Speaker: Prof. Dr. Mike Hoffmeister, Ostfalia Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften

title: “The Art of Leading Intercultural Start-Up-Teams”

time: one hour

Language: Englisch

Format: Interactive Speech with short interventions and discussion in English

Profile

Prof. Dr. Mike Hoffmeister worked in international sales at Volkswagen AG for over 12 years, among others as a district sales manager in the Arab Gulf states and as head of personnel development and training for sales staff at the Volkswagen sales organisation.

Since 2003, Hoffmeister has been teaching international business and management at the Faculty of Business at Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences in Wolfsburg.

Since suffering a stroke in 2014, Hoffmeister has focused his teaching and research on the field of happiness research. Together with Nelson Mandela University, Hoffmeister conducts research on the topic: “Impact of culture on happiness at work.” He gives lectures, seminars and workshops on intercultural competence, positive leadership and happiness at conferences, in companies and at universities in Germany and abroad.

He also organises the annual public Ostfalia discussion series ‘Happiness and a Fulfilled Life’. Hoffmeister is a founding member and member of the board of trustees of the International Friendship Circle Wolfsburg e.V.  

Hoffmeister studied “Positive Psychology and Coaching” in a master programme of the DHGS University in Berlin from 2022 until 2024 – in keeping with the spirit of ‘lifelong learning makes you happy’.

Hoffmeister represents the Faculty of Business in the steering committee of the Wolfsburg Health Region. He has been an active member of the Rotary Club Gifhorn-Wolfsburg since 2009.

His motto: ‘Cultural diversity enriches life!’

Content

The business world for start-ups is becoming increasingly global and interconnected. Digital business models, access to venture capital from foreign investors and international support programmes require a high level of intercultural competence.

This is particularly true in the area of leading people. Start-ups are increasingly recruiting international specialists. This leads to start-up teams whose members come from different cultural backgrounds.

Cultural misunderstandings in communication, a lack of trust and different value systems make successful teamwork difficult and often leads to significant conflicts. Therefore, strong intercultural competence is becoming an increasingly important factor for the success of start-up companies.

Hoffmeister presents the most important recommendations for successfully and sustainably leading international teams. In doing so, he draws on scientific findings from the relatively new field of science “Positive Psychology” and his international research projects.

The lecture is highly interactive, with integrated exercises and discussions.