Hamburg, December 2, 2021 – At the 20th PAWLIK Congress, held on November 15 and 16 in Hamburg, thought leaders and industry experts explored the growing importance of empathy in leadership and the workplace.
welcomed an esteemed lineup of speakers, including former Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, AI specialist Sabina Jeschke, astrophysicist Heino Falcke, medical ethicist Alena Buyx, and Joe Kaeser, Chair of the Supervisory Board at Siemens Energy. On the evening prior, Nobel laureate in economics Daniel Kahneman joined the event live from the United States.
Host Joachim Pawlik kicked off the congress with a keynote speech: “Over the past two years, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in the importance of empathetic leadership.” Pawlik noted that many employees feel a gap in this area, adding: “At PAWLIK Consultants, we frequently come across challenges in our projects that could be addressed effectively with greater empathy.” He concluded confidently: “Empathy is emerging as a critical success factor.” You can watch the full keynote speech and highlights from the congress here: https://pawlik-congress.com/about-us/
Former Siemens CEO and current Chair of the Supervisory Board at Siemens Energy, Joe Kaeser, expanded on this idea by describing the manager of the future: “Tomorrow’s leaders won’t just be technology strategists; they’ll be individuals who can align objectives in advance, detect even subtle conflicts, and inspire their teams to perform at their best.” DNobel laureate Daniel Kahneman also underscored the growing importance of empathy in corporate environments, particularly amid digital transformation: “The need for empathy is greatest when organizations implement change. Yet, this is often the time when empathy is most lacking,” he explained. Kahneman highlighted that every transformation creates winners and losers, a reality that must be addressed early on. The 20th PAWLIK Congress took place in a relaxed and engaging setting at Hamburg’s Gastwerk Design Hotel, with approximately 200 attendees participating in person. This year’s event was held under strict 2G guidelines, allowing for a relatively informal and interactive networking experience. An additional 100 participants
joined the congress via live stream. The event was hosted by presenter Dunja Hayali.
PAWLIK also offers a range of services centered on “The New Empathy,” including an e-learning program from its subsidiary PINK (https://www.pinkuniversity.de/fuehren-mitempathie/) and Führungskräfte-Coachingsto find out how to become more empathetic in various situations through self-reflection.
About PAWLIK
PAWLIK Consultants is a global leader in systemic talent and organizational development, as well as executive search and recruitment services. Founded in 1996 by Joachim Pawlik in Hamburg, the company has grown to include a team of over 300 experienced consultants and professionals across 15 international locations. PAWLIK Consultants supports clients worldwide, focusing on talent development, navigating the war for talent, and managing complex change processes. The PAWLIK Group continues to enhance its digital expertise through strategic investments in innovative digital service providers, consistently expanding its portfolio with cutting-edge technologies to meet evolving client needs.
