Germany in transition:

What a Possible Jamaica Coalition Must Learn from Successful Change Projects The election result is the outcome of the failure of a change process at the highest level. Anyone dealing with change projects in companies on a daily basis will have shaken their head in despair more than once. After all, in our country, we are experiencing drastic changes on various levels, be it migration, the energy transition, the economy, or foreign policy. The possible Jamaica coalition would do well not only to avoid the mistakes of the previous government but also to learn from successful change projects in companies. 1. Nothing Works Without Vision Whether a change occurs voluntarily or is imposed by external circumstances, we usually do not want to change. After all, every change not only brings opportunities but also the possibility of general or personal failure. One could end up left behind. This fear can only be countered with an even stronger vision. This task is precisely at the beginning of every change project. Election slogans like "more justice," "more prosperity" are as clichéd as they are empty. A strong vision must be tangible and describe the desired state as clearly as possible to all involved. Only if it generates positive emotions, people are willing to tread rocky paths. These emotions were lacking in recent years. The task of the Jamaica coalition will be to paint a clear picture of how our country, in which we will live, should look in four years and to inspire people for it. Angela Merkel was never a chancellor of visions and will not become one. It remains to be hoped that the Greens and the FDP can formulate a vision of our country that is desirable for a majority of society. 2. Achieving the Common Goal Through Many Individual Steps To realize a vision, many sub-goals must be achieved. This is where obstacles often arise. It must be communicated how these sub-goals serve the greater good and why some sacrifices are worthwhile. In the process of change in companies, one quickly encounters the various open and hidden goal components. After all, the overall goal does not necessarily have to align with the departmental goal, let alone with the personal identity goal. Just as what is good for the country does not necessarily have to be good for oneself. These contradictions can only be overcome through convincing work on a small scale and a great deal of understanding for individual fears. Just as emotions can inspire, they can also hinder. The established parties have not covered themselves in glory in this regard. On the one hand, they wanted to take the fears of the citizens seriously and at the same time condemned the AfD, which did exactly that. The parties of the possible Jamaica coalition must actively involve the members of their party base and ensure that they reach out to each individual citizen. Here, too, politics can learn from companies: Change processes may be conceived at the top, but success or failure is decided by the individual people at the grassroots level. 3. Uncomfortable Truths Must Also Be Spoken The success of the AfD is not a result of its party program or its vision for our country. It lies in the fact that it addresses uncomfortable truths. This is often seen in companies: Fears and legitimate concerns of employees in a change process are dismissed by executives until frustration erupts in strikes, work refusal, or internal resignation. The tone of the AfD is geared towards provocation and consciously fishes on the right-wing. However, at its core, it resonates with the concerns of many people. Instead of getting upset about every provocation of the AfD, the parties in the Jamaica coalition should rather address uncomfortable truths openly and honestly. This includes the fact that there is no concept for successful refugee integration to date and that many citizens feel excluded and do not share in prosperity. People appreciate honest discussions more, whether they are citizens or employees in a company, than denying the obvious. 4. The Common Enemy is Different Than Many Think The new coalition has perhaps the greatest responsibility in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany. It also has a strong component that can unite, namely a common enemy. And I do not mean the AfD! The common enemy is the failure of the change process. This is also observed in many companies: when changes are only initiated and not successfully implemented, one is faced with a mess that can lead to resignation and paralysis for years. If not even a company can afford the failure of a change process once initiated, then a federal government certainly cannot. It is hoped that the protagonists of the new coalition are aware of this responsibility. About Kishor Sridhar: Kishor Sridhar is a management consultant, bestselling author, and expert in change processes in companies and the emotionalization of sales processes. He has teaching assignments at the University of Wismar and the International School of Management in Munich.