As an entrepreneur, Constanze Buchheim is one of the pioneers of the German digital economy and a recognised expert in leadership and organisational development.

As the founder of i-potentials in 2009, she created what is now the DACH region’s leading executive search boutique for digitalisation and transformation. Her influence extends far beyond the executive search world and she is recognised as a thought leader for forward-looking and mature leadership. As a member of the Monopolies Commission, she advises the German government. Constanze Buchheim is also active as a supervisory board member and investor.

Lecture topics by Constanze Buchheim

• Mature Leadership: Why maturity is the new core competency for leaders

What makes good, future-proof leadership? The concept of “mature leadership” is the answer to the challenges facing leaders in an era characterised by constant change. The current challenges call for a new type of leader. A sense of responsibility, reflection and integrative action – without these skills, it will hardly be possible to successfully lead a team or even an organisation in the coming years.

This requires one thing above all: maturity. In this keynote speech, Constanze Buchheim, entrepreneur and leadership expert, explains how to develop this and recognise it in others.

• Challenge accepted & wanted: The future is being built outside the comfort zone

Only those who leave their comfort zone can not only develop and grow themselves, but also their company. However, it is often tempting to stay stuck and take the easy way out when making important decisions. In a constantly changing environment, however, we must strive to be scrutinised and challenged in order to learn, grow and develop. This applies equally to organisations, their supervisory bodies, managers and employees.

It is therefore important – in all roles – that we consciously reflect on our comfort zones and work on them in order to create targeted change. In this presentation, Constanze Buchheim explains how this can be achieved, which aspects are important and why this is particularly relevant for SMEs and family businesses.

• Get in love with power: Why we need to shed our fear of contact with power in order to become successful leaders

If you want to become a leader, you have to accept power and have no fear of contact. Neither in contact with the “powerful” nor in accepting power. Anyone who is deterred by associations with the term and wants to lead at the same time is limiting their own effectiveness.

We do not need a rejection of power, but a positive connotation of the term and a responsible approach to it. Because only those who accept power can drive change. In this keynote, Constanze Buchheim, entrepreneur and leadership expert, talks about how we can rethink our own relationship to power and use our own creative power responsibly.

• Responsible leadership: only those who take responsibility can shape the future themselves

We are not born with the impulse to take responsibility. Rather, we learn from childhood and experience again and again throughout our lives that it is even easier not to bear responsibility and that this belongs to those who are formally in leadership. Without a leadership role, we think there is no influence. But if we want to shape our future, we have to overcome this attitude – for ourselves and for the society around us. The change lies within us, not in formal structures.

In this keynote, Constanze Buchheim explains how we can get into this mindset, recognise our role as creators and thus truly accept our responsibility, especially in leadership. If you want to lead the way, you have to take responsibility – and be prepared to do so.

• Leading into the future: Why Organizations Can Only Evolve as Their Leaders Do

Futureproof leadership demands a dynamic and adaptable approach, recognizing that leaders must evolve alongside an organization’s growth. Organizational development and personal development are inextricably linked. This keynote delves into the multifaceted journey of leadership at different stages of an organization’s development, emphasizing the need for continuous transformation and personal development to achieve sustainable growth.

Constanze Buchheim, founder of executive search boutique i-potentials and leadership expert, offers a comprehensive roadmap for leaders at every stage of an organization’s journey. By understanding the nuanced demands of leadership in different phases, attendees will be equipped to drive transformation, foster growth, and ensure enduring success, both for themselves and their organizations.

More about Constanze Buchheim:

For over a decade, Constanze Buchheim’s work has shaped the leadership and organisational structures of companies that are considered beacons in the DACH region’s economic area and its innovation landscape. Her deep understanding of leadership and talent acquisition has not only manifested itself in her entrepreneurial activities, but also in a diverse range of commitments in business and politics.

Among other things, she contributes her expertise as a speaker, author and business angel for several innovative start-ups, and for several years Buchheim has also worked in various roles as a consultant for German politics. She has been a member of the German government’s Monopolies Commission since 2022.

In addition to her role at i-potentials, Constanze Buchheim is also a member of the supervisory board at the renowned HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management and a board member of the software company Valsight. She is also the honorary president of the Berlin chapter of the global Entrepreneurs’ Organisation.

Her pioneering work was recognised by Manager Magazin and the Boston Consulting Group in 2015 when she was named one of the 50 most influential women in German business. In 2022, Handelsblatt again placed her in the ranking of the 50 most influential female entrepreneurs in Germany.