Partnering Leadership Academy Podcast

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Collaboration between business partners is nothing new, but there has been a tremendous increase in the diversity, variety and scale of partnership forms, from mergers to alliances and now platforms and ecosystems. As it's easy to get lost in this accelerating trend of 'partnering', there is a growing interest in understanding and approaching this emerging field of partnering collaboration in a more systematic way.

Looking for some guidance and clarity on partnering strategies?

We warmly invite you to join us in this podcast to learn to better navigate partnering strategies through a systematic approach brought forward by the renowned expert Prof. Dr. Christoph Lechner of the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. As the Academic Director of the brand-new Competence Centre “Alliances, Platforms and Ecosystems (APE)” of the University of St.Gallen, he works at the intersection between cutting-edge research and practice. Together, we explore the various categories of partnering strategies, what makes them successful, and what needs to be considered when building platform (ecosystem) business models.

Our conversation addresses key questions such as

• What are the various forms of inter-organizational collaboration that have emerged throughout history? (~3:49)

• What is the failure or success rate and what have we learned to avoid failure? (~14:19)

• What are the most important things to consider when building a platform business model? (~19:31)

• Looking to the future, what is next? (~36:04)

• What are the most important skills for managing ecosystems and platforms? (~46:57)

  
  

Some key take-aways

• Partnering strategies can be categorized as M&As, alliances, portfolios of alliances, joint ventures, platforms, and ecosystems.

• "The failure rate of partnerships is about 50% - approximately as high as the average divorce rate" - managing partnering models is a distinct capability and can lower this failure rate.

• "It's not an ego-system, it's an ecosystem" - fair effective value distribution and governance are key factors in successful partnering strategies.

• The future of partnering strategies lies in learning how to manage partnerships more effectively, especially when it comes to innovation.

• Rather than focusing on "5-year business cases", experimentation, flexibility and empathy are essential skills to make partnering strategies work.

Anything that spoke to you from this podcast episode?
We love to hear from you - drop a question or comment below.

Some links

Would you like to learn more about the work of Prof. Christoph Lechner and the team of the Competence Centre Alliances, Platforms and Ecosystems? Please feel free to explore our link list below:

• About: Profile of Prof. Dr. Christoph Lechner

• About the Comeptence Centre: Competence Centre “Alliances, Platforms & Ecosytems” at the University of St.Gallen

• Tune into more podcasts from the Competence Centre:
  Podcast “Platform Insights” on Apple Podcasts

  Podcast “Platform Insights” on Spotify

If you’d like to learn more about the Partnering Leadership Academy offerings mentioned, here are the links: The PLA Podcast episode on perspective taking or our online course offering on defining shared purpose.

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In a world saturated with diverse viewpoints, we often find ourselves overwhelmed and tempted to ignore or resist perspectives that differ from our own. Yet, in doing so, we risk overlooking one of the most extraordinary facets of human intelligence: the ability to connect our minds and hearts, unlocking new horizons by discovering common ground and elevating our collective consciousness.

Join us in this enlightening podcast as we delve into the art of perspective-taking with two distinguished leadership experts, Dr. Claude Heini from Switzerland and Jason Kay, originally from South Africa and now based in Berlin, Germany.

Together, we'll uncover the profound benefits of cultivating our 'perspective-taking muscle,' drawing on their extensive knowledge and practical insights as leadership development coaches.

Our conversation addresses essential questions, such as:

• The effects and advantages that perspective-taking can unlock [17:47]
• Understanding the reasons why it is challenging to embrace perspectives that conflict with our own [24:02]
• Practical 'life hacks' for navigating emotionally charged encounters with differing viewpoints and the various dimensions of perspective-taking [28:40]
• Methods and strategies to regularly exercise and refine your perspective-taking skills within a leadership context [36:56]
• How we can train our muscle of perspective-taking on a regular basis [48:17 ]
• Recognizing the limits of perspective-taking and when it can become counterproductive [54:35]
• And: how perspective-taking has personally transformed our lives [10:56]

The most profound lesson I gained from our conversation is that perspective-taking extends beyond merely stepping into others' shoes. It also involves a conscious connection with our own perspective, taking responsibility for it without becoming excessively emotionally identified with it.

Embark on this enlightening journey with us and let’s unlock a sea of possibilities for solutions, innovation, deeper connections, and, perhaps most importantly in today's divided world, a shared space for conflict resolution and peace.

If you'd like to learn more about the work of Dr. Claude Heini and Jason Kay as leadership development consultants and coaches, please find below their respective websites and LinkedIn Profiles:

• Dr. Claude Heini “Leading Power” – LinkedIn Profile
• Jason Kay “Consulting Group Berlin” – LinkedIn Profile

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In the hectic world of work, time is often at the center of attention as an extremely scarce resource. It's no wonder that most of us strive to optimize its use.

The discourse on the efficiency of time, work, and meeting management is considered one of the most important challenges in our contemporary professional world: Whether we consider the time-pressed nurse caring for patients, the overwhelmed banker or engineer struggling with documentation tasks, or the manager juggling a busy 16-hour day with two meetings, the quest for effective time management is universal.

Not unexpectedly, time conflicts are a common issue in professional collaboration and partnership. Frustration over unproductive meetings, the strain of impossibly tight deadlines or disagreements over the timing of critical activities such as product launches are all indicative of these challenges. So what can leadesr do about it?

Join us in this podcast as we explore the labyrinth of modern time management, guided by the insights of Anna Jelen, a renowned Swiss-Swedish keynote speaker, podcaster, coach, author and artist, dubbed the "Time Expert" by her listeners.

Our conversation reveals a profound truth: effective time management goes beyond the mere mechanics of timekeeping and productivity. Instead, it depends on the alignment of shared purpose and values that we all too often fail to put consequently on our agendas.

This intriguingly paradoxical insight reveals that when we find congruence with our core human values, the dominance of time recedes and we enter a state of flow where time becomes a well-invested resource.

Effective time management therefore lies not just in time-saving techniques, but in the artful curation of ‘alive’ moments. We need to make conscious choices about how and where we invest our time, rather than simply trying to hoard it. For partnering leadership this means that by respecting (or disrespecting) the time of others, we actually respect (or disrespect) their values.

In this context, the importance of carving out dedicated temporal spaces to nurture shared human values within partnerships may become the best time management. These intangibles - such as fostering connectedness, building trust and nurturing joy - are the keystones that strengthen the foundations of any collaboration.

Dive into our lively conversation as we travel through the landscapes of time and how to make it a companion, not an enemy. Embrace the revelation that mastery of time isn't limited to its preservation, but thrives in synchrony with shared purpose and the values that define our humanity. This is its true essence.

• If you would like to learn more about Anna Jelen’s creative work, you are welcome to visit her Homepage, screen her programs and events, or follow her over Instagram
  

• Subscribe to her monthly free calls or her podcast “The time expert” (English) or “HeschZiit?” (German)
  
• If you’d like to learn more about the mentioned Partnering Leadership Academy offerings, here you’ll find the links: The “Follow-up Meeting Guide”, or the Online Course and Workshop Kit on how to facilitate a successful “Finding Shared Purpose” session.

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«Respect, all I'm askin' for is a little respect» sings Aretha Franklin, echoing the desire shared by many in our fast-paced, efficiency-driven digital workplaces.

In an enlightening episode of the Partnering Leadership Academy podcast, I had the privilege of interviewing Barbara Zehnder and Daniel Senn, esteemed international courtesy experts and coaches. They are the founders of International Courtesy Competence GmbH, an organization that trains future Swiss diplomats and business leaders, among others.

Respect, once considered a given -such as social peace-, is no longer guaranteed. It is, in fact, on the decline. We often find ourselves too caught up in the busyness of life to express it, lacking inspiring role models, or struggling to adapt our expressions of respect to evolving digital and cultural contexts.

Ironically, respect serves as a vital foundation for productive professional partnerships and fuels open dialogue, problem-solving, and innovative solutions.

Join us in this engaging conversation as we explore how etiquette, a formal approach to promoting politeness, nurtures a respectful atmosphere. It creates a space where even the most challenging issues can be raised and discussed.

Here's a key insight I gained from the discussion: Etiquette is not merely about pleasing others or ignoring existing problems. It ensures a level of mutual respect that empowers you to address and resolve difficult issues effectively. Through this approach, the likelihood of finding solutions that benefit everyone greatly increases, replacing destructive battles or wars with constructive outcomes.

If you associate etiquette with outdated unnecessary rules of conduct held by people who resist change, I invite you to tune into this podcast episode. Discover the transformative power of etiquette to consciously foster mutual respect, particularly in today's dynamic and ever-shifting environment.

• If you would like to learn more about Barbara Zehnders and Daniel Senn’s work, you are welcome to visit their website or contact them directly over LinkedIn: Barbara Zehnder and Daniel Senn.
  
• Here you can order their NEW book “How to Meet, Host & Dress – Stylish and successful wherever you go” in English (out on 25 September 2023)

• Find their book “Meeting, Dining, Dresscodes” in German here

• If you’d like to learn more about the 18 partnering leadership principles and how to set up constructive partnering routines in meetings, feel welcome to explore the PLA offering and specifically our free partnering meeting templates and guides.

• Here you can access the mentioned PLA blogpost on the “Worth remembering: The relational power of four transformative words”

• If you'd like to get monthly partnering leadership inspiration and updates, feel welcome to subscribe to our Community News (in the footer section of the page)

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Partnering in today's fragmented professional context is not always easy. It involves bridging all sorts of boundaries, such as different functions, hierarchies, locations and cultures, to name but a few.

It's easier than ever to get into conflict, with destructive results for everyone, draining not only performance, productivity and innovation, but also energy, potential and well-being.

In an increasingly fluid and connected world, conflict resolution is becoming a vital responsibility for each of us, not just something we can delegate to team leaders or management.

In this episode of the Partnering Leadership Academy podcast, I sat down with Susann Bongers, a Swiss accredited mediation and conflict resolution expert from the University of Applied Sciences Lucerne and co-founder of bcompagnion GmbH (Switzerland), to explore what each of us can do to raise awareness and more consciously de-escalate conflicts at an early stage.

Sharing openly her extensive experience as a mediator, Susann reaffirmed how much the discovery of innovative win-win solutions and the bridging of differing interests and needs - at the centre of partnering leadership - depends on our willingness to take the time to silence and listen to each other - and to ourselves.

Tune into this lively conversation that will serve as a powerful reminder of how we can sharpen our sensitivity and cultivate our listening muscle, especially in tense and conflicted situations.

• If you would like to learn more about Susan's work, you are welcome to visit her website (in German) or contact her directly via LinkedIn or visit the mediation training website of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (in German).
  

• If you’d like to learn more about the 18 partnering leadership principles and how to set up constructive partnering routines in meetings, feel welcome to explore this free PLA offering about Establishing Partnering Routines.

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We all know that it's not the 'what' but the 'why' that keeps us engaged and present in projects, organisations, relationships and our lives in general.

But how do we find our inner life force that drives us to explore, create and carve out our unique life path in a world that often seems chaotic, noisy and confusing?

I felt very honoured to sit down with a true expert in this field, Prof Dr Sebastian Kernbach of the University of St. Gallen. From his most surprising research findings on visualisation to his creative approach to using 'life design' to pursue purpose, this conversation was simply a brilliant and enlightening firework of diverse insights, practical guidance and learnings that you don't want to miss!

I have learned that using 'life design' as a methodological approach to finding meaning it differentiates in two important ways. First, it supports the search for meaning in our lives as a journey, not a destination. And second, it goes beyond words. By encouraging us to use all our senses to prototype and embody our life energy, it goes beyond a mental act to include our 'hearts' and 'hands' in the process.

Join our conversation and explore with us why and how the search for meaning becomes more than an ego trip or a luxury, and let Sebastian inspire you with the positive impact his Life Design seminars have had on leaders, professionals, organizations and students alike (whether they came from Europe, South Africa, the USA or Asia).

I realized how much allowing the personal search for meaning is an important prerequisite for any attempt to find a 'shared' purpose, as we support at Partnering Leadership Academy: Because, ironically, it's through our personal search for meaning that we can best find connection and community with others and relate to a mutually inspiring 'shared' purpose of any project, partnership organization or start-up.

Tune in to Sebastian's very insightful and inspiring reflections as he shares incredibly generous practical tips and guidance, lively personal anecdotes and what he knows about Roger Federer 😉 ...

If you would like to find out more about  Prof Dr Sebastian Kernbach  and his work, or sign up for one of his Life-Design seminars, please find the links here:

• NEXT program : This program is a first-in-Europe, unique summit for accomplished professionals to redefine their purpose and explore what's next - Enrol now for End of June 2023!

• Life Design Lab: Website with many sources, insights on the Life-Design approach
  
• Life Design Book (available in German): We show how you can bring more of yourself into your life with the help of the innovation method design thinking, with positive psychology, with behavioral economics and with knowledge visualization.

• Life Design Actionbook (available in German): Use the science of action to show how to get better from thinking to action with 7 core strategies in order to procrastinate less and bring more of yourself into the future. Including a the 30-day challenge, the 90-day program and over 60 templates for your personal life design.

More resources mentioned by Dr. Eva Bilhuber Galli during the podcast:

• "Finding shared purpose" 90 Min online course (offered by PLA)

• The CareerProfile Assessment (offered by PLA): This online assessment from Decision Dynamics helps you to discover where gaps between your mind and your heart voice may be leading (or misleading) you in your career choices.

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What's the relevance of partnering in ensuring that today's technological innovation serves our humanity?

In this PLA podcast episode I felt very privileged to explore this question with three impressively committed technology-oriented experts: ⁠Dr Stefan Voigt⁠, Chairman Open Search Foundation, ⁠Dr Christian Betz⁠ Digital Strategist Consultant Accenture, and ⁠Dr Claudio Noto⁠ Airline Pilot and Aviation Research Fellow at University of St. Gallen.

They all have one thing in common: they make part of technology-driven projects that aim to advance areas of our European societal life in an ethically responsible way: Our web search infrastructure, our digital payment system and the security in our aviation ecosystem.

For me, it was hopeful and enlightening to learn from their work and projects that our technological innovations have incredible potential to help steward our society toward a more socially just, safe, and equitable version. However, this seems to involve that we are willing to let go of certain limiting beliefs when it comes to operating models. More precisely, it needs us to rethink fundamentally our management and organizational logic and instead experiment with frameworks, structures, and processes that allow co-creative partnering to scale.

This conversation helped me understand why and where a scaling, partnering-based organization and thinking logic is critical to responsibly unleash the full potential of technological innovation for the benefit of our humanity as a whole - and not inadvertently undermine it. I hope it may well inspire as well other transformative and innovative IT projects in the business world.

Join this interview of three incredibly dedicated yet humble men who are doing important, innovative, foresight-thinking work within their projects for the benefit of us all.

If you want to learn more about the three European experts and their work, you can find it here:

• Dr. Stefan Voigt, Chairman of the The Open Search Foundation e.V. (OSF): The OSF is a European movement of people and organisations that work together to create the foundation for independent, free and self-determined access to information on the Internet. In cooperation with research institutions, computer centres and other partners, we're committed to ensure that searching the web benefits everyone.

• Dr. Christian Betz, Digital Strategist Accenture, has co-authored the Whitepaper “Seizing the potentials of ecosystems” (2022). Exploring the main success factors that make co-creative value creation within complex ecosystems work, the authors come essentially to the conclusion that we need to overcome established vertical and horizontal structure thinking requiring new leadership skills to orchestrate community effort.

• Dr. Claudio Noto, airline pilot and fellow at the Center for Aviation and Space Competence at the University of St. Gallen, works on applying the concept of a "just culture" in a general corporate context. The just culture is well-known from aviation, where it seeks a shift from blaming individuals for their errors and mistakes to a learning culture of responsibility.