"Set broad guidelines, but take people with you." According to Hans-Joachim Watzke, Managing Director of Borussia Dortmund, this is an important principle for good leadership.
As a graduate of Paderborn University, he visited our faculty last week. As part of a lecture in the "Organisational Behaviour" module offered by our department, he gave our students exciting insights into his life as a managing director, 1st DFB Vice President and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the DFL.
From early morning maths lectures and overcrowded lecture halls to the struggle to find a seat in C1 - that's what his business studies at UPB looked like between 1979 and 1984. Despite everything, he says: "After the foundation course, it was a great time."
In his lecture, Watzke gave honest and personal insights into his leadership experiences - from saving BVB from insolvency to extreme exceptional situations such as the attack on the team bus in 2017. His leadership role has changed significantly over the years: from friendly and close, to a reflective, experience-based authority - always with a focus on respect and humanity. His message to all those who aspire to a career in football: There is no set plan. You need passion, perseverance and a bit of luck.
Our students not only take away exciting insights from professional football, but also valuable ideas for their own management careers.
