Coaching for second-level leaders – between top management, team and peers
As a Senior Business Coach and Leadership Expert in Hamburg, I work with leaders at the second leadership level – when more is needed than standard recipes
At the second leadership level, demands from different directions intensify; contradictory demands are part of everyday life in your sandwich position – for example:
- Translating strategic goals into operational reality – even when goals, incentives and resources diverge.
- Keeping capacities and priorities in view – while delivering ambitious results.
- Cooperating as equals and proving yourself in conflict.
As an experienced leadership coach, I support you in finding your bearings even in complex situations and in making sound decisions.
Who I work with
I work with leaders at the second leadership level – division heads, managing directors of subsidiaries, managing directors and comparable roles in upper and middle management, or on their way there.
In this position, there is often no neutral counterpart inside the organisation and no confidential space for reflection and resonance. In external leadership coaching, we do more than sort operational to-dos: we clarify context, dynamics and your positioning.
What it's often about
- Role change: high expectations, new rules, greater visibility.
- Demanding stakeholder constellations: when power logic becomes relevant alongside factual logic.
- Crisis and upheaval: complex, urgent decisions under pressure.
We work on the issues that matter to you right now, in your role and your situation.
What you can expect
- Considered clarity about your current situation
- New options for upcoming decisions
- Practical impulses for everyday leadership
- Candid feedback as a true counterpart
- More presence and energy, even under high pressure
Partnership on equal terms, in Hamburg and online – well-founded and practical
As a certified business coach, I have supported leaders in demanding leadership and decision-making situations for more than ten years – with an additional perspective from my own senior management responsibility.
- Senior management experience: 15+ years at the second leadership level, direct reporting line to board level, responsibility for several corporate functions
- Coaching and advisory: 10+ years as a certified Senior Coach (DBVC, IOBC) and TA-Berater (DGTA/EATA)
How we work
-
Clarify context & mandate:
assignment, expectations, framework and scope – what is it really about?
-
Work on key situations:
communication, conflicts, decisions, pressure to act, etc.
-
Transfer & effectiveness:
implementation between sessions, reflection and feedback
-
When the company commissions:
initial meeting with HR/line manager to clarify assignment and objectives. Coaching remains confidential; optional process feedback without content.
-
From Hamburg – in person, online or hybrid:
flexible in terms of both location and time
What this could be about
The First 100 Days - Transitioning Confidently into Your New Leadership Role
A new leadership role rarely starts from zero – expectations, alliances and unwritten rules are already in place. I support you, whether moving internally or joining from outside, in reading those expectations early, clarifying your positioning towards key people, and distinguishing your role from your person. The aim is to find your bearings in the first 100 days and move from being driven to taking the lead – acting deliberately rather than letting reflex take over.
Expanding your repertoire – where previously successful routines no longer carry
Mastery at this level does not mean functioning ever more smoothly. It means widening your range where what once worked no longer does: perceiving your own impact more precisely, exercising lateral influence beyond hierarchical power, and shifting deliberately between leadership styles. Together we focus on what currently matters for your decisions – so you can widen your room for manoeuvre and decide with confidence, even under pressure.
Staying capable of acting under high pressure – in crisis and upheaval
In phases of high uncertainty or restructuring, the first task is to regain your own clarity and capacity to act – without slipping into frantic action or withdrawal.
From there, I support you in determining where you stand, finding viable options, and leading a necessary change of course.
The aim is to remain able to judge and decide soundly, even when the situation stays uncertain.
Arrange a free and non-binding initial consultation now.
I look forward to meeting you!