Cliff Lehnen

As an author, speaker and presenter, Cliff Lehnen writes and speaks about a changing world of work – and how leadership, collaboration and communication need to be rethought in times of upheaval.

His topics: cultural change, leadership, innovation and humanity in organisations.
His claim: no buzzwords, just genuine encounters. No bombardment, just resonance.

Coming from a background in journalism – including many years as editor-in-chief of Personalwirtschaft and HR topic manager at F.A.Z.-Fachverlag – he brings a deep understanding of the economic, social and cultural developments of our time. For his analyses of the role of HR in the hybrid world of work, Cliff was named ‘Trade Journalist of the Year’ in 2021. Today, he supports companies and institutions as a source of inspiration on stage, an idea developer in workshops, and a guide in creative and innovation processes. He is also a sparring partner for personalities who have something to say but don’t always find the words to express it. In 2024, he wrote the SPIEGEL bestseller ‘Die große Potenzialverschwendung’ (Haufe) for and with Cawa Younosi.

He is also co-host of the podcast “Clever & Smart – Don’t worry, we’ll save the HR world!”, which he presents together with Marcel Rütten. Here they talk about HR topics from A to Z – insightful, pointed and entertaining.

Cliff Lehnen stands for topical, individual, event-related lectures on cultural change, leadership, innovation, communication and humanity in organisations. Each keynote speech is tailored to the occasion, and many assignments are completely customised. Cliff transfers classic journalistic assets into live communication: research, analysis, features, commentary – and simply a good story.

Cliff Lehnen Examples of his lecture topics

  • Humanity as a superpower: Why our future does not belong to AI – but to genuine connection.
  • Experience work in a new way! How we work – and how it could be different …
  • Smile, deliver, suffer? Mental health between self-optimisation, pressure to perform and duty of care.
  • Put them on! How to motivate passive talent to change – and retain the best for your company.
  • Recipes for success in effective recruiting: attracting, retaining and inspiring employees.
  • People excitement: enthusiastic employees – now!
  • BAM instead of blah blah blah! How to get to the point in pitches, panels and presentations – and be remembered.
  • The resonance gap: How to succeed in communicating between KPIs and culture
  • The end of either/or: Tolerating ambiguity, thinking in terms of possibilities, daring to make decisions – an invitation to inner ambivalence competence
  • Soft is hard. Hard is soft. On culture, KPIs and the harsh realities of supposedly soft factors
  • Work myths: The biggest misconceptions about leadership, culture and performance

Cliff Lehnen stands for professionalism with attitude – and a dash of humour. He is known for clear messages, authentic language and a keen sense of nuance.

As a moderator, he guides conferences, panel discussions and digital formats with precision, empathy and substance. As a keynote speaker, he talks about leadership, new work, cultural change and communication – bringing not only facts but also attitude to the stage. Cliff’s topics do not come from a hat, but from well-founded, up-to-date research.

Conciliatory and charming as a moderator, pointed and provocative as a speaker, yet always authentic and confident: a balancing act that not many can pull off. Whether on the main stage at a conference, in a stadium pub or at an executive fireside evening. The secret? The substance of the content, the thematic focus: Cliff has been working in the field of the world of work and transformation for over 13 years – from medium-sized businesses to corporate management, from educational institutions to the social economy. He builds bridges between theory and practice, between aspiration and everyday life. And he asks the right questions – even if they are uncomfortable.

Real change does not begin with PowerPoint slides, but in the space between: with honest dialogue. That is what Cliff Lehnen stands for, and that is what he radiates on stage.

Wolfram Sauer's opinion on Cliff Lehnen

As a speaker, Cliff Lehnen impresses with his combination of journalistic acuity, HR expertise and entertaining storytelling. His presentations are pointed, well-founded and always on the pulse of the times – be it on topics such as hybrid working, employer branding or the role of HR in transformation. He knows how to make complex developments tangible and captivate his audience with a mix of facts, examples and tongue-in-cheek irony. He not only brings knowledge, but also attitude – clear, reflective and practical. Anyone looking for new perspectives on people & culture, communication or leadership will find Cliff Lehnen an inspiring source of inspiration with depth.

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