Beyond Silos: Navigating Organizational Boundaries, with Dr. Jürgen Scherer

03/21/24 • 50 min

In this episode, we explore how to navigate organisational boundaries. As enterprises expand, silos and barriers often emerge, hindering collaboration across units, functions, and regions. However, adept leaders understand that success comes from bridging such boundaries, both within and outside the organisation.

Join us as we delve into this vital leadership topic with our valued guest, Dr. Jürgen Scherer, a seasoned leader renowned for his expertise in navigating boundaries in global organisations.

Key Moments

Introduction to Dr. Jürgen Scherer [02:32]

Understanding why organizational Boundaries exist [04:34]

Navigation: A horizontal approach to overcoming silos and fostering connectivity [07:19]

Overcoming “friction by design” [11:08]

Real-Life Examples: Navigating internal boundaries in a pharmaceutical joint venture [22:24] and overcoming industry-wide external boundaries [29:02]

Summary Insights: The skills and traits of effective navigators [32:57]

Developing Navigation Skills: How organisations can cultivate more navigators [37:16]

Reflection Questions for Leaders [43:28]

Reflect on a past project: How did you navigate challenges and boundaries, and what lessons have you learned?
Overcoming friction by design: Where might well-intended department targets unintentionally hinder company-wide progress?
What one action can you take today to navigate boundaries more effectively inside or outside the organisation?
Who do you turn to in times of opportunity or crisis, and what qualities make them invaluable? How can you emulate their approach to enhance your own navigation skills?

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To connect with us on LinkedIn, click on our names here:
Jürgen Scherer
Gerrit Pelzer
Martin Aldergård
You can find Jürgen's consulting services on his website www.bxb-exchange.com. Additional info about Martin's and Gerrit's work is available on secondcrackleadership.com
Do you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions for us? Would you like to explore how we can help you to drive results in your organisations through a company-wide initiative or individual executive coaching? Then email us at [email protected]

Join us as we delve into this vital leadership topic with our valued guest, Dr. Jürgen Scherer, a seasoned leader renowned for his expertise in navigating boundaries in global organisations.

Key Moments

Introduction to Dr. Jürgen Scherer [02:32]

Understanding why organizational Boundaries exist [04:34]

Navigation: A horizontal approach to overcoming silos and fostering connectivity [07:19]

Overcoming “friction by design” [11:08]

Real-Life Examples: Navigating internal boundaries in a pharmaceutical joint venture [22:24] and overcoming industry-wide external boundaries [29:02]

Summary Insights: The skills and traits of effective navigators [32:57]

Developing Navigation Skills: How organisations can cultivate more navigators [37:16]

Reflection Questions for Leaders [43:28]

Reflect on a past project: How did you navigate challenges and boundaries, and what lessons have you learned?
Overcoming friction by design: Where might well-intended department targets unintentionally hinder company-wide progress?
What one action can you take today to navigate boundaries more effectively inside or outside the organisation?
Who do you turn to in times of opportunity or crisis, and what qualities make them invaluable? How can you emulate their approach to enhance your own navigation skills?

Previous Episode

The GAPS Grid: How to Accelerate Your Development as a Leader

In today's episode, we delve into the GAPS Grid, a dynamic tool designed to propel your leadership journey forward. Crafted by David B. Peterson, the GAPS Grid offers a structured approach to self-reflection, fostering clarity and alignment crucial for impactful leadership.*
At its core, the GAPS Grid is a straightforward 2-by-2 matrix. You can visualize it by clicking here: https://bit.ly/GAPS-Grid. The 'G' quadrant represents Goals & Values, prompting introspection into what truly matters in your life. We explore reflection questions to unearth your core values and aspirations, emphasising the importance of documenting these insights for ongoing growth. [2:56]
Next, we explore the 'A' quadrant—Abilities—focusing on identifying and leveraging your strengths and capabilities. We discuss the significance of assessing whether your abilities align with your goals, so that you can choose the critical skills to develop for success. [10:30]
Moving to the 'P' quadrant—Perception—we examine how to identify how others perceive you and the critical role perception management plays in leadership success. Understanding and actively managing these perceptions is essential for navigating professional relationships effectively. [14:55]
In the 'S' quadrant—Success Factors—we delve into organisational goals and values, highlighting two critical components. [21:00] Firstly, we discuss the pivotal link between perception and success factors for career advancement. Do decision-makers perceive you as possessing the qualities necessary for higher-level roles? This perception greatly influences opportunities for progression within the organisation.
Secondly, we explore the vital connection between goals & values and success factors for intrinsic motivation. When your personal aspirations align with your organisation’s goals and values, you will find purpose and fulfilment in your work. Conversely, misalignment can lead to a sense of dissatisfaction, turning daily tasks into mere obligations rather than fulfilling contributions to a meaningful cause.
Join us as we unravel the interconnectedness of Goals & Values, Abilities, Perception, and Success Factors, empowering you to navigate the complexities of leadership with clarity and purpose.

*see also: Peterson, D.B. (2006). People Are Complex and the World Is Messy: A Behaviour-Based Approach to Executive Coaching. In: D.R. Stober and A.M. Grant, eds., Evidence Based Coaching Handbook. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, pp.51–76. The chapter is currently also available online here.
More info about us and our work is also on our website secondcrackleadership.comDo you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions for us? Would you like to explore how we can help you to drive results in your organisations through a company-wide initiative or individual executive coaching? Then email us at [email protected].
To connect with us on LinkedIn:
Gerrit PelzerMartin Aldergård

Next Episode

Mastering Assertiveness in Leadership － with Rachel Goodwin

In this episode we delve into the vital leadership skill of assertiveness. With guest Rachel Goodwin, a UK-based leadership coach with a specialisation in assertiveness and supporting women in the workplace, we explore how leaders can balance assertiveness to avoid being too soft, or overly aggressive.
We discuss behavioural patterns including passive, aggressive, and passive-aggressive styles, and the role of skilful assertive communication in achieving win-win situations and impact as a leader.
We also cover practical exercises for developing assertiveness, such as role-playing and self-reflection on emotional triggers. The episode concludes with actionable advice, and reflection questions for listeners wanting to improve their skills in difficult conversations in leadership roles.
Key Moments
[03:40] Understanding Assertiveness: Definitions and Frameworks
[18:32] Practical Tips for Developing Assertiveness
[34:27] Emotional and Assertiveness
[43:32] Concluding Reflections
Reflection Questions for Leaders

How can I better practice to “stop and pause”, to sense what I’m thinking, what I’m feeling, before I respond? Either in a difficult conversation, or in a meeting, so that I really have access to my assertiveness skills.
What emotions might be getting into my way of finding the right level of assertiveness? What can be my strategy moving forward to regulate these emotions effectively?
How could I start to engage with this (the assertiveness) model? Try and find situations that are quite low stakes, so not waiting for the most high level meeting that you're going to be attending, but finding an opportunity to experiment and don't judge yourself harshly.

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About Rachel Goodwin
Rachel Goodwin is a leadership coach and a renown expert on assertiveness in leadership. More about here work is here: rachelgoodwin.uk
Get in touch with Rachel on LinkedIn and listen to her coaching podcast The WordWise Coaching Podcast.
About Gerrit Pelzer and Martin Aldergard
More info about us and our work is on our website secondcrackleadership.com
Do you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions for us? Would you like to explore how we can help you to drive results in your organisations through a company-wide initiative or individual executive coaching? Then email us at [email protected].
To connect with us on LinkedIn:
Martin Aldergård
Gerrit Pelzer

Second Crack — The Leadership Podcast - Beyond Silos: Navigating Organizational Boundaries, with Dr. Jürgen Scherer

Transcript

Second Crack – The Leadership Podcast (Episode 32)

This transcript is AI-generated and may contain typos and errors.

[00:00] Jürgen: And it came down to the two most important figures our company was striving for, improving gross margin and improving cash flow. And these were the two only incentives in the targets we had for both the procurement organization, the supply chain, and the sales and the key account organization. And guess wh