In May 2021, LC and WHU hosted their fourth virtual conference: The Open University featuring among other speakers Prof. Dr. Heike Bruch from the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. In her keynote, she emphasizes the need to fundamentally renew the way we work and highlights opportunities and pitfalls of this modernization. Organizational energy is named as an important asset in this change process - and Heike Bruch points out the importance of keeping comfortable and productive energy in balance to create a healthy high performance culture.

The topics of the keynote with Heike Bruch:

6:00 Heike Bruch tells us why the topic of the Open University is so important

7:30 She tells us about two mega trends: Digital Transformation and Demographic Change

12:15 She shares five short insights with us

15:05 She describes Typical Phases on the way towards a network organization

19:30 She tells about a survey they did on how forms of new work are related to success

24:45 She speaks about the Energy Factory and tells us how to increase energy in times of change

30:50 She says why it is important to strengthen comfortable energy and giving People  a perspective

31:40 She describes the “Acceleration Trap”

41:45 Heike tells us that we have to have the courage to focus

44:31 She says why her motto is: “Slow down to speed up”

47:20 She tells us the reason why high performing Companies often have more women on their boards

50:00 Bruch underlines that new work doesn’t need less leadership

53:00 She tells the Story of a man building a cathedral and what we can learn from him

What are your reflections? Feel free to write us your thoughts. We also welcome your suggestions for inspiring guests at Leaders Talk.

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Guest: Prof Dr. Heike Bruch