Working since 2018 at SAP I´ve gained experience in global roles in the areas of Sales Operations, Go-To-Market, Partner Programs, Partner Processes and Post-Merger-Integration. Especially my work in Post-Merger-Integration focussing on all Go-to-Market aspects from Strategy to Processes, gave me the privilege to work in more than 20 integrations spanning from small acquisitions to major ones and gaining extensive insights how to drive succesfull integrations and which pitfalls to avoid. Prior to working at SAP I worked at Nexolab, a strategy consultancy belonging to the BMW Group and at Procter & Gamble. I enjoy leading teams supporting them in a "servant leadership" approach, help to turn around difficult team-setups and re-setting up for success as well as managing projects, navigating through complex and challenging situations. Beside my work as team-lead I work as mentor / coach i.e. supporting young talents and startups in the Cloud / SaaS domain, who seek Go-to-Market advice in general or from a corporate point of view or who seek general coach/mentoring support for leadership, career topics.

My Mentoring Topics

  • Go-To-Market
  • Sales Operations
  • Post-Merger-Integrations
  • Leadership
  • Career
  • Conflict Management
  • Corporate Culture
M.
16.February 2024

Matthias has been an invaluable resource for our startup as we navigate the complex landscape of go-to-market strategies, particularly for a SaaS product. His expertise, honed from years of experience at SAP and other notable organizations, provided me with a clear understanding of the information needed to develop an impactful go-to-market plan. Under his guidance, we were able to brainstorm ideas for next steps to begin building a robust strategy for its implementation. He is an excellent advisor to help identify even the smallest of details needed to ensure a successful launch.

Hidden Potential - The Science of Achieving Greater Things
Adam Grant

Key Insights from "Hidden Potential - The Science of Achieving Greater Things" Unlocking one's potential: The book emphasizes the idea that everyone has untapped potential within them that can be harnessed to achieve greater things. The power of belief: The author argues that belief in one's abilities is fundamental to unlocking potential and achieving success. Role of persistence: The book underscores the importance of persistence and resilience in overcoming obstacles and reaching our goals. The Growth Mindset: The author discusses the concept of a 'growth mindset' as a crucial factor in personal and professional development. Importance of self-awareness: The book stresses the importance of self-awareness and self-reflection in understanding our strengths and weaknesses. Value of mentorship: The author highlights how mentorship can play a pivotal role in guiding individuals towards realizing their potential. Learning from failure: The book encourages viewing failures as learning opportunities instead of setbacks. Goal setting: The author talks about the role of setting clear, achievable goals in the pursuit of success. Creating opportunities: The book emphasizes the importance of being proactive in creating opportunities instead of waiting for them. Importance of continual learning: The author advocates for lifelong learning as a key to unlocking hidden potential. Role of motivation: The book discusses internal and external motivation as critical factors in achieving greater things. In-depth Summary and Analysis "Hidden Potential - The Science of Achieving Greater Things" by Adam Grant is a compelling exploration of the human potential and the various factors that can help individuals tap into their latent abilities. Drawing from years of research and firsthand experience, Grant presents a comprehensive guide to personal and professional development. The first key insight from the book is the idea that everyone has untapped potential within them that can be harnessed to achieve greater things. This aligns with the psychological concept of self-efficacy, which suggests that individuals have the capacity to perform tasks at a higher level than they currently do. Grant encourages readers to challenge their self-imposed limitations and venture beyond their comfort zones. Belief in one's abilities is fundamental to unlocking potential and achieving success, says Grant. This echoes the concept of self-belief or self-confidence, often highlighted in psychological literature as a determinant of success. The book offers practical tips on how to cultivate this belief, such as through positive self-talk and visualization. Persistence and resilience are underscored as crucial traits for overcoming obstacles and reaching our goals. This resonates with Angela Duckworth's research on 'grit,' which she defines as the combination of passion and perseverance for long-term goals. Grant's emphasis on persistence provides a practical perspective on how to develop this 'grit.' One of the most significant contributions of the book is the discussion on 'growth mindset.' This term, coined by psychologist Carol Dweck, refers to the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. By promoting a growth mindset, the book challenges the traditional notions of fixed intelligence and talent. The book also stresses the importance of self-awareness and self-reflection in understanding our strengths and weaknesses. This aligns with Daniel Goleman's work on emotional intelligence, which includes self-awareness as a core component. By understanding ourselves better, we can leverage our strengths and work on our weaknesses, thereby unlocking our hidden potential. Mentorship is highlighted as a pivotal factor in guiding individuals towards realizing their potential. This aligns with research on the positive impact of mentoring relationships in various fields, ranging from academia to business. By sharing their experiences and insights, mentors can help mentees navigate their path to success. Grant encourages viewing failures as learning opportunities instead of setbacks, a perspective that aligns with the concept of 'failing forward.' This approach encourages individuals to learn from their mistakes and use them as stepping stones towards success. Setting clear, achievable goals is another important theme in the book. This ties into the psychological concept of goal-setting theory, which suggests that setting specific and challenging goals leads to higher performance. The book emphasizes the importance of being proactive in creating opportunities instead of waiting for them. This proactive approach aligns with the concept of 'locus of control,' a psychological term referring to how individuals perceive the control they have over their own lives. The author advocates for lifelong learning as a key to unlocking hidden potential. This aligns with the concept of 'learning agility,' which refers to an individual's desire and ability to learn from experience and apply that learning to perform successfully under new situations. Finally, the book discusses internal and external motivation as critical factors in achieving greater things. This is consistent with Self-Determination Theory, which posits that intrinsic motivation (doing something because it is inherently interesting or enjoyable) and extrinsic motivation (doing something because it leads to a separable outcome) both play crucial roles in driving behavior. In conclusion, "Hidden Potential - The Science of Achieving Greater Things" presents a comprehensive guide to realizing one's potential, backed by scientific research and practical advice. It serves as a valuable resource for anyone looking to unlock their potential and achieve greater things in their personal and professional lives.

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Think Again - The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know
Adam Grant

Key Facts and Insights from "Think Again - The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know" Power of Unlearning: The book emphasizes the need to unlearn outdated beliefs, opinions, and knowledge to make room for new, relevant insights. Intellectual Humility: Grant underlines the importance of intellectual humility, which involves recognizing the limits of one's knowledge and being open to others' perspectives. Re-thinking Vs. Persistence: The book challenges the traditional view of persistence and determination as the keys to success, suggesting instead that success can often be found through re-thinking and changing course. Scientist Mindset: Grant proposes that we should adopt a 'scientist mindset', where we constantly test our beliefs and assumptions, and adapt them based on new evidence. Feedback and Criticism: The book encourages embracing criticism and feedback as tools for growth and improvement rather than perceiving them as personal attacks. Role of Emotions in Decision Making: Grant highlights how our emotions can impact our decision-making abilities and hence, the need to manage them effectively. Groupthink and Collective Overconfidence: The book warns against the dangers of groupthink and collective overconfidence, which can lead to poor decision making and inhibit innovation. An In-Depth Analysis In "Think Again - The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know", Adam Grant introduces readers to the concept of rethinking – the ability to question your old beliefs and update them based on new information. The central premise of the book is that in a rapidly changing world, it's essential to reconsider and revise our beliefs, strategies, and plans, rather than stubbornly sticking to them. The book starts by exploring the power of unlearning. This refers to the process of letting go of outdated or inaccurate beliefs and knowledge to make room for new and more relevant insights. This aligns with Thomas Kuhn's theory of paradigm shifts in scientific revolutions, where new scientific discoveries often require us to discard old theories. Grant stresses the importance of intellectual humility, a trait that involves acknowledging the limits of our knowledge and being open to others' perspectives. This is in line with psychological research showing that intellectual humility is associated with better decision-making and more effective learning. He also challenges the commonly held belief that success comes from persistence and determination. While these traits can certainly be useful, Grant argues that they can also lead to rigid thinking and resistance to change. Instead, he suggests that we should be willing to re-think our strategies and plans in the face of new evidence. This resonates with Carol Dweck's work on "growth mindset", which emphasizes the value of flexibility and adaptability. In addition, Grant promotes the adoption of a 'scientist mindset', where we constantly test our beliefs and assumptions and adapt them based on new evidence. This is reminiscent of Karl Popper's philosophy of science, which posits that scientific knowledge progresses through the falsification of existing theories. The book also highlights the importance of feedback and criticism in promoting growth and improvement. This is consistent with research in the field of positive psychology, which shows that constructive feedback can enhance performance and job satisfaction. Another key theme in the book is the role of emotions in decision making. Grant underscores how our emotions can cloud our judgment and impair our decision-making abilities. This aligns with Daniel Kahneman's work on cognitive biases, which demonstrates how our emotions can lead us to make irrational choices. Finally, Grant warns about the dangers of groupthink and collective overconfidence. He argues that these phenomena can stifle innovation and lead to poor decision making. This echoes Irving Janis's seminal work on groupthink, which shows how group pressures can lead to flawed decision-making processes. In conclusion, "Think Again" is a thought-provoking book that encourages us to challenge our beliefs, embrace uncertainty, and stay open to new ideas. It aligns with several well-established theories and findings in psychology and offers valuable insights for anyone looking to improve their thinking and decision-making skills.

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The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership - A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success
Diana Chapman, Jim Dethmer, Kaley Klemp

Key Facts & Insights from "The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership" Conscious Leadership: The book introduces the concept of conscious leadership, a leadership style that prioritizes self-awareness, authenticity, and emotional intelligence. Two Operating Systems: The authors identify two primary operating systems in leadership: the reactive, fear-based system, and the creative, integrity-based system. The Drama Triangle: The book introduces the concept of the Drama Triangle, a social model of human interaction comprising three roles: Victim, Persecutor, and Rescuer. Responsibility vs Blame: The authors stress the importance of taking responsibility for our actions and decisions instead of playing the blame game. Whole-body Learning: The book emphasizes the importance of whole-body learning - the integration of head (intellectual understanding), heart (emotions), and body (sensations). Commitments for Success: The book outlines 15 commitments that leaders should make to achieve sustainable success. These commitments cover a wide range of topics, from speaking candidly to creating win-for-all solutions. Practical Application: The book provides practical tools and exercises to apply these concepts in real-world scenarios, promoting sustainable personal and professional growth. Importance of Presence: The authors underline the significance of being fully present, both in personal and professional settings. Continuous Learning: The book emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and encourages leaders to remain curious and open to new ideas. Authentic Expression: The authors encourage leaders to express themselves authentically, embracing vulnerability and honesty. Creating a Conscious Culture: The book provides guidance on how to create a conscious culture in the workplace, fostering a supportive and collaborative environment. An In-Depth Analysis "The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership - A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success" by Diana Chapman, Jim Dethmer, and Kaley Klemp provides a comprehensive guide on how to become a more effective and conscious leader. At the heart of the book is the idea of conscious leadership, which involves leading with awareness, authenticity, and emotional intelligence. This form of leadership stands in stark contrast to traditional leadership styles, which often prioritize profit and efficiency above all else. Conscious leadership, however, seeks to balance the needs of all stakeholders, including employees, customers, and the environment. The book identifies two operating systems in leadership: one that is reactive and fear-based, and another that is creative and integrity-based. The latter is associated with conscious leadership and is characterized by transparency, integrity, and mutual respect. The authors argue that shifting from the reactive to the creative operating system is a crucial step in becoming a conscious leader. An important concept introduced in the book is the Drama Triangle, a social model of human interaction that consists of three roles: Victim, Persecutor, and Rescuer. The authors suggest that conscious leaders should aim to step out of this triangle, as it promotes blame and disempowerment. Responsibility is a recurring theme throughout the book. The authors emphasize the need for leaders to take full responsibility for their actions and decisions, rather than blaming others or circumstances. This approach fosters accountability and empowers individuals to take control of their lives. Whole-body learning is another key concept in the book. The authors propose that effective learning involves the integration of head (intellectual understanding), heart (emotions), and body (sensations). This holistic approach facilitates deep, transformative learning. The book outlines 15 commitments that leaders should make to achieve sustainable success. These commitments include speaking candidly, creating win-for-all solutions, and leading with integrity. These commitments are not one-off actions, but ongoing practices that require continuous effort and dedication. The authors provide practical tools and exercises to help leaders apply these concepts in real-world scenarios. This approach makes the book not only a theoretical guide but also a practical handbook for conscious leadership. The importance of being fully present is another key theme in the book. The authors argue that presence – being fully engaged in the present moment – is a prerequisite for conscious leadership. Presence allows leaders to respond to situations with clarity and wisdom, rather than reacting out of habit or fear. The concept of continuous learning is emphasized throughout the book. The authors encourage leaders to remain curious and open to new ideas, viewing every situation as an opportunity for learning and growth. The authors also stress the importance of authentic expression. They encourage leaders to express their thoughts and feelings honestly, even when it feels uncomfortable. This practice fosters trust and transparency in relationships, which are key components of conscious leadership. Finally, the book provides guidance on how to create a conscious culture in the workplace. A conscious culture is one that supports personal and professional growth, encourages open communication, and values the wellbeing of all its members. Overall, "The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership" offers a fresh perspective on leadership, challenging traditional paradigms and promoting a more holistic, inclusive, and sustainable approach. It is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to become a more conscious and effective leader.

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