What the Heck?! Let's Talk Business with Andreas Heckmann

Social media is without a doubt an effective way for individuals and businesses to spread news across online communities. The amount of social media content is overwhelming to an extent that makes it questionable whether anything and everything really needs to be announced. This makes it harder and harder to assess the relevance of these news. Is the target audience really interested or do they just habitually like, follow and retweet? In this episode of ‘What the Heck?!’, Andreas and his guest Rand Fishkin, social media expert and founder of the market research company SparkToro, discuss modern efforts of having the most prominent social media presence possible. Let’s Talk Business!

A lot of companies have realized the value of working in diverse business environments and have set out on a mission to build leadership teams with high gender parity. Yet, very few of them succeed. Although women bring valuable strengths and perspectives to companies, management positions are predominantly held by men. What is the underlying issue, and how can we support women pursuing leadership positions and remove the roadblocks on their way to success? In this episode of ‘What the Heck?!’, Andreas and his guest Sally Helgesen, author, leadership coach, and highly esteemed expert for female leadership, discuss businesses’ efforts to achieve an appropriate representation of women in leadership, as well as the long way there is still to go. Let’s talk Business!

High-performing teams bring out the best in each team member: People aim for functioning, meaningful relationships. They take an honest interest in each other’s businesses, problems and solutions, and entice each other to contribute. Naturally, this is what team leaders expect and promote, but in most cases, the reality looks much different. In this episode of ‘What the Heck?!’, Andreas welcomes Prof. Dr. Georg Kraus, CEO and Strategy Consultant at Kraus & Partner and Professor at the university of Clausthal. They discuss the notion of high-performing teams from their points of view, the misconceptions around it, and how to move closer towards it. Let’s talk Business!

Fact! Considerable parts of the population are affected by mental health disorders. Stressors are everywhere: Covid-19 pandemic, climate crisis, war in Europe and other conflicts, and a world full of unpredictability that moves faster than ever. And yet for far too long, misinformation, stigma, and shame have been surrounding topics of mental health, especially in the workplace. It is more important than ever to break down prejudices and preconceptions. How can companies and their leaders step up and start making mental health a priority? In this episode of “What the Heck?!”, Andreas and his guest Heather Wokusch, Executive Director at MESPERO, discuss the unique challenges employees are facing and which concrete steps companies and leaders can take to ensure the mental well-being of their employees. Let’s Talk Business!

Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) is an established practice that any modern business is committed to – at least on paper. The use of inclusive language is already an established practice. However, the execution of D&I requires not just talk, but a hiring policy in which the relevant people are put into influential positions. The question is whether all businesses have understood that the value of D&I lies not just in fulfilling a good cause – diverse hiring will make their employee base more productive, too. In this episode of ‘What the Heck?!’, Andreas and his guest Dr. Dawn D. Bennett-Alexander, consultant and creator of Practical Diversity, discuss the seriousness of D&I practices in business and the difference between talk and action. Let’s Talk Business!

Since the beginning of the global Covid-19 pandemic, the “New Normal” has been touted as a concept without a universal definition. Instead, businesses, managers and the media have been echoing every attempt of defining this term trying to reassure themselves that they have found the ideal work model for the future. Over the course of the pandemic, the “New Normal” definition has become more and more fluid with every lockdown enforcement and every reopening announcement. In the first episode of ‘What the Heck?!’, Andreas and his guest Prof. Dr. Florian Kunze, head of “Konstanz Future Work Lab” and professor at the University of Constance with a research focus in digitization of the working world, discuss what they think of the term and its many meanings. Let’s Talk Business!

What are the really big ideas out there making a meaningful difference in helping the world run better and improving people’s lives? Suppose I mention sustainability. Diversity. Innovation. Transformation. Let’s face it: Buzzwords like these get thrown around all the time in business. But what do they really mean? Can we go beyond buzzwords to uncover real solutions? My name is Andreas, and I draw from over 20 years of experience in the tech industry. Join my guests and me as we pose the fundamental questions, debate some of the answers, shatter some myths, toss convention aside, and have some fun. If you like to tackle really big ideas with an open mind, then you’ve come to the right place. Are you ready? What the Heck?! Let’s Talk Business!”