As a globally recognised and multi-awarded leadership expert, Lars proudly serves and guides executives and leaders in English-speaking countries through shared knowledge and passion based on 36 years of tried-and-tested first-hand experience.
Lars Friedrich, Leadership Expert
You mentioned that you gained over three decades of practical leadership experience. Please tell us more.
My journey of leading, guiding, and supporting others started when I got my sports trainer license at the age of 17.
During that time, I had already trained in traditional Japanese martial arts for seven years and had the honour of being appointed to take over responsibility for the children's training.
So this year, I am looking back on 43 years of an ongoing journey of my own tuition in those Eastern arts and still frequently travel to Japan every year for progress and refinement!
These four decades of first-hand experience of persistence, motivation, endurance, discipline, perseverance, mindset, and resilience still amplify my later professionally executed self-leadership and have led to my very own "Touch of Zen".
A very practical approach and perspective on life influenced by Eastern concepts and seen through the lens of their timeless philosophies and wisdom that my clients highly appreciate!
That's very impressive, and undoubtedly, it has been a long time of personal devotion, immersion, and development. So what sets your business apart from competitors in your industry besides your just- mentioned “Touch of Zen”?
My professional leadership services are renowned for quintessentially being different compared to 99% of others!
They are best described by a quote from John Fitzgerald Kennedy' JFK' when he was nominated as the presidential candidate on July 15, 1960:
"For courage, not complacency, is our need today, leadership, not salesmanship. And the only valid test of leadership is the ability to lead and lead vigorously.”
And I solely care about the reality of leadership and not the theoretical and too-often romanticised perception of it, too!
Thus, by expertly serving and guiding those who lead and serve, based on decades of tried and tested first-hand leadership experience!
My business is boutique, and I handle my client's specific needs regarding self-leadership and leading others by creating something extraordinarily personal for every individual client.
Because my job is not to be easy on my clients!
But to make them better to achieve their new possible!
And by doing so, I am providing unique professional leadership services for a particular kind of sophisticated client with unparalleled character, quality, and excellence!
Those are daring statements. What makes you say that? Can you please be more specific about your professional background?
My acquired practical experience in dynamic international and intercultural environments, as a COO in global corporate business development and operations for 15 years, plus my ability to pass on the lessons learned in my entrepreneurial journey for already 9 years, allow me to deliver insights and guidance from a credible platform.
A diverse educational background, a wealth of collected theoretical knowledge and the attainment of diplomas and academic titles at reputable universities and institutions in different countries support this.
However, I'm not a mere scholar!
As a globally recognised leadership expert, my dynamic approach inspires not only individual executives and leaders but also teams, companies, organisations and businesses to refine their skills.
Also, it enables them to lead amidst uncertainty, conquer adversity, thrive under pressure, and maintain a competitive edge in today's volatile marketplace.
That sounds like a very versatile and varied approach. Please tell us about your most significant career achievement so far.
Before my corporate career, I successfully planned, prepared and executed worldwide missions as a combat-ready leader and member of a Special Operations Forces unit in the military for over a decade.
As the highest testimony of my leadership skills, I pride myself on having brought everybody back to their families and loved ones!
Undoubtedly, I am used to working in global, fast-moving, high-stakes crisis environments where inconsistent execution can generate catastrophic results.
This has made me uniquely qualified in the fundamentals of leading and winning under pressure, reducing errors, overcoming obstacles, and facing unforeseeable adversity, challenges, and setbacks.
All of that practically gained first-hand expertise then can help my clients triumph in their high-risk, time-crunched world today.
So what kind of people gravitate towards you and your professional services, and who are your typical clients?
Well, that’s already the keyword: professional!
Because undeniably, all of my current and former clients have one thing in common: they are determined and intrinsically motivated professionals.
For them, I am a serious but fun, thought-provoking sparring- and accountability partner for executive leadership coaching, as the commonly used industry term.
My professional services are generally available for all kinds of high-flying artists, athletes, creatives, entrepreneurs, executives and the C-suite, high- achieving leaders, managers, peak performers, and visionaries in English-speaking countries globally.
That sums it up neatly.
How do you share all of those accumulated unique experiences and expertise, and with whom?
First of all, of course, in the one-on-one meetings with my existing clients – virtually or in person, depending on our agreed-upon contracts!
Having studied, worked, and lived in different countries has given me valuable social, political, and economic insights and connections.
This obviously makes my leadership services particularly interesting for potential clients in international and intercultural corporate and entrepreneurial business environments.
However, my ability to connect with bigger audiences has also made me highly sought after as a keynote speaker during the last few years!
In addition to discussing leadership and what it means to be an exemplary executive and leader, I also often share my knowledge of leading high-performing, diverse teams with maximum intensity, goal orientation and achievement.
Rumour has it that I am indeed a compelling communicator with an incredible story, which undeniably makes me a credible professional who walks his talk by promoting leadership, not salesmanship.
Made in Germany Improved around the world! Often imitated – Never duplicated!
And because of all the information shared in this interview, my professional leadership services are indeed quintessentially renowned as being different from those of 99% of others.
With unparalleled character, quality and excellence!
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