Must a Conductor Be Able to Play the Violin?

Can it be that almost any shepherd can manage better than a manager? “Yes,” says Dr. Monika V. Kronbügel (PhD.). The CEO of Global DiVision knows that the era of technical experts is coming to a close. The ones who know their products and production systems don’t necessarily have the required basic knowledge when it comes to the area of employee management and social skills. “It is time that we give management experts their own job descriptions,” continues Dr. Monika V. Kronbügel (PhD.).

Here, the focus is shifted from technical competence to competence in the area of employee management. Employee orientation and social skills should be communicated in targeted coaching sessions. Instead of planning the workdays purely for technical topics, adequate time windows are reserved for pure management tasks.

The CEO derives her thoughts from an assignment of her team to a French telecommunications service provider. There, senior and junior management eked out a place beside the company founder in hierarchical structures. “And we are now putting this way of thinking onto a brand new foundation,” reports Dr. Monika V. Kronbügel (PhD.). Global DiVision and Partner needed 14 months until, after initial difficulties, employee management now functions without the classical insignias of power. Initial stocktaking by the Senior Vice President of the communication giant: “Our status of employee illness and fluctuation have dropped noticeably.”