»All of us have accumulated practical
experience in top tier consulting firms
as well as in senior management
of outstanding companies«
Mr. Derndinger, what does the name LAP signify? LAP stands for Leader’s Advisory Point. We want to emphasize that to us the support and success of our clients means more than just traditional consulting. Yes, we develop ideas and strategies. But at the same time, we understand managers as individuals and support them in facing their individual challenges.
Can you give an example? Top managers often see a problem clearly and may have some idea how to solve it, but are uncertain if the solution is optimal . So, often, the key to success already lies in their own thoughts and ideas. For this reason, we emphasize working with our clients in workshops or in the context of business coaching to work out the best solutions. This is the way for our clients to leverage their own experience, and knowledge while still benefitting from our ideas as consultants.
Dr. Wohllebe, how is LAP different from other management consulting companies? Our team. All of us have accumulated practical experience in top tier consulting firms as well as in senior management of outstanding companies. In business, success stories are written by companies that are able to bundle the expertise of different disciplines. This “irons” out the offer for their customer. We are able to create concepts, yes, but we also have a strong sense for what works in practice.
Which “interdisciplinary” success story impressed you the most? Michael Schumacher’s. There have always been fast drivers in the formula 1 circuit. But he is a champion who combines experience from the race track with technical understanding of the vehicle. The combination of these two sources of information supported the engineering developments that really propelled the racing team to the top.
Dr. de Groot, why do you see your clients in good hands at LAP? Because we combine experience and flexibility. Contrary to the big names, LAP is flexible in terms of its support – ranging from consulting and coaching to handling capacity and interim management needs. Many clients are well-served with a “sprint study”, which delivers short term insights and decision support. We are able to supply larger teams; however, we are not forced to by our business model. Our clients determine their level of support – not we as consultants.
In addition to the German market, you know the Swiss market quite well. What does this mean for the geographical orientation of LAP? Having made Switzerland my country of choice, I have worked in Zurich for many years. We have plenty of contacts in Swiss insurers and banks. We feel very privileged to be able to serve our Swiss clients according to their specific terms, circumstances and needs.
Gentlemen, which kind of project is your favourite one, and where lie your particular strengths within these?
Mr. Derndinger:
I particularly enjoy projects or situations where content meets challenging change processes. The key assets in our industry are people. For this reason, concepts will only fly if they touch and reach the client’s workforce and change their behaviour.
Dr. Wohllebe:
My big passion is growth and sales. Again and again I am fascinated by how the right blend of emotional sales decisions and optimal technical support will propel organizations to new levels of success. I feel like an entrepreneur – and what is more rewarding than unlimited growth potential?
Dr. de Groot:
I am especially motivated by the individual challenges of our clients. The more complex a problem, the more I feel challenged to contribute to its solution. The final kick comes from combining everything in a final recommendation that can actually be implemented.
