»This book is deeply valuable. It illustrates the importance of values-based leadership from a practical perspective in a clear and entertaining way, ALIGNING WITH EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON TRANSFORMATIONAL AND AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP.«

PROF. DR CLAUDIA PEUS
Senior Vice President at TU Munich and Director of the TUM Institute for LifeLong Learning

»Sven Korndörffer captures exactly how I feel. As a hotelier, I know the VALUE OF HIGH-QUALITY INTERACTIONS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE FOR ACHIEVING THAT QUALITY. The author explores this particular facet of leadership in a wonderful and thoughtful manner. An excellent read for all leaders who want to achieve top performance with their teams in a truly sustainable way.«

FRANK MARRENBACH
CEO | Managing Partner of Althoff Hotels

»Through many encounters at the Values Commission, Sven Korndörffer has grown dear to me. That made me all the more curious to read about the appreciation chain. My conclusion: with his keen mind, fine writing and very personal observations, Sven reinforces his appeal to always BE, OR BECOME, AN APPRECIATIVE AND RESPECTFUL LEADER. As simple as this insight may seem, the consequences are far-reaching and highly relevant. Imagine if not only executives and not just those in companies followed this appeal – the world would be a better place.«

ALEXANDER BIRKEN

Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Otto Group

»Sven Korndörffer provides a wonderful and intensive exploration of the human factor: Numbers alone don’t make success stories; LEADERS WITH A STRONG CHARACTER are key to the long-lasting success of a company.«

PROF. DR CORDULA MECKENSTOCK
Honorary Professor at Leipzig University for International Criminal Law and Compliance

»Leadership is challenging, and so is writing a book about it – especially if the goal is to create something more than just a straightforward guide or, worse, a justification of one’s own leadership principles. Sven Korndörffer has met this challenge head on and successfully avoided both of these pitfalls. His book encourages reflection, engages its readers and inspires them – in a likeable way – to become better leaders as well as helping them to avoid mistakes. Intertwined in his writing is a principle that is also central to me: A COOL HEAD, A WARM HEART AND WORKING HANDS.«

PROF. DR BURKHARD SCHWENKER
Senior Fellow at Roland Berger GmbH

»Sven Korndörffer is inspired in his actions by Pestalozzi’s guiding principles. Figuratively speaking, FOR HIM, A GOOD LEADER POSSESSES HEAD, HAND AND HEART. Or, in other words, intelligence, professional skills in their area of expertise and a high degree of empathy.«

DR WOLF SCHUMACHER
Chair of the Supervisory Board of BayernLB

»Sven Korndörffer makes a convincing case for VALUES-BASED LEADERSHIP AS THE SOUL AND FUTURE OF AN ORGANISATION. Diversity and digital transformation require empathy, transparency and leaders taking a clear stance. I found it an engaging and enjoyable read.«

DR WIEBKE ANKERSEN
Executive Director of the AllBright Foundation, Berlin

»While everyone’s talking about AI, Sven Korndörffer impressively demonstrates that EMPATHY AND APPRECIATION ARE IMPERATIVE FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS – both within and outside a company.«

PROF. DR HARALD BIERMANN
President of the Haus der Geschichte Foundation