A leader must create a sense of "we-feeling" - Dr. Christiane Nill-Theobald

1. Dr. Christiane Nill-Theobald, you are a qualified lawyer, lecturer, and expert in leadership and employee motivation. What, in your opinion, distinguishes the ideal leader?

Dr. Christiane Nill-Theobald: As a management and leadership coach, I naturally favor a cooperative leadership style. A leader must be able to create a sense of "we" and maintain a respectful relationship with employees. For me, the "we-feeling" is not just about using informal language, but primarily about mutual trust and appropriate appreciation. Another important aspect for me is the challenge and support of employees. This means that despite high performance demands, one should still enjoy work. I believe that as a leader, I used to demand a lot from my employees, but never more than what I was willing to give myself. And most importantly, we always had a lot of laughter. And one thing my people could always count on was my full support. By supporting, I mean that every leader should care about the professional development of their employees. It is gratifying to see that more and more companies are realizing that only genuine and profound development of employee potential ensures sustainable competitive advantages and thus guarantees long-term business success. Furthermore, the ideal leader in a digital world must allow and enable flexibility and diversity.

2. In your opinion, what are the most common leadership mistakes made in companies?

Dr. Christiane Nill-Theobald: Not considering my recommendations from earlier. The human aspect as a leadership principle is often overlooked. This includes: Insufficient recognition, lack of time for employees, inability to provide constructive feedback, and failure to promote personal development. It is also terrible when many bosses believe they have to run the whole show on their own. They try to take on every task themselves and delegate nothing, which quickly makes employees feel either useless or not good enough. A real dark chapter is the communication culture: Most people believe they can improve their communication skills by learning to speak better. However, it's about better listening: Good speakers were previously good listeners. This brings us back to coaching. Leaders must master "active listening" to be able to address understanding issues and ask the right questions during employee conversations.

3. How can I effectively discover and promote the talents of my employees?

Observe employees and engage in informal personal conversations. As a boss, I should consider the following: In what areas does each employee appear competent to me? Can I immediately say something about their competency profile or do I hesitate? If I can't think of any ideas, I must assign tasks and observe. Following this, the leader should plan a good mix of challenging and supporting. Then: observe, develop, observe. Finally: Consistently make the right decisions and allow people to mature by assigning tasks on a case-by-case basis or expanding their area of responsibility in general.  

4. Do you believe that poor leadership is one of the main causes of the burnout epidemic in this country?

I don't think it can be said like that. The issue is very complex. Burnout syndrome can have very diverse causes. Some individuals have a personal predisposition that favors the condition of burnout. But external pressures and extreme stress situations can quickly lead to overwhelm and ultimately burnout. Burnout research now assumes that stressful conditions in companies and private stress situations interact in complex ways when we run out of steam. Stressors in the workplace and internal, personal stress should not be viewed separately, as they influence each other and may even intensify. The statement "Working too much leads to burnout" is certainly incorrect. A person does not burn out just because they work too much. Burnout is more than just exhaustion due to a high workload; burnout literally means being "burned out": namely, experiencing no appreciation despite enormous workloads. When considering topics that define appreciation in the professional environment, such as respectful communication, praise, or utilizing abilities and interests, the focus quickly returns to the leader. Therefore: Poor leadership can make people sick, but it doesn't have to.

5. How can I retain talented employees in my company in the long term?

First and foremost, employees must feel that their work is appreciated. It is a misconception that money, vacations, and bonuses serve as a panacea for motivating and retaining employees. This myth has been debunked by several studies and authors. Therefore: Employees must be able to unfold in their work. Give your employees varied, challenging tasks in an attractive social environment. Flexible working models are actually a given nowadays. This is again an expression of appreciation: Employers who cater to the wishes and needs of their employees show that they care about their employees and can be assured of a stronger emotional bond. And one more thing: If companies want to attract, motivate, and retain their employees and future talents, they must support and develop them further. For more information on Dr. Christiane Nill-Theobald, visit: http://www.excellente-unternehmer.de/redner/christianenilltheobald.html More interviews: https://www.speakers-excellence.de/se/blog/interview-marcel-jansen/ https://www.speakers-excellence.de/se/blog/dipl-psych-rolf-schmiel-im-interview/