Portfolio
Rethinking leadership –
with clarity, humanity, and impact
Leading those who lead others.
Human-centered leadership-centered leadership and compassion at work connect economic clarity with human presence.
I work with C-level executives and organizations when decisions carry weight and leadership needs to be shaped consciously.
My portfolio describes forms of collaboration in which this stance becomes effective in practice.
Leadership in decisive moments
The quality of leadership does not reveal itself in stable times.
It reveals itself in moments when orientation is needed.
Then the focus is on decisions under uncertainty, clear priorities in complex situations, trust and connection within teams, responsibility for people and the organization. This is where leadership becomes effective.
Leadership does not evolve through programs. It develops through clarity, reflection and consistent execution.
Formats follow the situation. Not the other way around.
Consulting
Strategic support for organizations and leadership teams during phases of change, growth or reorientation. The focus is on
- clarity about direction and priorities
- decision-making in complex situations
- developing a values-based leadership culture
Human-centered leadership is not only discussed but embedded in the organization.
Compassion as a leadership capability
It combines scientifically grounded methods with practical application in everyday leadership.
The focus includes
• self-leadership and emotional clarity
• a conscious approach to pressure and responsibility
• trust and connection within teams
• a leadership culture that connects performance and humanity
Compassion is not understood as a soft skill, but as a central capability of modern leadership.
Executive Sparring
Sparring for owners, board members and senior leaders.
A confidential space for reflection, clear decisions and strategic thinking beyond day-to-day operations.
The focus includes self-leadership and stance, demanding decisions and leadership under uncertainty.
Leadership Development
Developing leadership within organizations and teams.
Not as traditional training, but as a combination of dialogue, reflection and practice.
Key topics include human-centered leadership, compassion at work, values-based leadership, communication and decision-making.
The goal is not more theory. But greater effectiveness in everyday leadership.
Every organization is different.
That is why formats always emerge from the specific situation.
Whether executive sparring, leadership dialogue or organizational development, what matters is what truly creates impact.
If you are considering how leadership in your organization can be shaped more consciously,
Approach and impact
I have not only supported human-centered leadership. I have lived it — as a leader, as an executive
and today as an advisor and sparring partner.
My work connects
more than 20 years of leadership experience
a strategic perspective on organizations
current insights from research and practice
including my training at the Compassion Institute and CCARE at Stanford University.
Marc Schäfer Consulting was recognized in 2025 by the German Innovation Institute (diind) as
“Company of the Future.”
What ultimately matters, however, is not the concept.
But the impact in the reality of leadership.
My collaboration partners:
