Interview
Shaping the future now
"Effective future competence means bringing together business and consciousness development intelligently and with heart. The human being is always the center of transformation. The result is a sustainable form of Return on Investment. We call this Conscious Business".
– Sven Oliver Heck
UltraVision in conversation with CreateMeaning Founder & CEO Steffen Stäuber
Sven Oliver Heck and Mascha Heck talking about future leadership, change in business and future issues in August 2020.
Steffen: Mascha and Sven, how do you at UltraVision Consulting deal with the current situation, crisis shapes the economy and everyday life, companies save money and society faces uncertain times.
Sven: There have always been strong changes in the development of society, markets and their prerequisites and conditions. How we can concretely deal with these challenges and opportunities has to do primarily with our capacity to think “new”. It is obvious that now is a chance for us to redefine ourselves and to free ourselves from patterns and structures that are simply no longer up to date. It is absolutely necessary to sharpen the real values of the company and to revive the culture and bring it to a new level. Without the ability to break completely new ground resiliently and courageously while preserving what we have in terms of experience and as a foundation in the company, this wave of development will pose an existential threat. With the focus on essential human qualities and technological progress in harmony with the natural sphere in which we live, we have a good chance to shape this wave at the forefront. That is Future Leadership.
Mascha: We use this transformative time for UltraVision and our customers to think things in a new and different way. We are experiencing a deep connection with our customers, a great appreciation in our business with them, and we are experiencing scope for new ideas that can be used creatively. Both would probably never have come about like this without the crisis. We develop new concepts and focus on what is really important. The way in which we are working together changes and becomes more authentic. We are all in the same boat. Despite all the uncertainty, we also experience many intense moments personally. At a speed never experienced before, this leads us to a more awake and dynamic and honest way of working and living. This also inspires our customers to grow into the future.
Predicting the future is difficult. But developing the capacity to adapt flexibly and dynamically to change is possible.
Steffen: You are calling your company “boutique agency for future competence”. Why do you see a need and a market for your services in the field of consulting & coaching, especially in these challenging times of ever faster change, uncertainty and unpredictability?
Sven: The world now needs awake and committed companies in which people work, who go their way with heart, mind and soul and have impact. People who have an effective influence in their organizations and teams. We create spaces where people can experience their authentic qualities. We promote natural and human growth, we challenge the status quo and develop functional and modern perspectives together with our clients. This strengthens companies from within.
Mascha: Our customers tell us that our work is strengthening for each individual and beneficial for every corporate culture. We offer what we ourselves are convinced of and what we live. We want to make a contribution to a joyful and empowering world in turbulent times.
Steffen: And why should we book a keynote, moderation, team coaching, coaching process or retreat with you and not with your competitors?
Mascha: We listen very carefully to our clients to understand where they really are.
Sven: We enjoy learning and challenges ourselves. We have our finger on the pulse, bring experience and competence in the areas of sustainability, personal development and integral organizational development.
Mascha: We know what touches people and how to put people at the center of corporate strategy.
Sven: Our success is based on the fact that we live what we offer our customers. Only in this way can we act humanely, authentically and convincingly. The responsibility, precision and professionalism that we guarantee our customers is our quality feature. Through our full commitment, meaningfulness, growth and success can thus be created in a joint process.
Steffen: That almost sounds like something out of an image brochure! (laughs)
Sven: This morning I practiced this several times in front of the mirror… (laughs).
Mascha: I think the main point is that our customers learn from us and we learn from our customers and we inspire each other again and again through this co-creative process.
Steffen: What is the main problem of your customers and what is the perfect solution for it?
Sven: The most important question that companies have to ask themselves right now is how to remain sustainable. What can we do to not miss the connection and expand our potential, to sharpen our focus? The answer: Put people in the center of attention, enable everyone to grow authentically and increase the quality of life. Combine these factors with modern, integral perspectives, promote a diverse culture and be courageous to break new ground. Allow people in the company to dare to contribute their individuality “completely”, with everything that distinguishes them. Ensure a safe and flexible space for development and enable people to live responsibility and self-management at a high level. This confirms the capacity of each individual to realize synergies. The company develops itself and thus attains authentic strength, vitality and growth. This is future competence.
Steffen: And what concrete benefit do your customers have?
Mascha: Our clients recognize where they stand in their development, which areas are strong and where there are opportunities for growth. They try out and experience new ways of thinking, feeling and acting in direct exchange and cooperation. They may develop never experienced freedom for insight, creativity and meaning. As a result of the new and strengthened “culture”, a better quality of work and life, a more natural organizational development, a more nourishing atmosphere and thus effective products are created. Stakeholder relationships deepen, cooperation becomes more efficient and dynamic, capacities and potentials are given space to develop. Quality is created through the conscious development of people.
“The most significant achievements of the 21st century will not be achieved through technology, but through an ever expanding understanding of what it really means to be human. – John Naisbitt
Steffen: What special skills do you bring to successfully implement your customers’ projects?
Mascha: We are courageous enough to trust our clients to transform themselves. This is not only our conviction, but our experience. On the way we support them with a high concentration on authentic, human connections and inspiring and transforming experiences. Our approach is both structured and intuitive, ensuring high quality results.
Sven: We select effective frameworks and methods to softly and radically challenge, promote, encourage, reflect, explore, clarify, strengthen, align and live. We have appreciative and cordial relationships with our clients and do not pretend to know everything. We grow together with our clients. Perhaps this is even our best and most secret special recipe! (laughs).
Steffen: Finally, a personal question: You are siblings and work together, how do you experience yourself in this constellation and what is the special value in this?
Mascha: You know, the great thing about our relationship is that we are always in touch. We communicate very honestly and hold the space for the other while we listen deeply. This space that is created is sometimes very challenging, because here we radically honestly reflect ourselves. Often we realize, oops, there was probably a blind spot after all and we are far away from knowing and acting wise and we will probably experience these waves of development until the end of our precious lives. The great thing about a good sibling relationship is that trust, appreciation and love are unconditional. I am respected for who I am and not because I am doing something that is expected from me. This is nourishing and inspiring. Also, we still cultivate the silly humour and the fooling around from our childhood days. This light-heartedness may even open up new creative perspectives in our business and creates a field of family atmosphere with our customers.
Sven: When you can trust another person completely, then it is a really deep experience of solidarity. This connection creates security and makes honest reflection, growth and development from within possible. We don’t have to perform or prove anything to the other person, which we might have had when we were younger. Now we have reached a level where everyone is doing exactly what they are good at and we support each other enormously. The quality that makes such a good sibling relationship is priceless, because this truthfulness in our relationships is exactly what we offer our clients and customers. From this honest and human quality comes meaningful success.
Steffen: Thank you very much for taking the time for this interview and I look forward to shaping the future together.
MEANINGFUL
Create Meaning changes the world
Founder and CEO of Create Meaning - an independent consulting studio that empowers people to answer the critical questions of our time