Coaching can provide a powerful holding environment to address personal issues. For anyone wishing to take the next step, it might be helpful to take the time to explore new personal perspectives, values, choices of action and resources of growth.
The coaching program New Leipzig Talents aims to provide such an environment for reflection and change at HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management. Designed as an extracurricular activity, it invites students in the first term of the MSc. and MBA programs. It is about focusing personal strengths and competencies.
Alongside one-on-one coaching, the program includes group sessions on topics such as leadership competencies, mindfulness and peer coaching. This allows participants to share and learn from each other.
New Leipzig Talents encourages good leadership in business and society. It is conceptually linked to the Leipzig Leadership Model, with a special emphasis on holistic thinking and action as well as an emphasis on potentials and crisis as a source of learning and growth. The coaching focuses on four key competencies – self-reflection, societal mindfulness, earning trustworthiness and entrepreneurial spirit – that have been identified against the background of the model. New Leipzig Talents is also an opportunity to experience coaching as an HR and organizational development tool.
HHL students in their first term can apply for New Leipzig Talents each September. As the program provides one-to-one coaching, the number of participants is naturally limited. Since its start in 2016 around 140 students have attended the program.
Coaches from business, academia and society have years of leadership experience in the field and/or have been trained as a coach. Through their voluntary commitment, our coaches support tailored learning experiences for HHL students. However diverse in their professional careers, they share common understandings: Everyone should follow his or her beliefs and passions (at least in the long run). / The power of conflict is a source of change and creativity. / Sharing experiences based on good concepts is the core of coaching.
“The ideal participant is motivated and prepared to work on their own competency profile to leave his or her existing comfort zone and try new things. The program participants benefit from the experience of their coaches, gain new perspectives on themselves and others, and can better assess and explore their unique previously hidden talents.”
Prof. Dr. Timo Meynhardt | Dr. Arend Oetker Chair OF Business PSYCHOLOGY AND LEADERSHIP
ALUMNI VOICES
“New Leipzig Talents provided a supporting environment for personal growth through individual coaching and intensive group work. My coach Timm Richter has helped me to manage expectations towards myself and others and to practice journaling for self-reflection. In our group sessions I realized that my student fellows now and then do struggle with similar things but find different ways to deal with it. This has been an enlightening and encouraging observation. Being part of the program was an invaluable experience and I hope that I can contribute in the future to the program as an alumnus.” Kilian Petruch (PMSc12)
“It is not easy to start an HHL Master’s program alongside a job after a few years of professional practice. However, I do not regret my decision, as the new experience and contacts are simply priceless. New Leipzig Talents was the perfect companion to a busy study life because it occupies the sweet spot between competency development, self-reflection, and motivation. Together with my coach Xenia Meuser, I have developed helpful reflection tools for my subconscious personal insights, so I learned how to rely more on my intuition in tough business decisions. I strongly believe that these steps will make a decisive difference in my career development.” Adeline Schlag (PMSc10)
“My MBA program had a profound impact on my life. It provided the skillset to improve in business. More important, however, had been the invaluable experiences for personal growth and development which I gained through the New Leipzig Talents Coaching. I particularly liked the programs focus on my individual competencies, the outdoor coaching sessions together with Manuela Becker as well as the extensive additional events that even included mindfulness practices. Though Covid-19 struck during my NLT time, the organizers did an amazing job of keeping the program going. Thanks to everyone for their efforts.” Nadine Müller-Dittmann
“The program offered me a unique complement to reflect my time at HHL and get the best out of it for my personal development. In fact, the program was a playground for my personal development because it is one of the very few parts at HHL that was not graded and without a fixed schedule. Therefore, the program was ideal for my own leadership competency development.” Daniel Schäfer (P15)
“About New Leipzig Talents I mostly liked that there is time for my individual concerns and that I get feedback on that from an experienced professional from the industry.” Anika Baumhauer
“It is important to be organized, structured and conscious of personal strengths and weaknesses in order to be successful in the workplace. New Leipzig Talents and in particular my coach Fabian Christandl gave me the possibility to work on these aspects through a step by step process based on self-reflection. I absolutely recommend the program to every student at HHL who desires to work on their personal growth. You will not regret it!” Giacomo Fangliulo
“I enjoyed and have benefited significantly from my personalized coaching sessions with Xenia Meuser, XING AG. She helped me identify areas of improvement and provided incredible guidance and support to my personal and professional development success as “Woman at Work”. The coaching was empowering and encouraging. I have grown in professional confidence and strength far beyond the lessons taught in traditional classrooms.” Anindhia Restraningtyas