Organizations are shaped as much by psychological dynamics as by strategy and structure. Beneath formal processes lie powerful forces that influence energy, alignment, performance, and resistance. Leaders who can recognize and work with these dynamics are better positioned to mobilize followership, sustain momentum, and navigate complexity.
This program focuses on understanding what truly drives or derails results: how psychological needs shape behavior, how emotions stabilize or undermine performance, and how leaders can be deliberate in how they show up. The program promotes strategic awareness of self and others. It enables leaders to work with both visible and invisible forces in organizational life.
A central element of the program is the use of participants’ real leadership challenges. Each participant brings a current situation from their organization, which becomes working material during the program.
Key facts
Benefits
Participants will:
- gain insight into the hidden drivers of organizational performance
- strengthen emotional containment capacity and self-regulation
- mobilize followership through deliberate and credible leadership presence
- navigate resistance and cultural dynamics more effectively
- foster internal support while managing rivalry constructively
- build resilience in themselves and their teams during change
Your profile
This program is designed for managers with at least five years of leadership experience who:
- lead teams or business units with clear performance responsibility
- operate in environments marked by complexity, change, or cultural tension
- seek deeper insight into what drives performance in themselves and others
- are motivated to refine their leadership impact
Key topics
- the hidden dynamics of organizational life
- culture as a driver of performance or a liability
- leadership, personality, and followership
- emotional containment and self-regulation
- authority and necessary evils
- coaching focused on participants’ leadership cases
- the psychology of change
Downloads
Leading with Psychological Intelligence
Next dates
How you will learn
Learning is grounded in participants’ real leadership situations. As part of the admission process, you will submit a pre-course reflection paper describing a current leadership challenge, which becomes working material throughout the program and is explored through reflection, discussion, and coaching.
The program combines:
- work on participants’ leadership cases
- faculty input and discussion of psychological dynamics in organizations
- peer exchange and reflection
- coaching focused on participants’ cases
- a live online follow-up session one month after the program to revisit cases and support continued application
Faculty
Prof. Konstantin Korotov, PhD
Professor of Organizational Behavior, ESMT Berlin
Prof. Konstantin Korotov specializes in leadership, change, and executive development. Through his research, teaching, and consulting, he supports global executives in navigating complex organizational environments and strengthening their leadership impact.
Pre-course reflection paper
Admission requires the submission of a reflection paper (approx. 1000+ words) on a current leadership challenge. This forms the basis for your work during the program and coaching sessions. Detailed guidelines are provided below.
Reflection paper guidelines
As part of the admission process, you are required to submit a reflection paper (recommended size of at least 1000 words, but there is no upper limit) describing your current challenge(s) related to your leadership or the human side of managerial work.
You may think about a particular incident, although it is better to analyze an ongoing unresolved issue that may involve relationships with bosses, subordinates, and/or peers, and that can be related to motivation, perception, attitudes, teamwork, organizational change, leadership, career interests, or any other "human" aspect of organizational life.
In your paper:
- Describe the incident or your ongoing issue, making it as clear as possible to an external reader.
- Indicate what makes the incident or the ongoing issue important or challenging for you.
- Indicate your own emotions associated with the issue or ongoing challenge.
- Indicate your thinking process related to the incident (e.g., the explanations that come to your mind when you think about the situation).
- List the questions, concerns, or doubts that you still have about the issue.
Think about your story as a draft of a "case study." In this private case study, you are the protagonist.
The faculty will use the class submissions to tailor the course to frequently raised issues and may refer to topics from your submissions during the sessions without naming you directly or revealing the situation. Still, if you specifically indicate in your submission that you do not want it to be referred to in class, even anonymously, your request will be fully respected.
The executive coach working with your small group will have access to your essay as they prepare for the session. You are expected to work on the issues mentioned in your essay during the group coaching session, where you will need to share some details about your situation with other participants.
Please bear this in mind when preparing your submission. Please change the names of the organization or the individuals involved and do not reveal sensitive data.
Participants’ voices
The program started with the question: why should anyone follow you?
It's basically what the program is all about. You reflect about leadership and how to actively motivate teammates to achieve a common goal.
An illuminating program that deepens your understanding of yourself, your relationships with others, and the dynamics shaping leadership.
Looking for more information, a consultation, or support with your application?
Contact our program advisor Laura Kiehne.
- Book a consultation
- Phone: +49 30 21231 1490
- Email: bd@esmt.org
