In Interview

Henning, you spent many years in classic corporate leadership. How did you come to see the question of purpose as part of a successful business model?

The question of purpose did not come to me theoretically – it arrived in the middle of everyday business life.

At the beginning of my career, business logic, growth, efficiency and a focus on results were clearly in the foreground – and that was right and necessary. But over many years I observed: organisations perform best when people understand what they are working for.

Where work is experienced as meaningful, responsibility, initiative, better decisions, less friction and more cohesion emerge. Quality rises – professionally and humanly.

This became particularly clear to me during crises and transformation phases. Pure cost pressure or target-setting only go so far. When uncertainty increases, people need orientation. And that does not arise from numbers alone, but from a clear understanding of mission, impact and contribution to others.

Purpose is therefore not an "add-on" but a stabilising core. Organisations need economic vitality to shape purpose effectively – and purpose gives economic performance its direction.

In economically difficult times, purpose is often seen as a "nice to have". Why, in your experience, does this view fall short?

Because it confuses cause and effect.

Profit is not an end in itself, but the result of functioning value creation. And value creation is produced by people who take responsibility, think along and feel connected.

In difficult phases, organisations frequently respond with consolidation, control and short-term profit optimisation. This can help temporarily – but often weakens motivation, trust and the capacity for innovation.

Organisations with a social or ecological mission – NGOs, foundations, social enterprises – are under enormous pressure today: rising demands, uncertain funding structures, complex stakeholder landscapes. When economic clarity is lacking there, the good cause becomes unsustainable.

Purpose without economic stability remains a wish.
Economic performance without purpose remains short-breathed.
Organisations that integrate both are the ones that succeed over the long term.

You often emphasise the connection between humanity and economic discipline. What does that look like in practice?

Humanity does not mean leniency.
And economic discipline does not mean harshness.

In my work I begin with clarity: What is the mission? What does the real economic situation look like? Which structures are working – and which are not?

I work on viable business and revenue models just as consistently as on governance, transparency and decision-making capacity. Organisations with an ethical or public-benefit mission need professional management – not less, but more.

At the same time, it is about leadership that enables participation, transfers responsibility and strengthens self-determination. People are not "motivated". They gain motivation when they experience efficacy.

I have overseen restructurings on several occasions – including under difficult conditions. What was always decisive: clarity in substance, dignity in dealings and social responsibility in action.

Humanity also shows itself in setting boundaries and acting consistently. Both belong together.

Your biography shows extensive transformation and turnaround experience. Why is that particularly relevant for values-oriented – often smaller – organisations?

Many people initially associate my career with large organisations – and that is true: I have led companies with several thousand employees and managed complex transformation processes.

At the same time I have deliberately also worked in the SME and smaller context – with organisations where personal closeness, direct responsibility and limited resources shape everyday life. It is precisely there that the decisive importance of clarity, prioritisation and a viable economic structure becomes especially apparent.

I developed a retail company with 24 employees from around €3 million to about €8 million in revenue, building a functioning multi-channel model in the process – despite significant external crises. Restructurings were managed with social responsibility, combined with integration measures and partnerships with non-profit organisations.

The principles are independent of size: a clear business and revenue model, transparent management, realistic priorities, a culture that enables responsibility – and leadership that provides orientation.

In smaller organisations, changes often take effect more immediately. Decisions are felt faster, dynamics are more direct. That is precisely why a combination of economic discipline and human sensitivity is needed there.

Whether 20 or 2,000 employees: organisations need economic vitality to fulfil their social mission effectively. My experience helps to reduce complexity – not increase it.

How do organisations in transition recognise that your approach might be a good fit for them?

When they sense that purely technocratic solutions are no longer sufficient.

When economic challenges are accompanied by cultural fatigue, disorientation or loss of trust.

When they want to preserve their ethical orientation – but notice that structures, management or business model no longer hold.

My approach is directed at organisations that are ready to look at economic reality and human dynamics together.

I do not work with quick recipes, but with taking responsibility, transparency and inner clarity. My leadership arises from analytical sharpness, experience – and inner composure. Mindfulness and self-reflection are not private matters for me, but the foundation of sound decisions.

Purpose should not merely be formulated – it should become tangible in everyday life. That requires attitude – and structure.