DR. BODO ANTONIC

MANAGING UNDER PRESSURE

kEYNOTES WITH MOMENTUM AND IMPACT

Keynotes

As a diver and manager, I gain my experiences in concrete situations – and usually under pressure and uncertainty. Again and again, I experience situations that are thought-provoking. They force me to rethink what I have learned to the present day. They sharpen the view of what really matters under extreme conditions. That is, what I talk about in my key notes.

The company in situation of breathlessness

Even companies can run out of air – and well before you notice it in the balance sheet. The people are caught in the hamster wheel, the management acts headless, the customers get out of sight. How to manage this? Only by a paradox!

It takes disorder of everyone in the company, as far as the perception of the inside and outside world of the company is concerned. And at the same time there is a need of order, resulting from action-guiding values and principles. This is ensured by good managers. And diving teaches them how to do that.

An experienced diver will in many cases only run out of air when he forgot to check whether the bottle is empty or not. This normally should be completely under control. On the other hand, an inexperienced diver, due to a lack of experience physical and mentally mostly overloaded, tends to panic. This panic leads to a self-intensifying vicious circle of increasing demand of air. Both reasons, physical and mental overload, are often to find as a base of on crises in companies.

The keynote shows how managers, even under pressure and uncertainty, keep a firm grip on the situation, decide correctly and courageously, and set the course for the company in such a way that the essentials happen and the insignificant fails to materialize.

Communicate, Decide, Perceive

Who dives, never does this alone. Even in murky waters communication must succeed. A few succinct hand signals are enough to settle the necessary. Reading the terrain and interpreting signals is essential. And decisions must be made quickly and courageously.

How unspecific and confused, on the other hand, is often our interaction with each other and our approach to management! I cannot afford that as a interim manager contributing in economic situation where time is pretty restricted.

Basically, there are four steps that are enough for me, as an interim manager, to probe the situation in the given timeframe, under pressure and uncertainty, and turn things around for the better. Carefully perceive, communicate succinctly, decide quickly and focus on the essential, are trumps here.

In my keynote, I will show you how you can perceive, communicate succinctly, decide quickly and focus on the essential in distressed situation. Furthermore, we will talk about which hurdles will be to be taken and what is important in stressful management situations.

The breathless manager

The schedule is full, the decisions are shaken from the sleeve, the own importance is beyond question. But this head and breathlessness is highly dangerous: for the manager as well as for the company. How do managers have to change their view of themselves, the world and their job in order to regain their power and impact?

Under water, breathlessness is a highly dangerous borderline situation. She can kill. The causes are poor planning or sudden changes in conditions. These include, for example, unexpected currents, medical emergencies or stress and panic attacks.

Underwater, these are often due to human error, poor training condition and a simply not designed for fault-tolerance planning culture. This is no less true for companies.

The keynote shows you on the basis of personnel experiences and situations which formed me as a manager and diver, how not to get out of breath – despite of pressure and stress – and how to keep your company on course.

Survival as a principal

Survival seems natural to us until we are confronted with situations that shake us up. I have experienced such as a rescue diver. Some years ago, one of the midwives began to develop the symptoms of panic. I was turned off as a backup diver and took care of the comrade immediately. I managed to calm him down.

Then I set about retrieving his underwater lamp, which he had dropped to the ground. I dived down and picked her up. Meanwhile, while I did not focus on my buddy, I did not notice that the diver started to panic again. My concern for this “uuuuuh so expensive” lamp had let me forget the essentials. I refocused myself, dropped the lamp and escorted the panicked comrade to the surface of the water.

In our daily management context, we must focus on many aspects. Some are important, some are neglectable. Time to think about what is really important and what is nice to have, or?

The keynote shows that survival is not a matter of course. And that “survival as a principle” can serve as a guideline for effective action, especially in the economy, when fashionable management slogans and buzzwords threaten to obscure the clear view.

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I love change situations – and keynotes serve as powerful instruments in change situations. Keynotes are impulses full of momentum and impact. Well embedded in a bunch of further measurements, they are able to whip organisations ahead to the tipping point where “talk and plan” is converted into “action”.

Human spirit wants to be free and human beings want to productive.

––––––––––– Bodo Antonić

My Mission

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I am a manager and a diver. More precisely, I am interim manager, who should initiate the change for the better with limited time and limited insight.

Both areas of experience – diving and managing – belong together for me. They interpenetrate. Whether I dive into the water or into the company: I must orientate myself anew every time, interpret signals, communicate clearly and make courageous decisions.

Underwater, as an experienced diver, I take responsibility for a group of people. No different in the company. Here too, as a manager, I take responsibility for people and the company’s success.

This requires professionalism, focus and a guideline. This is a matter of course for divers – and should be a tool for managers. So that you and the company do not run out of breath prematurely.

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In Sachen Restrukturierungen von Life Science-Absatzorganisationen ist er für mich der Interimmanager der Wahl.

Mediterranes Temperament und Präzision des Verstands in einem Menschen vereint.

Sie wollen einen Menschen kennenlernen, der das Umdenken lebt, der das Wort Paradigmenwechsel verstanden hat und einen Menschen, der weckt? Dann hören Sie bei ihm genau hin.

Bodo Antonic denkt präzise und stellt Altbekanntes in Frage. Damit entlarvt er unbewusste Glaubenssätze, ist dadurch manchmal ein wenig unbequem, versteht es aber immer die Wertschätzung zu transportieren, die ihm am Herzen liegt.