Leadership and Organizational Performance at the European Forum Alpbach

At this year’s European Forum Alpbach, as part of the “Talk auf der Alm” event organized by *Die Presse*, she discussed with leaders from the business and academic worlds how organizations can become faster, bolder, and more effective in the face of increasing pressure to transform.

Prof. Klarner emphasized the important role of research and teaching in empowering leaders to critically examine whether their leadership approaches and organizational structures meet the demands of the future.

Four key takeaways from the discussion:

• Encourage people to take on responsibility

Europe has highly motivated employees who want to act independently, take on responsibility, and find solutions. Organizations must create an environment characterized by psychological safety, trust, and autonomy so that people can contribute their ideas, address critical issues, and reach their full potential.

• Lead by example and demonstrate high performance

High-performing organizations need leaders who set ambitious goals, communicate clear expectations, and exemplify the performance they expect from others. Performance and accountability must be visible at all levels.

• Integrate artificial intelligence into core processes

The potential of AI extends far beyond supporting individual tasks. Organizations should strategically integrate AI into their core processes while empowering leaders and employees to understand its capabilities and use them effectively.

• Consistently Think About Processes from the Customer’s Perspective

Organizations should continually question whether their processes, products, and services are still fit for the future. Seeing things through the eyes of customers often opens up new perspectives for innovation, improvement, and sustainable value creation.

Many thanks to Die Presse and the European Forum Alpbach for the opportunity to bring together perspectives from research and practice and to discuss how organizations can successfully shape change and achieve long-term excellence.

You can read the article here.