We did it again!

undconsorten has once again been recognised as a Hidden Champion for "Leadership & Organisation" by the Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft für Management und Beratung (WGMB) - what do you think?

Axel Sauder: We are thrilled to have achieved this again! This really is a very special honour for us as a company. If we are recognised as having greater expertise in our core areas than established consultancies such as McKinsey, BCG and Bain, then that is the strongest competition imaginable. So it's all the nicer to come out on top in the end - in the eyes of our clients. And for the third time in a row - also a nice award for long-term consulting work.

What are you personally particularly proud of?

Jens Müller-Oerlinghausen: I think, in addition to what Axel said, it's especially nice to see that we came first in the areas of "Teamwork", third in "Communication" and fifth in "Expertise". For me, this means that our consulting approach - i.e. the close collaboration between 'client & consultants' - is really being lived and is effective. Incidentally, this was also the original idea behind our name when we founded the company.

What has changed in the last two years, i.e. since the last Hidden Champion award?

Axel Sauder: We are seeing that the topics of agility and digitalisation, particularly with their impact on organisations and employees, are becoming much more of a focus. Many companies have now completed the first steps of this transformation and are suddenly faced with completely new tasks that have arisen precisely from the process of transformation - what does our management model look like, how can we continue to scale the progress we have made, what do we need to do to adapt systems and processes to the new organisational reality? Many also learn on this occasion that there are no simple patent remedies when it comes to agility, but only the development of intelligent and suitable solutions.

Axel Hüttmann: We are also noticing that the transformation of the HR function is continuing steadily, not least because strategic HR topics such as talent management, leadership development and learning are changing due to technology, but also due to employee expectations. It is therefore not surprising that employee experience (EX), consistent customer orientation and the development of high-performing teams are increasingly becoming the focus of attention.

Has the award already had anoticeable impact?

Jens Müller-Oerlinghausen: We received a number of new enquiries from clients in January and February as a result of the Hidden Champion award. We also noticed in recruiting that it is important to many applicants to work for a hidden champion. Last but not least, it was simply great for our entire team to feel the appreciation of our clients for their commitment, dedication and energy.

What's next?

Axel Sauder: As Jens said, the award is an appreciation and confirmation of our work and we want to continue along this path. In other words, to shape the upcoming transformations together with our clients. At the same time, we also want to grow internally as a company and offer our employees the opportunity for personal and professional growth. We have gained motivated new colleagues in recent years, who encourage us to constantly scrutinise and develop ourselves through open discussions.

Axel Hüttmann: Personally, I think this culture of questioning and trying things out is really important for the company. I believe that this is one of the most important prerequisites for successfully organising projects and ultimately one of the reasons why our clients have "gifted" us with this award.