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Beisheim Foundation

Tilo Erning / 4 min read

Partnering with the Beisheim Foundation to develop NGO leaders in Germany.

The Beisheim Stiftung (Beisheim Foundation), based in Germany, is dedicated to promoting dialogue between generations and shaping social change. The foundation has partnered with Common Purpose to offer scholarships for emerging leaders from small-scale organizations. Over the last two years, the foundation has funded bursary places for 65 leaders.

As a result, the participants develop leadership competencies that allow them to thrive in complex situations. One of the scholarship recipients, Tilo Erning (44), CEO of Das Boot GmbH Sozialpsychiatrisches Zentrum, an outpatient psychiatry centre in Leipzig, strongly believes the Matrix programme 2019 has broadened his perspective on diversity and cooperation. As CEO, one of the challenges that Tilo faces is how to build a culture of cooperation and open communication between the seven different locations of the psychiatry centre. During the programme, one particular interaction with a leader from a global company made him realize that it is essential to first cultivate inclusive leaders among his managers – leaders who have the ability to recognize the different experiences, skills and competencies of their employees and to include that in processes and decision-making.

Tilo continues to share that the leadership competencies he gained from the programme have been valuable in his leadership, work and personal development.

The Beisheim Foundation is confident that the leaders they support, like Tilo Erning, will continue to make an impact in their organizations all over Germany. In doing so, they will continue to support the foundation’s vision of strengthening dialogues between generations and shaping social change in an innovative and sustainable way.

"The programme gave me the opportunity to reflect on my values, attitude, and my leadership principles. It allowed me to reflect on the culture of my organization and my relationship with others within the field. The programme enabled me to think outside the box."


As a result, Das Boot has created opportunities for employees to exchange information across professional groups and locations. They have established cross-team formats, training courses and action days where teams from different locations and groups have the opportunity to work together.


"The idea of promoting cross-location cooperation and communication through a playful approach came from a participant in the Common Purpose programme. We have adapted the idea at our centres and it has proven to be effective in bridging boundaries of location between our centres."

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