all participants must agree on a “chain”. This use case category is about finding and reaching consensus on a specific issue without being able to manipulate the outcome of the election. Examples are parliamentary elections, referendums or the votes of shareholders or contracts between several parties.
Tracking. Tracking is about the transparent, permanent storage and traceability of information that is relevant for several organisations. A good example is use cases from supply chain management, as data on transport goods is necessary both for individual suppliers and for checking adherence to laws and guidelines (compliance).
IoT – Internet of Things: Machines that interact on the blockchain like we humans do in real life and exchange goods and services via a wallet are part of the IoT category. An example is the automatic payment of tolls or parking fees, which can be paid by the car, which has a unique ID. Smart contracts, which are executed automatically without external intervention, also belong to this category.
Intermediary trust: Due to the characteristics outlined at the beginning, the blockchain has the potential to reduce the participants in a value chain to those that are really necessary, i.e. only those that actually contribute to an increase in value. Services and goods can thus be offered much more cheaply. One example is the energy sector, where it is possible to directly connect producers and consumers thanks to the blockchain.
We don't need a Blockchain!
The use of a blockchain solution should be viewed critically if it involves the storage of large amounts of data, there are many write accesses and a real-time data set is necessary or only a few participants are involved.
Conclusion
The applications of blockchain are as diverse as our lives. Nevertheless, it is often difficult to judge when its use really makes sense. “If trust or robustness are not important, then there is nothing which a blockchain offers that can’t be done with a regular database.” Gideon Greenspan – Founder of Coin Science.
Quellen: Ulrich Gallersdörfer Masterthesis: Analysis of Use Cases of Blockchain Technology in Legal Transactions https://wwwmatthes.in.tum.de/pages/z0tgbukmqlbr/Master-s-Thesis-Ulrich-Gallersdoerfer, zuletzt geprüft am: 05.02.2020
Cathy Mulligan (April 2018) These 11 questions will help you decide if blockchain is right for your Business https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/04/questions-blockchain-toolkit-right-for-business, zuletzt geprüft am 05.02.2020
T. Koens & E. Poll 2018 What Blockchain Alternative Do You Need? http://tommykoens.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/blockchain-alternative.pdf, zuzletzt geprüft am: 05.02.2020
DHS model (~end 2017) Dylan Yaga Peter Mell Nik Roby Karen Scarfone Blockchain Technology Overview https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/ir/2018/NIST.IR.8202.pdf , zuletzt geprüft am: 05.02.2020
ISMS – information security guideline of our organisation
Certified in accordance with ISO 27001:2013
We, think tank Business Solutions AG, Messerschmittstraße 7, 80992 Munich (hereinafter: think tank) have implemented an Information Security Management System (ISMS) according to ISO 27001:2013. The ISMS is intended to form the basis for systematically identifying and managing existing risks. The ISMS also has the function of ensuring the continuous improvement of the protection goals for information security – confidentiality, integrity, availability. The think tank’s ISMS applies to all organisational units. It therefore includes all procedures, processes and activities of the company. If third parties are commissioned with the provision of services, contractual agreements must ensure that the information security guideline is taken into account in the service relationships.
Scope of the ISMS according to ISO27001:2013
The Board of Directors is responsible for the information security of think tank. As part of this responsibility, the Executive Board issues this information security guideline. According to this guideline, each area of think tank is responsible for the security and appropriate protection of information. These measures are not only required by law, but are also part of our obligations towards our customers. Every employee must therefore adhere to this guideline and the standards derived from it.
Target group
These guidelines are binding for all employees of think tank. All employees are requested by the Executive Board to actively implement information security on the basis of this guideline and in accordance with ISO 27001, data protection in accordance with the BDSG and EU-DSGVO and material security to the best of their ability in their respective areas of activity.
Responsibilities
In addition to the Executive Board as the overall responsible party, all those involved in the business processes are also responsible for information security. The Executive Board actively supports the measures and strategies of information security and promotes the implementation of security measures in the company. Each person responsible has to pay particular attention to the following in his or her area:
- Assessing and determining the business relevance of the information and data for which he or she is responsible,
- determining and approving the scope of security and controls to adequately ensure the availability, confidentiality and integrity of the information and data for which he or she is responsible,
- ensuring that responsibilities are explicitly defined and security and control measures are implemented to manage and protect the information and data for which he or she is responsible,
- ensuring that the systems used to process the information and data for which he/she is responsible are regularly audited for compliance with the Information Security Policy.
All employees are required to comply with the guideline and any derived guidelines when creating, using and managing information and data. Employees are responsible for all actions they take when using information and related systems. Employees must understand that information security is central to the company’s philosophy and develop appropriate security awareness. Employees who suspect or become aware of a breach of information security and related information security standards, or who suspect that information is not appropriately protected, must report it immediately to their supervisor and/or the Information Security Officer. Non-compliance or deliberate violation of company requirements may result in disciplinary action, dismissal and criminal and/or civil proceedings, depending on their extent.
Security awareness
Due to the importance of information security, every employee is expected to maintain a high level of security awareness. Their compliance will be monitored. Security awareness is characterised by the following behaviour:
Recognising that information security is a critical and essential element of the company’s philosophy and success,
constant security awareness in all daily activities,
personal accountability for proactive as well as effective reactive measures in relation to all risks, vulnerabilities, incidents to employees, information, assets and the continuation of business in the event of an emergency,
the Information Security Officer is informed immediately of any irregularities.
Goals
As the importance of information security is central to the execution of business processes, the following key, strategic information security objectives emerge:
Protection of confidential data of both customers and the company and its employees,
Availability of all services and thus the availability of the data involved,
Integrity of all services and thus the integrity of the data involved,
– Preservation of the value invested in technology, information, work processes and knowledge,
Compliance with the requirements resulting from legal, contractual and regulatory obligations,
Ensuring the continuity of work processes within the company,
Establishing and maintaining a good reputation of the company with regard to information security in the public awareness,
Reducing the costs incurred in the event of a loss.
Minimum or need-to-know principle: Access to security-critical systems, applications and information must be restricted to a minimum number of people. In principle, what is not explicitly permitted is prohibited (prohibition with reservation of permission).
Introduction and ongoing maintenance of the ISMS based on the idea of continuous improvement in the sense of the PDCA model (Plan-Do-Check-Act).
Provision of sufficient resources to achieve the set goals.
Risk management
Risk management is the basis of the ISMS according to ISO 27001. The risk analysis within the framework of the ISMS serves to systematically consider potential risks, followed by their evaluation and, if necessary, the initiation of countermeasures. The risks existing for information technology and security are recorded and evaluated according to a given scheme. The application of appropriate, economic measures, the shifting of business risks and the lowering or conscious acceptance of risks below a defined, acceptable level are described in the risk analysis and countersigned by the Executive Board.
Continuous improvement process
The ISMS based on the PDCA model is implemented to maintain and continuously improve information security. Improvement measures from various sources flow into the PDCA cycle, and their implementation is continuously documented.
Content:
Scaling frameworks Nexus, LeSS and SAFe
Tabular comparison
Megatrends such as digitalisation, globalisation and flexibilisation are rapidly changing our working world today. The expectations and demands of customers are adapting to digital possibilities at ever shorter intervals. New demands are also constantly being placed on products. Teams can be scattered all over the world and still work together excellently. Everything is becoming faster, more interactive and more agile – accordingly, product development cycles are also becoming shorter and shorter.
One method that meets these requirements – today on everyone’s lips – is Scrum. However! What do you do when the product is so large and comprehensive that many teams, different departments or even the whole organisation has to work together on it? The right scaling for efficient and satisfying collaboration provides orientation and support for the teams. But: how do you decide which scalable framework is best? Which framework can be used when the processes of Scrum for 3, 4, 5, … teams are too small? The search for the most optimal approach is a big challenge for many.
To give you a rough overview of the common scalable frameworks, I have summarised an overview that highlights the differences of each framework: Nexus (Framework for Scaling Scrum), LeSS (Large-Scaled Scrum) and SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework).
Nexus
The father of the Nexus framework, Ken Schwaber, describes it as an exoskeleton that connects three to nine Scrum teams to develop a product. It is a process framework based on the agile manifesto and Scrum.
Nexus captivates through its simplicity. Scrum is scaled in its roles, events and artefacts. It focuses on cross-team dependencies and integration issues that arise when scaling across multiple teams and emphasises transparency.
LeSS
LeSS aims to impress with its simplicity (more with less) and relies on clear principles. The teams under a product owner are responsible for the complete product development and bear a great responsibility, which also includes communication towards customers and the environment. If there are more than eight teams, the system is expanded to LeSS Huge in an additional scaling phase.
SAFe
SAFe is economically oriented and has the continuous improvement of value streams in mind. With its hierarchical structure, it looks beyond the team to the programme, solution and portfolio levels as well as the overall embedding in the organisation. Roles, methods and artefacts are clearly described and support the introduction to scaled agile working.
Agile scaling frameworks Nexus, LeSS and SAFe × This comparison is intended to provide you with an orientation to make it easier for you to take the first steps regarding the decision in which direction you want to go – Nexus, LeSS or SAFe. The advantages, disadvantages and limitations of these frameworks have deliberately not been discussed here.
However, before you can choose one of the scaling frameworks, you need to think carefully about which one fits your company culture and values. Check what your goal is, what do you want to achieve? What is the environment like and which agile methods are already used in your company?
My recommendation is to take the elements that best fit your organisation from the known frameworks and adapt an agile scaling framework.
Sources:
SAFe – https://www.scaledagileframework.com
LeSS – https://less.works/de
THE NEXUS™ GUIDE – https://www.scrum.org/resources/nexus-guide
Agile Skalierungsframeworks: Safe, Less und Nexus im Vergleich – https://t3n.de/news/agile-skalierungsframeworks-safe-less-nexus-1150190/
Das beste agile Framework – 5 Large-Scale Ansätze im Überblick – https://www.mosaiic.com/agile_framework/
Error culture - a clarification
What is an error?
An error is a deviation (actual value) from a state (target value) that has been defined as correct in advance. The process of organising, however, turns the possibility of voluntarily choosing either alternative A or alternative B into an “only-A!”. Organising is therefore the destruction of alternatives. There are good reasons for this: Sometimes it is about avoiding dangers, sometimes about making processes more efficient, sometimes about simplifying steps. Those who act according to alternative B then make a mistake. …
So the individual has to make an appropriate decision in a concrete situation (this is called responsibility), but this is narrowed down to a duty of care by too tight an organisation. It is then no longer a question of doing the right things in the situation. It is only about doing the right things – in order to be able to justify oneself afterwards. Before any action is taken, the guideline, the precedent, the manual is always asked for. That is the price that has to be paid for the alternative destruction.” It remains the case that if the rules are clear, they must be adhered to and every effort must be made to avoid mistakes, but if they do happen, they must be analysed.
When do we speak of an experiment?
If an attempt to do something new fails, or if the desired result is not achieved, one should not speak of a mistake, but of an experiment. “In experiments, the result is always open. You can’t know in advance whether it will work or not. There has been no decision beforehand between the actual and the target value, because neither one nor the other is known. You only have a vague idea of something that could work. But what and how exactly, you can’t know by definition.” An experiment that fails is not a failure. It just didn’t produce the desired result.
Everything innovative is also bound to failure, to failure – but not to failure. It may take a few failures to be truly successful in the end. If agile transitions don’t work right away, management is quick to claim it was a mistake, I say no, because in order to survive in the market, innovation and speed are required. There is no right or wrong here, but to be at the forefront, it is not enough to avoid mistakes, you also have to risk something, it would be a mistake not to try it.
Sources: Sprengers Spitzen: The myth of the error culture – WirtschaftsWoche 02 July 2017
Emotional intelligence
Why EQ is so important in the business environment
Everyone has an emotional intelligence or emotional quotient (EQ), but its expression varies from person to person. For example, a high intelligence quotient (IQ) does not automatically mean a high EQ. In practice, it has been shown that people whose emotional intelligence is more pronounced than their IQ are nevertheless more successful in the workplace. A well-developed emotional intelligence is therefore a decisive advantage in the working world and is an important component for professional success. For example, it strengthens one’s own leadership skills, has a positive effect on working with the team or stakeholders and thus improves everyday work.
Due to the increased social skills, everyday work can also be made more pleasant and goal-oriented. If a manager or project leader lacks emotional intelligence, this can have a negative impact on teamwork. Productivity can decrease or even lead to resignations. Therefore, it is particularly important not only to focus on pure workflows and processes, but also to include the social component. Often, incipient conflicts can already be avoided if at the same time the feelings and needs of the counterpart are also recognised and understood. People with a high EQ are better able to grasp their own and other people’s feelings and thus better assess the other person. The associated problem-solving competence on a social level also increases their potential to solve conflicts optimally or to prevent them from arising in the first place.
An excursion into our brain - where emotional intelligence is located
The brain is divided into an emotional (limbic system) and a rational area. In the so-called limbic system, emotions are located in this subdivision. Other factors, such as rational action and logical thinking, are located relatively far away from this area. Scientifically, the relatively large distance between the two areas explains why emotions such as anger, sadness or joy and rational action act differently from each other. Whether in private life or in everyday work, many people find it difficult to react objectively instead of emotionally. This sometimes leads to rash and emotionally driven actions or statements that may be regretted in retrospect.
The four skills of emotional intelligence
Die vier Fähigkeiten der emotionalen Intelligenz sind als Selbstwahrnehmung, Selbstmanagement, Soziales Bewusstsein und Beziehungsmanagement definiert. Diese Fähigkeiten werden wiederum in persönliche und soziale Kompetenz unterteilt. Selbstwahrnehmung und Selbstmanagement sind dabei die zwei Fähigkeiten der persönlichen Kompetenz. Sie betreffen die eigene Persönlichkeit und helfen dabei, sich den eigenen Emotionen bewusst zu werden und das eigene Verhalten zu steuern.
Self-awareness means being able to perceive, understand and interpret one’s own emotions. This applies to one-time events as well as recurring situations. Dealing with negative feelings also plays a role. Since emotions are a reaction to our environment and thus always have a cause, it is particularly important to be able to classify them correctly and to understand one’s own emotional reactions. People with good self-awareness simply find it easier to see through the potential of a situation and to take advantage of it. In a sense, these people do not let their emotional world stand in the way. They also do not shy away from unpleasant situations, but use them to develop themselves further. The better one knows oneself and one’s own emotions, the easier this is.
Self-management is about the ability to consciously and positively control one’s own emotions. This is not easy for some people because emotions outweigh rational thinking. With good self-management, you are less likely to react rashly or too emotionally. The biggest hurdle is getting behaviours under control in the long run and applying the brain’s learned skills in different situations. People with good self-management can successfully put their own needs aside and keep their behaviour under control accordingly.
Social awareness and relationship management are the two skills of social competence and relate to dealing with other people. It describes the ability to recognise and understand other people’s emotional states, behaviour and emotions. Social awareness describes the basic human ability to accurately understand the feelings and thoughts of others, even if one’s own emotional state is different. Close observation and listening are among the most important factors. Ideally, you concentrate 100 per cent on your counterpart and focus only on their behaviour. Conscious listening creates an overall picture that enables the interpretation of the other person’s emotional world.
Relationship management is the knowledge of using one’s own and others’ emotions for successful and clear communication. People with highly developed relationship management find it easier to network with different people and to derive possible advantages from it. Sympathy plays a minor role. In general, social relationships must be cultivated and valued in order to build an adequate network. The better the connection, the more positive feedback you get. If the relationship is less developed, it is much more difficult to make your point of view heard. In stressful (work) times, the biggest challenge is to maintain these social relationships. Especially in the workplace, conflicts often arise because very different characters clash. Most people do not find it easy to still have constructive conversations in emotionally charged situations. Good relationship management helps to avoid such conflictual situations in the workplace and to turn them into positive relationships.
Exercise to improve emotional intelligence
Emotions are a reaction to our environment, which can create some emotional hurdles in the work environment. This is where emotional intelligence becomes important. To improve it, everyone can work on themselves. The most important points for a positive impact on conflict are active listening, open communication and respectful interaction. Likewise, time should be taken to reflect on the situation and the emotions that have arisen. In the best case, before acting impulsively. Journaling, for example, is a good exercise to improve self-awareness. All you need to prepare is a pen and paper. You can, for example, take 30 minutes in the evening after work and reflect on the day or certain situations. Like writing in a diary, you write down how you felt and how others and you reacted.
Positive affirmations can also help to positively influence future behaviour. It is also possible to take only 3 minutes to continue writing a sentence with an open end, or to respond to a question. This way you learn to reflect and classify your feelings. Example sentences are “How I feel now is…”, “What motivates me is…”, “How could you have made your day even better?”. The answers should be written down spontaneously and from the gut, you should not think about it for a long time, do not allow pauses for writing. Whether you take 30 minutes or 3 minutes is irrelevant. It is only about writing to yourself and thus getting more clarity about your own emotions.
If you use these or other exercises regularly, you will soon see a learning effect. Everyone can actively work on and improve their emotional intelligence. In this way, you can not only master your everyday working life more successfully, but also deal better with conflicts in your private life.
Emotional intelligence at think tank
Methods such as design thinking as a people-oriented approach work specifically with the skills of emotional intelligence. The first phase of the design thinking process is about understanding people and developing the ability to empathise with them, which in turn is in line with a well-developed emotional intelligence. The aim is to find out what people’s needs, views, fears and emotions are, e.g. through active listening in the context of qualitative interviews. In this way, latent human (user) needs are to be identified, which serve as inspiration for new innovative approaches, products and services.
Sources: Bradberry, Travis; Greaves, Jean (2018): Emotionale Intelligenz 2.0 – Erhöhen Sie Ihre Sozialkompetenz und verbessern Sie Ihre Kommunikation Tan, Chade-Meng (2014): Search Inside Yourself – The unexpected path to achieving success, happiness (and world peace)
