Skills
Competencies, proven.
More than 25 years of practice, 13 years on an executive board and 113 credentials. Shown here with data instead of claims.
- 25+
years of professional experience
- 13
years on the Executive Board
- 113
credentials
- 19
IHK certificates
- 31
credentials in AI and generative AI
Why
I believe that complex challenges are not solved by more activity, but by clarity, structure and deliberate decisions.
My work begins where organisations, projects or leadership systems lose effectiveness through complexity: when decisions stall, responsibility becomes unclear and execution comes to a halt.
I develop simple, sustainable solutions for complex situations and see them through to consistent execution. Not in theory, but in practice.
My drive is to enable organisations and people to take responsibility, gain direction and develop their potential sustainably.
Executive hard skills
Strategic. Operational. Scalable.
Management & Strategy
Strategic & Management Consulting
Developing, structuring and operationally translating corporate strategies into workable organisational and steering models.
Organizational Design & Governance
Realigning organisational structures, role models and decision architectures to increase efficiency, clarity and leadership capability.
Interim & Transition Management
Temporarily taking on leadership and steering responsibility in transformation, growth and crisis situations.
Project, Program & Execution
Project & Program Management
Holistic planning, steering and delivery of complex projects and programmes, including time, budget and resource responsibility.
Agile & Hybrid Execution Models
Using agile, hybrid and classic steering models to secure delivery speed, transparency and focus on results.
Risk & Decision Management
Structured identification, assessment and steering of risks and decision processes in complex project environments.
Process, Performance & Improvement
Lean & Process Optimization
Analysing, designing and optimising business processes with a focus on customer value, efficiency and sustainable value creation.
Continuous Improvement & Quality Systems
Building and steering continuous improvement and quality systems for long-term performance and competitiveness.
Performance & Target Management
Designing and implementing goal, KPI and steering systems (e.g. OKR, Balanced Scorecard) for strategic alignment and measurability.
IT, Digital & AI
IT governance & ERP
Governance with SLA, RPO/RTO, RACI and TOMs; Microsoft Dynamics 365 implementation with migration, integration and connection of legacy systems.
AI in business
AI from use case to a pilot that stays in operation; own AI platform herrlichAI with servers in Germany, GDPR-compliant.
Data & reporting
Reporting with Power BI, decision papers for the management team; Data Process Expert (IHK).
Market & Growth
Business development
Strategic development of business models and market- and customer-oriented growth initiatives.
Sales & negotiation
Sales and organisational development as a board member; Sales and Negotiation Specialist (IHK), Digital Sales Expert (IHK).
Financial steering
Knowledge of financial steering, performance and KPI logic; controlling as a board member of Portfolio Consult AG.
How the competencies work together
A model of how I work: technology and processes only work when leadership carries them and people adopt them.
People
Enabling, taking people along, clarifying responsibility: INQA coach, New Work Expert (IHK), mediator.
Leadership
Providing direction and deciding: 13 years on the Executive Board, leadership responsibility since 2004.
Organisation
Roles, processes, governance and workflows: lean, quality management, process management (IHK).
Technology & AI
ERP, data and AI in operation: Microsoft Dynamics 365, Power BI, own AI platform herrlichAI.
Soft skills & professional behavior
Leadership. Decision-making. Human dynamics.
Leadership & Responsibility
Confident leadership in complex situations
Ability to take responsibility, provide direction and drive decisions, even under uncertainty, time pressure and conflicting interests.
Clarity of roles and decisions
Clear separation of roles, responsibilities and decision rights to prevent friction and escalation.
Entrepreneurial thinking
As board member and founder, keeping results, cost and risk in view; decisions for the whole company.
Communication & Stakeholder Management
Clear, audience-appropriate communication
Confident communication at board, project and team level: precise, structured and direct.
Moderation & conflict skills
Objective moderation of different perspectives and constructive handling of conflict, tension and resistance in change processes.
Feedback & dialogue skills
Ability to give and receive feedback clearly and integrate it productively into the development of teams and projects.
Analytical Thinking & Structure
Systems thinking
Quickly grasping complex interdependencies in organisations, projects and leadership systems.
Structuring & prioritisation
Reducing complexity through clear structures, priorities and decision logic.
Collaboration & Team Dynamics
Working in diverse teams
Effective collaboration with interdisciplinary, culturally diverse and distributed teams.
Building trust and team effectiveness
Building trust through clarity, reliability and consistent action as the basis for high-performing collaboration.
Self-Leadership & Professional Attitude
Self-reflection & learning ability
Continuous reflection on one's own actions and openness to feedback and development.
Resilience & stability
Calm, structured action even in critical project phases, under resistance or high expectations.
Leadership and collaboration formats
- Leadership coaching
- Moderation & facilitation
- Conflict & decision moderation
- Mediation
- Coaching (INQA)
Proven in my career
| Soft skill | Shown in | Credential |
|---|---|---|
| Confident leadership | 13 years on the Executive Board; Interim CIO with overall IT responsibility | Leadership coaching; Agile Leadership Specialist (IHK) |
| Clarity of roles and decisions | Governance with SLA, RACI and TOMs at Telelift GmbH | Business Transformation Expert (IHK) |
| Audience-appropriate communication | Decision papers for the management team | Rhetoric and Communication Specialist (IHK) |
| Moderation & conflict skills | Change processes in sales, consulting and IT | Certified mediator; Change Management Specialist (IHK) |
| Feedback & dialogue skills | Leading and training 4 apprentices at SEB AG | INQA coach; AEVO |
| Systems thinking | IT and process analysis, target picture and roadmap | Data Process Expert (IHK) |
| Structuring & prioritisation | 30/60/90-day quick wins for the management team | Lean consultant; Process Management Specialist (IHK) |
| Working in diverse teams | Acquired and managed call centres across Europe | New Work Expert (IHK) |
| Trust and team effectiveness | Branch team and building up a new profit centre at SEB AG | Leadership coaching |
| Self-reflection & learning ability | Sabbatical for professional realignment | Credentials since 2019, see learning curve |
| Resilience & stability | ERP rollout and cost reduction in one interim assignment | Stress Management Specialist (IHK) |
Workflow: from signal to impact
Five stations that turn many open issues into one lever. Select a station for details.
- Signal: Order book, team, costs, technology — signals arrive from every direction at once.
- Pattern: A few causes create most symptoms. They are named and evidenced.
- Lever: Priority goes to what combines impact with feasibility — one starting point, not ten.
- System: The lever is wired into ownership, process and tooling — otherwise it stays an intention.
- Impact: Decisions come faster, the team works on the right things — visible in the result.
Process: transformation in four steps
So that digitalisation does not fail on ownership afterwards, but stays in operation.
Define the use case and priority
IT and process analysis, target picture and roadmap: first clarify what really moves the company forward.
Build a working pilot
Results instead of slides: from the Microsoft Dynamics 365 implementation to my own AI platform herrlichAI.
Clarify rules and routines
Governance with SLA, RPO/RTO, RACI and TOMs: everyone knows who decides, who operates and who is accountable.
Enable the team
Taking people along and enabling them: change management (IHK), New Work Expert (IHK), INQA coach, leadership coaching.
One assignment, step by step
Telelift GmbH, 08/2025 – 12/2025: from analysis to a measurable result.
08/2025
Analysis
Joined as Business Transformation Consultant: IT and process analysis.
09/2025
Interim CIO
Additionally Interim CIO with overall IT responsibility.
Planning
Target picture and roadmap
Target picture, roadmap and 30/60/90-day quick wins for the management team.
Steering
Governance
SLA, RPO/RTO, RACI and TOMs: clear responsibility for operations and decisions.
Delivery
Microsoft Dynamics 365
Led the implementation: migration, integration and connection of legacy systems; reporting with Power BI.
12/2025
Result
IT operating costs reduced by 28%.
Impact, measured
Telelift GmbH, 08/2025 – 12/2025: IT and process analysis, governance with SLA, RPO/RTO, RACI and TOMs, Microsoft Dynamics 365 implementation. Result: IT operating costs reduced by 28%.
| Kategorie | IT operating costs at Telelift, index (before = 100) |
|---|---|
| Before | 100 |
| After | 72 |
- IT operating costs at Telelift, index (before = 100)
Credentials by field
- AI & generative AI31
- Agile & Scrum18
- Tools & digital methods14
- Business transformation & leadership12
- Communication & sales12
- Digitalisation & digital business7
- Creativity & innovation7
- Lean, process & quality5
- Specialisations & state accreditations4
- Health & self-management3
Credentials by issuer
- LinkedIn50
- IHK19
- Meister Academy10
- Anthropic8
- Karriere Tutor7
- Scrum.org4
- Microsoft3
- Other12
Learning curve
Dated credentials per year since 2019. Learning is part of the job.
| Kategorie | Credentials per year since 2019 |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 22 |
| 2023 | 14 |
| 2024 | 9 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 | 40 |
- Credentials per year since 2019
Methods & tools
Strategy & Diagnostics
- Strategic analysis & diagnosis
- Maturity models & as-is assessments
- Problem & root-cause analysis of complex systems
Business & Strategy Frameworks
- Golden Circle (Why–How–What)
- Business Model Canvas
- Value Proposition Design
- Strategic target architectures
Organisation & Governance
- Organizational design
- Role & responsibility models
- Decision & governance structures
Process & Efficiency
- Lean management
- Value stream mapping
- SIPOC
- Continuous improvement
Project, Program & Execution
- Project & program management
- Agile & hybrid execution models
- Scrum
- Kanban
- OKR (Objectives & Key Results)
Change & Transformation
- Change management frameworks
- Transformation architectures
- Stakeholder & communication models
Leadership & Collaboration
- Leadership coaching
- Moderation & facilitation
- Conflict & decision moderation
Digital & Collaboration Tools
- Digital collaboration tools
- Structured documentation systems
- Transparent work & decision spaces
- Microsoft Dynamics 365
- Power BI
- Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Claude and Anthropic API
- Notion
- MeisterTask
- MindMeister
Career at a glance
- Training
1996–1999 - Volksbank
1999–2001 - SEB AG
2001–2007 - Executive Board
2007–2020 - Sabbatical
2020–2022 - Steffen Herr Consulting · Interim CIO
2022–today
Does this fit your challenge?
CV and documents are available after a short entry of your contact details, a conversation at any time.