Klaus Schweinsberg predicts that the current work ethic in Germany will curb growth potential in the long term. In his column in Manager Magazin, he refers to the agreement in the rail strike, which heralded a gradual transition to a 35-hour week. The German lack of drive runs through society: the younger generation is socialized to do nothing, managers and entrepreneurs lack role models.
In his current column in Manager Magazin, Professor Klaus Schweinsberg attests that the middle class is too carefree about the economic situation in Germany. This assessment is also reflected in the Sicherheitsreport 2024 published by the Centre for Strategy and Higher Leadership: while ten years ago, one in four Germans were still worried about unemployment, today only one in ten is concerned about economic decline. The carefree attitude of the middle class contrasts with the fears of German SMEs. Family businesses are unsettled by the consequences of the impending decline of Germany as an economic power. According to Schweinsberg, Olaf Scholz is under pressure to act and speak out.
In the ntv-Wirtschaftstalk on the topic “What are war and crisis costing us?”, Prof. Klaus Schweinsberg criticizes the fact that politicians have become aware of the recession and security risks too late. Security issues are barely present in the perception of the population and the economy, and the German government has so far failed to recognize the crisis and name the need for action. The path back to growth is a joint task that requires comprehensive changes in the economy, technology and society. Professor Schweinsberg advocates a holistic strategic approach and a clear focus on government spending – after all, location security is a legitimate purpose of spending.
As a CEO consultant and sparring partner for top managers, Klaus Schweinsberg benefits from his 30 years of experience in the military. In the Handelsblatt Disrupt podcast, he talks about the challenges managers face in today’s volatile global economy. Quick decisions under pressure, liability issues and compliance harbor risks that are often not countered by an adequate failure-tolerant culture. In the podcast, Schweinsberg discusses the extent to which military leadership principles help to successfully master entrepreneurial tasks, the impact of technological change on leadership behavior and how managers can use AI effectively.
According to the representative population survey conducted by the Centre for Strategy and Higher Leadership, Germans feel less secure than at any time since the survey began. The increasingly divergent perceptions of the security situation by people in East and West Germany are particularly noteworthy – especially with regard to external threats such as the war in Ukraine, the role of Russia and the USA and Germany’s obligations in NATO.
To the reporting in WELT TV and Neue Zürcher Zeitung