Those who fail to invest in the intellectual and practical capabilities of their people will lose out.
The new NZZ SME Barometer reads like a textbook on economic uncertainty: geopolitical tensions, faltering supply chains, an unpredictable relationship with the EU, increasing regulation, skyrocketing costs. Almost 60% of the SMEs surveyed say that their growth prospects have been negatively affected by developments in the US. One in five companies is postponing investments.
Entrepreneurs view the world ‘with scepticism, but with confidence in themselves,’ according to the commentary accompanying the barometer. That sounds good — but confidence alone is no longer enough. Anyone who believes that old strategies and pure efficiency logic will shape the future is seriously mistaken.
The real currency of the coming years will be the ability to deal with uncertainty constructively and keep moving forward.
And this is precisely where an astonishing contradiction becomes apparent: many companies are cutting back on investment, but they are not even considering what is arguably the most important investment of all — developing leadership skills, mental strength and adaptability. Yet this is the area that now makes the difference between crisis resilience and paralysis.
Coaching? Underestimated and often misunderstood.
Coaching still has an image problem in the SME world. It is too often reduced to personality development in ‘feel-good mode’ and soft skills that supposedly do not bring any direct benefits. But the opposite is true.
Good, professional coaching is a strategic management tool today. It helps entrepreneurs and executives navigate complexity by:
- make clear decisions when the facts are unclear,
- build inner resilience instead of letting crises drive you,
- Innovationsfähigkeit zu fördern, statt im Reaktionsmodus zu verharren,
- and lead teams to genuine self-efficacy.
At a time when 81% of SMEs expect additional bureaucratic burdens and 88% expect more IT security measures, this is exactly what is needed: people who keep their cool, provide guidance, can think up new solutions — and who, at the same time, lead in a humane and unifying manner.
If you’re thinking about ‘further training,’ you’ve missed the point.
This is not about traditional training programmes. It is about personal development in line with the latest thinking: integrative, systemic and practical. Coaching works where textbooks no longer help: in your own attitude, in your leadership energy and in consciously dealing with uncertainty.
Anyone who underestimates this will fail — not because of a lack of expertise, but because their own organisation will psychologically shift into reverse gear.
The figures in the SME Barometer show that many SMEs are planning to restructure their supply chains, rebalance their markets and question their dependence on technology. However, all of this requires a change in mindset, both at management level and among teams. Anyone who believes that this can be achieved without comprehensive change management is underestimating the dynamics of today’s world.
The provocative truth
Coaching is no longer a ‘nice to have’. It is a licence to shape your own future in an uncertain society.
Those who invest now in processes that help people become more flexible, clearer and more resilient will not go under in the coming trough — they will remain in the lead.
‘Mindset is the new currency. Those who invest in the thinking and acting power of their people now will not only gain resilience — but also future viability.’
