17 December 2015. Some companies are innovative and dynamic, others slow and passive. Some are highly successful, while others struggle to survive. Why such differences? Heike Bruch, author of the latest video in the HSG-animated film series, Little Green Bags says, "Strong leadership is the key to corporate performance." The research conducted by Professor Bruch and her team at the Institute of Leadership and Organisational Energy at the University of St.Gallen has revealed that, "Businesses need inspiring personalities, not just administrators. Enterprises and organisations need leaders, not just managers", for success hinges upon leaders who both exude and control organizational energy."
Organizational energy is a key element for business success, but not all energy is positive, which is why confidential mediators and policies should be implemented effectively to dissipate corrosive energy. Organisational burnout can be avoided by systematically focusing on such issues, conducting 'spring cleaning' and utilising creative breaks. Managers should fulfil their role as transformational leaders, performing their work with enthusiasm, vision and inspiration.
Bite-sized knowledge
The HSG video series Little Green Bags provides an opportunity to find out more about the fields of research at the University of St. Gallen. Themes including the 'inter-generational contract', digital living, the renewal energy transition, corporate social responsibility, innovation and the public welfare provide material for discussing issues relevant in and to society, business and politics, and are thus a key part of research and teaching at the HSG. The Little Green Bags video series (the title is derived from 'brown bag lunch' academic seminars) is designed to provide knowledge in bite-sized format.
It all started with the film What is CSR? on corporate social responsibility made by the Institute for Business Ethics. Then the Institute for Technology Management brought out video pieces on Effectuation and The Ten Myths of Entrepreneurship. A fourth short movie was devoted to exploring how innovation occurs, while the fifth, entitled Digital Good Life, featured Miriam Meckel explaining how to live in both the digital and analogue worlds while avoiding techno-stress. A sixth film was released on how Real Marketing can be utilised to close the sale, then in a seventh release, Elgar Fleisch and Markus Weinberger presented the Internet of Things and its uses. Public value was the topic of the eighth instalment in the HSG series which explored what the 'public welfare' actually consists of and relevant measurement approaches, narrated by HSG lecturer Timo Meynhardt. HSG Professor Martin Eling brought out the ninth film on the 'inter-generational contract' for ensuring equity of sacrifices and benefits between older and younger workers.
Animated video series Little Green Bags
The films were produced in cooperation with Zurich animation studio Zense and film director and St. Gallen University graduate Andri Hinnen (SIM-HSG). The scientific director behind the animated film series is Prof Thomas Beschorner, Director of the HSG Institute for Business Ethics. In June 2015 the film Public Value: Value Creation, Public Welfare and the Individual received a silver award at the French film festival Deauville Green Awards 2015. The Swiss National Science Foundation has likewise recognised the merits of this approach to science communication, providing support for further films in the series via the SNF Agora Instrument.
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Picture: Screenshot from the film / Zense