"The status quo is just a starting point."
Michael Hartmann
"Life is about the people you meet, and the things you create with them so go out and start creating."
from The Holstee Manifesto
"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm note sure about the universe."
Albert Einstein
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand."
Albert Einstein
"The best way to predict the future is to create it."
Peter Drucker
"The long run is a misleading guide to current affairs. In the long run we are all dead."
John Maynard Keynes
"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
Albert Einstein
"If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito."
Dalai Lama / African Proverb
Michael Hartmann did not arrive at his way of working by theory or trend.
It emerged over decades of responsibility —
in complex organizations, in real crises, and in moments where decisions had consequences far beyond quarterly results.
What drives his work today is not ambition, but responsibility:
to build organizations that can be handed over with integrity.
Over more than 25 years, Michael has worked at the intersection of security, governance, operations, and leadership — including executive responsibility at SAP.
His work included:
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global security and governance leadership
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crisis and business continuity management in real-world events
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building systems that had to function under pressure, uncertainty, and transition
These experiences shaped a simple but uncompromising insight:
Organizations do not fail because people are incompetent.
They fail because systems are not designed to endure change.
Michael has led and supported organizations through moments where structures were tested at their limits — leadership transitions, global crises, and high-stakes operational environments.
In those moments, one thing becomes clear:
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Heroics do not scale
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Control does not create trust
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Presence does not equal stability
Only systems do.
That is where Michael learned to think in terms of:
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handover instead of control
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structure instead of escalation
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responsibility instead of optimization
Michael believes that leadership is temporary — systems are not.
His work is guided by a small number of principles that have proven themselves under pressure:
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Systems must work without their creators
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Organizations must protect people from structural failure
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Responsibility outweighs efficiency
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Long-term trust matters more than short-term performance
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If something depends on individuals, it is not finished
These principles are not aspirational.
They are operational.
Michael does not aim to be indispensable.
He steps into organizations to:
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create clarity
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build structure
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enable handover
And then to step out again.
Success, for him, is measured by what continues to work once he is gone.
This is why he works as:
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a Keynote Speaker, to create shared understanding
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a Strategic Advisor & Sparring Partner, to support long-term decisions
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a Fractional Executive, to build structures from the inside
Always with the same intention:
to make himself unnecessary.
Michael works with:
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owners and decision-makers
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entrepreneur-led organizations
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people who build for continuity, not for exit
He does not work for:
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short-term optimization
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dependency-driven consulting
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organizations without responsibility for what comes next
This selectivity is intentional.
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Organizations
should be built so they can be handed over —
not sold, not optimized to death,
and not dependent on individuals.
This belief is not theoretical.
Over more than two decades, Michael has built and led
security, governance, and operational systems in complex
organizations — including global crisis leadership and
executive responsibility.
He has seen what breaks organizations.
And he has learned what allows them to endure.
How Michael works
Michael does not fix organizations.
He designs systems that allow organizations
to function without heroes — including himself.
His work follows a few non-negotiable principles:
– Systems before individuals
– Handover before optimization
– Long-term stability before short-term maximization
– People before processes, processes before technology
– Structure instead of escalation
– Responsibility instead of convenience
– Continuous improvement over perfection
– Meaning over profit
– Collaboration over competition
If a system depends on him, it is not finished.
How Michael supports owners and decision-makers
Depending on where you are, Michael's work takes different forms — all serving the same purpose: building organizations that endure.
Keynote Speaker
Creating clarity and shared language around long-term responsibility and system design.
Strategic Advisory & Sparring Partner
Supporting owners and executives in making better long-term decisions – without political agenda.
Fractional Executive (CSO/COO)
Taking temporary responsibility to build structures that continue to work once he steps out.
He doesn't work for exits.
He doesn't build dependencies.
He doesn't aim to stay.
He works to make himself unnecessary – by building systems worthy of the next generation.
Why
I have decided not to participate
in building anything my descendants will be ashamed of.
How
Trust first.
Fear removed.
Meaning over profit.
Priorities in every phase:
1. PEOPLE • 2. PROCESSES • 3. TECHNOLOGY
WHY
I believe, we can leave our world better for generations to come.
I have decided to contribute my part.
I love to think big and long-term.
I see the big picture while taking care of the details.
HOW
Think big.
Start small.
Do what's right.
Stop what's wrong.
Co-create.
Collaborate.
Improve.
WHAT
Keynotes to make you think.
Strategic Advisory for long-term success, not quarters.
Fractional Executive until the system is up and running.
What
Keynotes without slides.
Strategic Advisory for centuries, not quarters.
Fractional Executive until the system no longer needs me.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Do what's right. Build what lasts.
Keynotes that challenge conventional thinking and inspire leaders to build for generations, not quarters.
Core Topics:
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Why Meaning Before Profit Creates Better Business
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From Extractive to Regenerative Systems
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Building Organizations for Your Children's Children
For: Executive teams, leadership summits, transformation kick-offs
STRATEGIC ADVISOR
Systemic Intelligence for Long-Term Value
Strategic guidance for leaders ready to think beyond the next quarter.
Initial Focus:
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Regenerative business model design
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Win-win stakeholder architecture
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Long-term transformation roadmaps
For: CEOs, boards, and senior leaders in transition
FRACTIONAL EXECUTIVE
Hands-On Leadership for Deep Change
Temporary executive leadership for organizations ready to transform.
Core Delivery:
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Lead systemic transformation initiatives
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Build sustainable organizational structures
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Develop next-generation leadership
For: Organizations in critical transitions
About Me
Do What’s Right. Build What Lasts.
I help leaders design ethical, regenerative, and future-proof systems for organizations seeking long-term responsibility and impact.
For more than 20 years, I’ve been working and learned my lessons in the fields and intersection of
security, risk, governance, crisis leadership, culture & behavioral transformation, and system architecture.
These experiences taught me me one profound truth:
Systems fail when they prioritize short-term gains over long-term integrity.
They succeed when they align ethics, regeneration, and systemic intelligence.
I believe in:
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responsibility as the highest leadership discipline
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meaning before profit
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long-term impact over short-term convenience
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win-win as the only viable system design
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human-aware, planet-aware architecture
This is the foundation of my work.
This is Systems for Eternity.
Expertise
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Security & Systemic Risk
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Enterprise Governance & Architecture
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Crisis Leadership & Continuity
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Regenerative System Design
What I Do
WAKE UP.
Face the unvarnished truth
Systematic diagnosis without sugar‑coating. I X‑ray your organization and show you the real problems – not just the symptoms.
Result: Crystal‑clear root cause identification
KICK ASS.
Implement strategic solutions
Controlled innovation without organizational trauma. Use trust as competitive advantage. Build antifragile teams.
Result: Functioning Systematic Rebellion
REPEAT.
Create sustainable excellence
Systems for Eternity – structures that work without you. People‑Process‑Technology alignment for your Purpose.
Result: Antifragile Organization
Start small, think big: A keynote to get acquainted,
strategic advisory for concrete challenges, or full transformation.
the fractional COO model saved us $2 M in salary costs while driving performance.
CFO
XYZ Comp.
Michael turned our fragmented operations into a lean, digital engine in just six months.
CEO
XYZ Comp.
His keynote was the highlight of our annual conference – truly transformative.
Event Director
ABC Org.