Our CEO, Sonja Skopp, reflects on why staying close to our clients matters more than ever…
Last week, I spent valuable time with colleagues and clients in Hamburg – and it reinforced something I feel strongly about. When the world is moving fast, distance is the biggest risk.
Distance from clients, distance from context and in turn, distance from the real, human challenges (and joys!) leaders are facing today.
Staying close matters to me – and it’s a mindset I encourage the Sladen team to be mindful of every day. Being with clients, in their environment, allows us to listen properly. Not just to what’s said in meetings, but to what sits underneath it. The pressure. The uncertainty. But also the passion people have for their work and their love for their teams. You don’t always catch that through email exchanges or a quick scan of LinkedIn.
Our work must keep evolving because our clients’ worlds are evolving – often in real time. That means paying attention, adapting quickly and responding to what’s actually happening rather than relying on assumptions.
These visits aren’t about applying off-the-shelf solutions. They’re about true partnership and growing together. It’s about staying grounded in reality, so the work we do remains, relevant, human and genuinely useful.
Closeness – to people, to context, to challenge – is what allows us to respond well as the world continues to shift.
The above photo captures time spent with colleagues Shaysha, Sue and Jason in Hamburg. A reminder that some of the most valuable insights come from being together, listening carefully and sharing experiences.
