Sandra Durth

For some considerable time, I have been wrestling with the question of how to translate systemic Constellations work into everyday consulting and coaching practice. After all, it is not always possible nor desirable to set up a constellation in a team meeting. In addition, it's easy to become beguiled by the ‘theatre’ of a constellation and forget that the transformational shift takes place in the body of the individual client or in the embodied presence and ways of relating of the client group. In my understanding, systemic practice is about drawing on three inter-related disciplines: systemic thinking (where we apply constellations theory to diagnose and resolve issues); systemic sensing (where we draw on our own embodied experience, using the self ‘as instrument’); and systemic mapping (where we use sets of visual tools – not just a constellation – to understand and represent the relationships, dynamics, and structures within a system that influence behaviour and outcomes). However, by themselves, these disciplines do not provide sufficient guidance for coaches and consultants who are looking to integrate their understanding of Constellations work into their OD practice. I have learned that a potentially more useful consulting approach is to incorporate these disciplines into a three-stage transformation process, that is inspired by The Orders of Love, and that follows but also enlarges upon the trajectory of a constellation. These phases are designed to be subtle, applicable without using a constellation, yet still deeply impactful. They also align well with how systemic work moves from hidden dynamics to conscious development. In brief, the phases are: 1.       Decode – reveal what is hidden and bring systemic clarity. This is about sensing, observing, and mapping what’s underneath the surface – power structures, loyalties, exclusions, entanglements, or systemic repetitions. 2.       Disrupt – interrupt the pattern and release entanglements. Here, the aim is to break systemic cycles or loosen loyalties that no longer serve the organisation. It’s not about introducing chaos, but respectful challenge to prevailing paradigms. 3.       Design – consciously co-create new patterns and structures with the client organisation. This phase is about designing intentional, healthier systemic structures and practices Over the last year, I have been refining specific, concrete practices for each phase, together with unfolding ‘Key Performance Indicators’ for Constellations-informed coaching and consulting. My hope is to be able to support practitioners who have been trained in Organisational Constellations, but who still struggle to evolve their ‘signature style’ of systemic OD practice. I shall be teaching this approach from September, in a new ‘Learning Circle’ that offers both in-person and virtual support to participants. If you want to move your Constellations-informed practice to the next level, please reach out to me for further information.

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The Great CHRO Debate: Thank you to all the leaders who joined our HR Forum with Pete Schramm tonight. We had some lively discussions - which I look forward to continuing! The ongoing debate about CHROs not having a seat at the table often boils down to two common criticisms: they don’t speak the language of business (or “CEO-speak”), and they often lack the strategic acumen (ROI focus/command presence) needed to influence top-level decisions. But what if the real problem isn’t with CHROs themselves, but with our unrealistic expectations of leadership teams in general? Bill Harmon shared some great insights around this - and how typical HR leaders are often "Si" labeled leaders. Many organizations unknowingly chase a mythical “perfect” HR Leader- one that seamlessly balances all four DISC personality traits: • D (Dominance): The bold, results-driven strategist who makes tough calls. • I (Influence): The charismatic connector who inspires and persuades. • S (Steadiness): The reliable, people-focused leader who fosters stability. • C (Conscientiousness): The data-driven, detail-oriented thinker who ensures precision. In theory, this balance sounds ideal. In reality, it’s rare—if not impossible. No single executive, CHRO or otherwise, can embody all of these traits at once. And when organizations expect CHROs to be both the empathetic culture carrier and the hard-nosed business strategist and the data-driven analyst, they set everyone up for failure. The real solution? Stop trying to force CHROs to fit an unattainable mold. Instead, recognize that leadership teams thrive when they embrace cognitive and behavioral diversity. CHROs don’t need to “become” CFOs or COOs—they need to complement them. When organizations start valuing HR leaders for the unique strengths they bring, rather than holding them to unrealistic expectations, they’ll see the power of strategic HR at the table. P.S. If you want to hang out with other top HR leaders... Talent Magnet Institute® is leading the way. Shoot me a message.

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💡 What’s on the mind of Chief People Officers around the world? The World Economic Forum has just released the Chief People Officers Outlook, developed with insights from 130+ global people leaders. It explores priorities for building resilient, inclusive, and tech-enabled workforces. Three strategic imperatives stand out for Chief People Officers surveyed: 1️⃣ Redesigning organizational structures and job roles 2️⃣ Strengthening company culture and articulation of business purpose and impact 3️⃣ Advancing intentional and responsible workforce AI deployment As one surveyed Chief People Officer put it: “The current challenge is to actively reinforce (team) cohesion and company culture in increasingly diverse, fragmented and digitally mediated workplaces to sustain engagement and performance.”

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🧠 𝐈𝐬 𝐀𝐈 𝐟𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬? That’s the concern raised in this great article by Cornelia Walther. She points to a perfect storm: 🔺 A wave of experienced professionals heading into retirement 🔺 Fewer entry-level roles as tasks become automated In response, organisations need to 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 & 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬. The key point is to tackle both challenges together. Here are some steps she recommends 👇 🔍 𝐆𝐚𝐩 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐬 → Identify the work that is most affected & the critical skills 🛠 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 → Create AI-augmented entry-level roles that offer learning opportunities 🤝 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐞𝐫 → Pair seasoned professionals with new talent in structured ways 🔁 𝐄𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬-𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 → Ensure breadth of experience, not just narrow specialization 📏 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 → Track how effective your efforts really are 🎤 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬? Is this something you're worried about too? One thing I would add is that this is not a desk-based exercise. You need to involve people and cocreate solutions for them to be successful. It might take a few iterations to learn what really works best. #EmployeeExperience #Careers #FutureOfWork 🚴 Enjoy posts like this? 👉 Click 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠 to get my quarterly roundup

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HR is at the heart of transformation. In one of the latest McKinsey Tomorrow podcast episodes, Kristina Stoerk and Julian Kirchherr share insights from McKinsey’s HR Monitor 2025 - exploring how organizations can better align people, strategy and technology.   📊 One key takeaway upfront: 76% of U.S. employees already use GenAI, compared to just 36% in Europe.    ▶️ An interesting episode! Listen here (in German): https://lnkd.in/e6x8BbnW   #HRMonitor #TomorrowPodcast #GenAI #FutureOfWork #McKinsey

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As an one-time CHRO, I get the question quite a bit recently - how do I see the HR and people management function evolve? How can organizations leverage technology so that it helps rather than becoming a threat to employees?   People function is standing at a critical crossroad. On hand, organizations rely on the people function to help navigate the waves of transformation and restructuring, managing employee burnout, and the challenges in recruiting. On the other hand, it is also expecting people functions to be at the forefront of driving next generation people and organization models that not only benefits from technology, but also redefining new ways of working, shaping a new organization culture, while attracting and retaining next generation talent.   And let's not forget the people function itself - its own journey of transformation and capability building, and the pressure HR professionals are facing.   I have had the opportunity to collaborate with McKinsey colleagues on how to rethink the future of the people function - "More human and more digital", is what we all agreed on.   This means rethinking the people operating system - more technology and more people-centric; more strategic and less routine, and more data and even more personal than ever.   Read the full article here: https://mck.co/42KTQL2   #HR #EmployeeEngagement #Talent #FutureofWork #NeverJustTech #transformation   Sandra Durth, Asmus Komm, Dr. Jasmin Kiefer, Neel Gandhi

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