Next Generation Entrepreneurs

Düsseldorf, near the train station. I'm alone in a seminar room of a business hotel. It's quiet. A spring wind blows through the room, moving the curtain. The participants are on their way. Equipped with coaching questions, they walk in pairs through the blossoming Düsseldorf.

They are NextGeneration entrepreneurs. Young adults from entrepreneurial families. Grew up with the "business" as an integral part of family life. With the prospect of one day taking over something that the grandfather or great-grandfather may have started as a gas station. Today, generations later, a respectable company, local and regional employers for 20 to 800 people. From trainees to shortly before retirement. Automotive trade – an industry that is currently under pressure from all sides.

I have great respect for these young leaders, with the privilege of being able to continue the legacy. And of the burden that also goes with it. It is a real "life invitation": to follow a path that was often foreseeable before they themselves were born. Nice! And at the same time, this heritage brings with it a deep commitment. Because when business (money), property (Ownership) and family (Love) overlap, great things can happen – but also a lot of tension.

I get to accompany these young talents, work with them on their understanding of leadership and leadership. For me, this is a real privilege. Especially in the current world situation, it becomes clear that our time is marked by crises and upheavals. Managers strive for stability. They manage. They care. They "lend a hand" (management comes from the Latin 'manus', the hand). They ensure that operations are up and running. And that is right and important.

Working with the next generation shows that they will need more than good management. Leadership is needed (Old English: Laedere - to lead, to point the way). Not just managing, but guiding into a future. Providing orientation. Develop strategies. Designing visions of the future, taking people with you. So that a family business remains fit for the future – or, as Dr. Marcel Megerle so aptly puts it, "grandchild-ready".

These young entrepreneurs know this. They feel what is coming their way. Central questions are: Where will I lead people, organizations, our family business? And how do I do that? 

That's why they are wide awake – throughout workshop days. When it comes to how to deal with crises wisely and use them for change, how change doesn't just happen but is intentionally designed, and how to keep a clear head and a healthy, resilient body in all of this.

I am grateful for this wonderful task with impressive people. Many thanks to Jennifer Mandt, Micha Kaufmann and Jens Heller from APM for the inspiring cooperation and this journey towards modern entrepreneurship and smart leadership.