Maike Küper: “German companies have a culture problem”

About Maike Küper

Maike Küper is an organizational consultant, questioner, and idea generator. She enjoys working with teams eager to develop their organization or themselves – with "Why?" being her favorite question. Challenging the status quo and helping organizations transition from linear management to adaptable structures, leadership, and work models is a personal passion of hers.

What do you do as an organizational and cultural consulatant in your daily work?

I help medium-sized and large companies across all industries position themselves for the future. The major challenges are often very similar – long lead times from good ideas to market-ready products or services, lack of innovation, poor morale, outdated structures, and ways of working. Then (hopefully) someone says, "We need to do something." That’s when they often talk to me, because company leadership or their HR/People & Culture teams often don’t know where to start.

I first assist with the analysis: What are the problems, and what hypotheses do we have about their causes? What is our current culture, and what structures and conditions do we have? What do we need to prioritize because it’s causing real harm? After that: What can we do, and what interventions can we try?

How do you assess the need for cultural development in German companies?

In short: We have a cultural problem. This probably doesn’t surprise most people. Our economy is faltering for a reason; we’ve missed years of digitalization and modernization – partly because many companies were doing too well. This is coming back to haunt us. Many structures are ossified, and many employees are rightfully dissatisfied due to endless decision-making loops, lack of clarity in direction, or outdated leadership concepts.

How can organizations recognize that they need development?

Honestly, I don’t think that’s usually the problem. Almost every company I’ve seen was aware of its challenges. For cultural issues, the problem is often not knowing how to approach a solution – or what that solution looks like. It may also seem too difficult to change because "it’s been this way for 30 years." Cultural issues often significantly impact business success.

Some warning signs to look out for:

• High employee turnover
• High rates of sick leave
• Poor employee survey results
• Bad Kununu reviews

I can also sense it quickly in a “vibe check.” If there’s a lot of laughter, office doors are open, and the CEO isn’t hidden behind three layers of receptionists, those are good signs. But there are subtler indicators:

Lack of psychological safety

If no one dares to voice their opinions or challenge authority, it’s dangerous – outcomes and decisions suffer. Psychological safety remains an underrated success factor. It’s not a "soft" issue to address only when everything else is done.

"Cuddle Cultures"

Sometimes it’s less obvious. I often call these environments "cuddle cultures." Everything is excessively nice – but no one dares disrupt the harmony with valid dissent or criticism. This typically leads to gossip, backbiting, and information asymmetries. Wherever there are people, there are always conflicts.

Doing the bare minimum

When even engaged individuals stick to the bare minimum and resignedly perform their duties without generating new ideas, the system has drained too much energy. This is often seen in overly bureaucratic organizations.

Fear

The worst is when fear prevails in organizations. This often arises from poor leadership – through humiliation, micromanagement, etc. But fear can also stem from impending layoffs or minor cost-cutting measures, like removing cookies from meetings, causing employees to withdraw and protect themselves.

If organizations decide to establish a more agile culture, what should they focus on? What pitfalls should they avoid?

The mistake lies in the framing of the goal itself. ;) It shouldn’t be about "establishing" an agile culture. Or worse – "rolling it out." Agility isn’t an end in itself; agile methods are just one possible approach.

Always start with questions like: What needs to improve? Speed, creativity, atmosphere, efficiency? Taking time to analyze problems and tailor solutions for your organization puts you 80% ahead of others. Then follow a few principles I always preach:

• Work iteratively
• Avoid creating a "Masterplan 2028"
• Don’t set rollout plans – cultural development isn’t product delivery
• Involve employees

It’s much harder to convince people of a great cultural program devised by management than to involve those who want to participate from the start and follow a collective plan.

What skills should leaders have to successfully drive such change?

I don’t like focusing too much on leaders because they are often overburdened. The top management must have at least one powerful advocate for cultural change; otherwise, there’s a risk that the effort will fizzle out. Effective supporters of cultural change must be open, capable of handling uncertainty (because the destination is unclear at the start, and that’s okay), and strong communicators. No one wants more uncertainty right now.

The approach needs to be "protected" and empathetically communicated. Additionally, the topic must be prioritized and given professional resources over an extended period. Cultural transformation isn’t a 12-month project. Unfortunately, in my experience, cultural activities are often carried by women who genuinely want to make a difference but must do so alongside their regular duties. This isn’t fair and won’t work. Organizational development is an investment.

Are there organizations that should avoid adopting more agility or progressive work cultures?

Those that want to "introduce" agility without considering what it truly entails. These are often the companies doing it out of trends or fear because "everyone else is." This is the most expensive approach: lots of fanfare, lots of action, little impact. Another recipe for failure: organizations where leadership teams have no desire to change themselves.

Otherwise: no. As I said, every company can be better. I haven’t seen a perfect one yet – including my own one-woman firm.

Are there attitudes or statements you often encounter in organizations that really frustrate you?

"They just need to have the right mindset." This is distracting and condescending rhetoric that shifts the blame for poor organizational structures or culture onto people who are different from oneself. Attitudes typically change when conditions change, prompting people to rethink or try new behaviors – not through training or finger-wagging.

My favorite moments in organizational development are when people in roles seemingly unrelated to strategy or culture – like production workers or administrative staff – get involved in cultural activities and thrive, surprising everyone. Beyond increasing satisfaction and retention, I also see this as an important step for democratic participation in society.

What would you advise companies wanting to start organizational development?

I love the quote from organizational pioneer Ernst Weichselbaum: "There’s a better version of every company." One of my goals is to help companies feel capable of addressing cultural issues, even if transformation seems daunting in complex times. It’s enough to say, "We feel we can do better," or "We see other companies on a better path," or "Things can’t stay the way they are." Then, structure the problems on the table with lots of participation and dialogue. Prioritize: What’s causing real harm? What’s most criticized? There’s support for every step, and experimentation is allowed. The key is taking that first step and staying committed.