Leading figure in German football gives exclusive insights
On 11 June 2025, Paderborn University welcomed a prominent returnee: Hans-Joachim Watzke, Managing Director of Borussia Dortmund, 1st Vice President of the German Football Association (DFB) and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of DFL GmbH, was a guest speaker as part of Prof. Dr. Kirsten Thommes' "Organisational Behaviour" module.
Watzke, who studied Business Administration and Economics at the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics at Paderborn University from 1979 to 1984, returned to his alma mater - not only to reminisce, but above all to pass on key lessons from his many years of leadership in professional football.
From overcrowded lecture theatres to Europe's football stage
In his lecture, Watzke looked back on his student days, which for him - especially in his undergraduate studies - were characterised by morning maths and statistics lectures at 7am. "If you weren't there by 6.15 a.m. at the latest, you couldn't get a seat in lecture theatre C1," he recalled. Despite these challenges, he said he appreciated his time at university: "After the foundation degree, it was a great time".
Leadership means clarity, respect and civility
In his lecture, Watzke emphasised the importance of an active yet empathetic leadership style: "Those who lead lay down the broad lines. Those who lead must not only be taken along, they must also get involved." For him, it is crucial to allow discussion, encourage dissent and support employees in their strengths.
He also described how his leadership role had changed over time - from friendly conversations in the living room to reflective and experience-based authority - always with a focus on respect and humanity.
He gave a particularly impressive account of the most challenging decision of his career: dealing with the bomb attack on the BVB team bus in 2017. "Some of our team was traumatised. Another part wanted to play in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. My decision to compete and not give up without a fight was tough," he said about the moment he stood in front of the team.
A career in football? No recipe - but attitude
Watzke does not have a fixed career plan for students aspiring to a career in professional football, but he does have clear advice: "You need passion, luck and must be able to deal with publicity - but also be prepared to give a lot." It is important to take on responsibility at the right time and face challenges.
Watzke's succession: a realistic view
Finally, Watzke also spoke about his own succession: he is gradually handing over responsibility to Lars Ricken and made it clear that his role is associated with enormous pressure: "You are often alone with your decisions. But titles and successes make the effort worthwhile."
For the students and lecturers, his visit was an inspiring experience with exciting impressions from professional football and plenty of tips for their own management careers.
