I recently attended a talk by Sebastian Purps – Pardigol, a management and organizational development consultant. Inspired by his friendship with the renowned German neurobiologist Prof. Dr. Gerald Huether, he has combined the findings of modern brain research, psychology, and behavioural science with methods for management training and organizational development in his book “Leading with brain – How to engage employees and increase the success of a company” (available only in German language).
Purps – Pardigol pointed out that the hidden strengths in an organization (similar like in a brain) cannot be brought out by force. For a company, it is crucial to develop a culture for unfolding potentials. In such an environment, individuals have the opportunity to grow beyond themselves, which is also true for teams, and, ultimately, for the entire company.
During his presentation, Purps – Pardigol shared with us that during his time as senior manager in three different companies he had noticed that one of the key success factors for business success are the human relations, the interpersonal relationships of the employees (including the management team). This was confirmed in his later in-depth interviews with 150 senior business leaders, among them CEOs of companies ranging from 40 to 50,000 employees.
In his talk, Purps – Pardigol stated that there are three crucial elements for establishing a culture for unfolding potentials:
a) belonging: Belonging is a deep-rooted basic neurobiological need. Therefore, leaders need to create a sense of belonging and bonding in their team / organization.
b) involvement: All people carry within themselves a desire to co-create, to be actively involved, and to shape things. As a leader, you need to provide these opportunities for your people so that they and the company can develop and grow.
c) envisioning: You need to develop strong internal images. You have to envision the positive change that leads to the future great state of your organization. Human action can be explained through the influence of strong visions.
At the end of his presentation, Purps – Pardigol gave us examples of some enterprises in Germany who focused on the above three crucial elements and whose economic success has been based on people-centred leadership. He called those companies the missing stone in the puzzle, because it is much easier for you as a leader, if you know about companies who have already achieved what you are trying to do.
