Speaker

Susanne Nickel

Inspiring people & getting them excited about change.

Susanne Nickel is THE expert for Change & New Work in the German-speaking region. With extensive experience in companies and as a consultant for DAX-40 companies, she guides with clarity and creativity through the world of digitalization and agile cultural transformation. As a lawyer, business mediator, executive coach, and trained dancer, she combines rationality and emotion, structure and intuition. With practical impulses and inspiring approaches, she shapes transformation with depth from mindset to implementation. As a top expert in Change, New Work, and Transformation, bestselling author, and TV expert, she captivates with keynotes for leadership and organization. Ideal for change conferences, HR strategy days, and cultural development. Susanne Nickel makes change tangible and rethinks leadership - your first choice for the future.

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Mehr Infos

Susanne Nickel – Shaping Change with Structure, Creativity, and Straight Talk

Susanne Nickel is the leading expert on Change and New Work in the German-speaking world. She guides companies through the complex landscape of digitalization, generational transitions, and agile cultural transformation – with clarity, creativity, and extensive hands-on experience.

Transformation with Depth – From Mindset to Execution

As a former manager at Kienbaum and the Haufe Group and a trusted advisor to nearly all DAX 40 companies, Susanne Nickel knows the challenges of transformation from the inside out. Whether addressing cultural development, new leadership models, or the war for talent – she delivers practical, high-impact insights that drive real change.

Change Requires Balance – Between Logic and Emotion

Susanne Nickel is a lawyer, business mediator, executive coach – and a trained dancer. This unique blend enables her to unite rational thinking with emotional intelligence, structure with intuition. Her keynotes are inspiring, clear, and packed with fresh, actionable perspectives.

Why You Should Book Susanne Nickel for Your Event

Leading expert on Change, New Work, and Transformation
Extensive consulting experience with nearly all DAX 40 companies
Spiegel bestselling author, FOCUS columnist, and frequent TV contributor
Keynotes combining straight talk, charisma, and practical value for leadership and organizational growth
Ideal for change conferences, HR strategy days, leadership events, and cultural transformation initiatives

Looking for a speaker who makes change tangible, redefines leadership, and inspires people to shape the future?
Then Susanne Nickel is your first choice – delivering keynotes with passion, experience, and a deep commitment to driving meaningful change.

Topics

Emotional leadership - leading in uncertain times

When change becomes everyday life - what counts now to shape the future
How to convey security in uncertain times - successful relationships count
With innovation through the digital transformation
Inspiring leadership: developing people and motivating teams
Strengthening employee loyalty with emotional leadership - whether hybrid, digital or face-to-face

Change, always change - the great change fatigue

The popular sport of change: how to turn resistance into enthusiasm
The road to digital: overcoming fears and seizing opportunities
Agile mindset: reason is good, emotion is better!
Shaping the future with passion, courage and confidence
More personal responsibility: from problem trance expert to creative solution finder

New work - rethinking leadership, recruiting & employer branding

Psychology of change: how your employees want to work
New work needs new leadership: What makes the four generations in the labor market tick
Employer branding: Your employer brand with a pull effect
Achieving goals together: How to make the journey to New Work a success
The manager as influencer: finding and retaining Mr. and Mrs. Right
Skills shortage - The unvarnished truth about the generations on the job market!

Skills shortage - The unvarnished truth about the generations in the job market!

New ways to find and retain employees
Talent urgently needed? - Who do you really need and where do you get them from?
House of Generations! Baby boomers to Gen Z - How do we get everyone under one roof?
Gen Z, Y, X & Boomer - First aid kit for recruiting and leadership
From a shortage of skilled workers to a shortage of managers - act now!

Further topics:

The crisis can screw us - How companies grow humanely and economically

Crack the change code - Shaping the future with ease

Achieve your goals - Assert yourself. Persevere. Take off.

References & Press

Excerpt from the list of companies: ADAC, Atos, Bayerischer Rundfunk, BMW, Daimler, Deutsche Bank, Infineon Technologies, Lekkerland, Linde, L'Oréal, Lufthansa, Osram, ProSieben, Roche, Toshiba Medical, Walt Disney, WMF, WTS, Zeppelin

Awards:

GSA University: Best Keynote
BDVT: European Training Award

“Susanne's speech provided strong impulses in a very refreshing way and inspired both employees and managers. With simple and direct language, well-chosen examples and a lot of enthusiasm, she managed to create closeness and relevance for the audience and still include the overall context and the big picture of a company. A very valuable session even for hardened Masters of Change!”
Niklas Santschi, CEO Payone

“Ms. Nickel's presentation was a motivating and inspiring plea for more joy in change. Her professional and charming presentation style with numerous real-life examples was extremely well received by the participants and was a highlight of the workshop. An authentic, entertaining and clear online keynote that left a lasting impression on us. Many thanks for that!”
Bernd Döpke, Head of the BMW branch in Munich

“Susanne took the complex topic of change and broke it down for our team to understandable and doable actions. Thank you for the inspirational lecture.”
Kelly Page, VP Germany Oncology Takeda

“Susanne Nickel enriched our virtual sales kick-off with a great presentation on the topics of change, ownership, leadership and the right mindset. Based on the briefing, she succeeded in seamlessly integrating content that was individually tailored to our business model. We were particularly impressed by the technical set-up - she absolutely knows how to use the possibilities of virtual tools to her advantage. Recommendation 100%!”
Kerstin Valet, Head of Marketing CRIF Germany

“Susanne Nickel enriched our major event - with well over 1,000 participants - in a very impressive way with her keynote speech on the topic of “Skills shortage - the unvarnished truth”. Her presentation was extremely informative, inspiring and highly professional. The participants praised your expertise, passion and interactivity during the presentation. We received a lot of positive feedback about the quality and relevance of her contribution. Overall, her presentation was a highlight of the event and we would hire her as a speaker again at any time! Thank you very much, Susanne!”

Frank Wegling, Managing Director of the Institute for Human Resources Management, Labor Law and Labor Economics in Dortmund

Online Courses

Susanne Nickel offers 2 courses, 1 lectures and  1 impulses on Excellence Academy.

Ziele erreichen | Der Online-Kurs mit Susanne Nickel

Go to course

Führen auf Distanz | Susanne Nickel & Gunhard Keil

Go to course

Publications

Verzogen, verweichlicht, verletzt

ISBN : 978-3959727792

Knack den Change-Code!: Mit Leichtigkeit Zukunft gestalten (Dein Leben)

ISBN : 3967391019

19.90 €

Amazon: Knack den Change-Code!: Mit Leichtigkeit Zukunft gestalten (Dein Leben)

So geht Agilität: Die besten agilen Methoden im Job (Haufe TaschenGuide)

ISBN : 3648141872

11.95 €

Amazon: So geht Agilität: Die besten agilen Methoden im Job (Haufe TaschenGuide)

Lust auf Change: Elf Co-Creation-Storys für eine gelungene Transformation (Haufe Fachbuch)

ISBN : 364815026X

24.95 €

Amazon: Lust auf Change: Elf Co-Creation-Storys für eine gelungene Transformation (Haufe Fachbuch)

Führen auf Distanz (Haufe TaschenGuide)

ISBN : 3648147781

11.95 €

Amazon: Führen auf Distanz (Haufe TaschenGuide)

Ziele erreichen: Von der Vision zur Wirklichkeit (Haufe TaschenGuide)

ISBN : 3648124625

9.95 €

Amazon: Ziele erreichen: Von der Vision zur Wirklichkeit (Haufe TaschenGuide)

Die Krise kann uns mal!: Wie Unternehmen wirtschaftlich und menschlich wachsen (Dein Business)

ISBN : 3967390268

19.00 €

Amazon: Die Krise kann uns mal!: Wie Unternehmen wirtschaftlich und menschlich wachsen (Dein Business)

Gestatten: Chefin: Karrieredrehbuch für Frauen (Haufe TaschenGuide)

ISBN : 3648132148

9.95 €

Amazon: Gestatten: Chefin: Karrieredrehbuch für Frauen (Haufe TaschenGuide)

Blog

Susanne Nickel

10. April 2025

Entitled. Sensitive. Fragile?

Why Gen Z Isn't the Problem but Our Opportunity

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Generational DIVERSITY instead of Skills SHORTAGE

Susanne Nickel

19. June 2023

Generational DIVERSITY instead of Skills SHORTAGE

Thomas de Maizière discusses the need for improved work ethic among different generations. Generation Z's high demands, lack of skilled workers, and potential conflicts are highlighted. Emphasizing teamwork and emotional leadership is crucial for maximizing employee potential. The importance of age diversity and balancing work expectations is stressed for a successful "House of Generations."

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Susanne Nickel

16. April 2021

No good leadership without coaching

The text emphasizes the importance of coaching as a leadership tool, especially in challenging times like the pandemic. Using techniques like the scaling question can help leaders support their employees and foster self-responsibility. Coaching promotes employee development and effective leadership in the future.

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Susanne Nickel

Inspiring people & getting them excited about change.