Dipl.-Ing. Lars Behrendt

Granny&Smith

We're not just participating in the innovation landscape—we're reshaping it. When market leaders need to ensure their next breakthrough succeeds, they know where to turn.

Our INNOWEEK® methodology has become the benchmark that global industry leaders trust when failure isn't an option.

Where traditional innovation remains unpredictable, we've engineered certainty. Our integrated teams of strategists, designers, and technologists consistently deliver what others consider impossible: guaranteed innovation outcomes in weeks. This is why DAX and Fortune 500 companies choose us as their innovation partner.

Mission Innovation: Inspiring people to be innovative in order to shape the world of tomorrow – that’s my mission.

Keynote Speaker

"Get Real Innovation" is about how to build a truly innovative company and why it's so incredibly hard.

Innovation is the main driver of business success today. What do the most innovative companies like Google, Amazon, Tesla and many startups have in common? What methods do they use? How can you be successful, too? And what, in practice, has proven to be a mistake?

Using real, short, concise & practical examples based on more than 15 years of practical experience in innovation development, Lars helps his readers discuss these questions and find answers.

Bestselling Author

Greenrock

Venture Partner

Family Office

OAB AG

Member of The Supervisory Board

INSTARIDE

INSTARIDE - Synchronizing mobility demands with the help of AI.
The revolutionary social driving startup - still in stealth mode.

Investor

HOW IT STARTED

https://open.spotify.com/show/3A3eHbXPN8A8t8Ga9dK3pE?si=kMT5StTGTrqAQOUO3qQH6g

Podcaster

Stiftungshaus Oldenburg

Board Member

Innovation Authority

Advisory Board Member

//CEO@GRANNY&SMITH, DE-RISKING INNOLAB FOR THE MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES

//THE DAY EVERYTHING CHANGED

It happened during a corporate innovation workshop years ago. As I watched yet another brilliant idea suffocate under the weight of process, I saw the spark fade from the team's eyes. In that moment, I made a promise to myself that would reshape my entire career.

THE PATTERN I COULDN'T UNSEE

Across boardrooms and brainstorming sessions, I witnessed the same story unfold. Brilliant minds with transformative visions hitting the same invisible wall. Their ideas deserved better.

THE UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY

What began as frustration evolved into curiosity. Could innovation success actually be engineered rather than hoped for? I devoted myself to finding out.

Years of experimentation led to an approach so counterintuitive yet effective that it changed everything. By building innovations like a portfolio of startups, we turned the notorious 90% failure rate completely upside down.

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT

A prominent German corporation took a chance on this method when traditional approaches had failed them repeatedly. Within weeks, we accomplished what they hadn't achieved in years. Word spread quickly.

Today, seven of Germany's nine most innovative companies have become our partners. From global enterprises to nimble startups, leaders come when they need certainty, not just possibility.

BEYOND THE METHOD

After over 15 years and countless successful market launches, I still feel that same rush when I see an innovation finally connect with its audience. There's simply nothing like watching something powerful emerge from what was once just an idea on a whiteboard.

My engineering background gave me the tools, but it was immersing myself in the human elements of innovation that revealed the true path forward. When leaders invite me to guide their most important initiatives, they're not just getting a process – they're gaining a partner who's navigated this terrain countless times before.

I only commit to journeys I truly believe in, because I've learned that extraordinary innovation requires both methodology and genuine connection to purpose.

MORE INFORMATION:
◾ For enterprises, entrepreneurs and investors -> https://www.grannyandsmith.com/ 
◾ For event organizers & bookings -> https://www.grannyandsmith.com/larsbehrendt

We are here to help you develop, test, and grow new business ideas in a few weeks instead of months. We specialize in innovation development, constantly keeping up with the latest trends, methods, and ways of working.

We have been developing innovation for our customers for more than 15 years now. Our teams, consisting of designers, engineers, software developers, and business model experts, have tried a lot and gained much experience. Today we know what works and what does not - so you don't have to make all those experiences again.

Our INNOWEEK® method is the result of more than 15 years of continuous development and project experience with well-known DAX groups and Fortune 500 companies and helps you to develop, test, and grow new business ideas in a few weeks instead of months.

Andrea Petrone

The CEO Whisperer | Top 1% Executive Coach & Speaker in the UK | CEO at 35 | Founder of WCL21 | Host of The World Class Leaders Show | Follow for Mindset & Leadership Mastery

I’m known as The CEO Whisperer — a confidant and partner to CEOs navigating their highest-stakes moments of leadership.

For more than 20 years, I’ve worked with Fortune 500s, mid-caps, and high-growth firms across seven countries. My clients have included CEOs and Top leaders at Shell, Unilever, Goldman Sachs, Takeda, EssilorLuxottica, BT, ENI, Snam, and others. 

One truth has become clear: the biggest leverage point in any organization is the transformation of its CEO. Because:

- Leading at the top is uniquely challenging

- Boards have agendas

- Investors demand results

- Teams expect certainty

And yet, few CEOs have a space to think openly, challenge assumptions, or prepare for decisions that will define their legacy.

My work focuses on helping CEOs and senior executives:

- Sharpen their judgment when the stakes are in the millions

- Strengthen their influence with boards, investors, and teams

- Redefine their leadership identity, presence, and long-term legacy

This isn’t about adding more advice or frameworks. It’s about creating the rare space for leaders to think differently, perform at their peak, and grow into the leaders their organizations — and industries — need.

Alongside this work, I’m a Top 1% Executive Coach & Speaker, Founder of WCL21, Author and Host of the World-Class Leaders Show, a top 5% podcast globally, where I interview global CEOs and brilliant minds on what it truly takes to lead at the highest level.

I also write regularly on leadership, performance, and transformation — sharing ultra-practical insights to help leaders stay ahead in an ever-changing business world.

If you’re a CEO interested in exploring these themes directly, I share insights and conversations privately with leaders in my network. Connect with me.

Performance and Executive Coach to CEOs and their Leadership Teams, Facilitator, Speaker

I help visionary and ambitious CEOs to become world-class leaders, build extraordinary companies and achieve breakthrough performance.

Since 2019: 👇 

- I've been coaching and advising 250+ leaders across the globe.

- I've seen them:

 - transform themselves and become powerful leaders
 - shift their mindsets and behaviors to achieve breakthrough results
 - create a bold future for themselves and their company
 - lead and empower their executive teams to raise the capability of their organization
 - lead successfully massive change and strategic initiatives

Your future isn’t a mystery.

It’s already visible in your daily habits.

If you want to know who you’ll be in 5 years, don’t look at your goals. Look at this:

1. The books you read
↳ Choose books that really stretch you
↳ Highlight ruthlessly and turn ideas into action
↳ A great book changes behaviours

2. The foods you eat
↳ Your brain runs on what’s on your plate
↳ Eat 2–3 default “high-energy” meals per week
↳ Comfort food is just anxiety with better branding

3. The habits you build
↳ Tiny habits beat giant plans, you never start
↳ Attach new habits to old ones
↳ What you repeat in private = what you become in public

4. The friends you meet
↳ Your standards = the people you spend time with
↳ Ditch people who love gossip
↳ Spend time with people who talk about ideas

5. The workouts you do
↳ Training is for the 60-year-old you
↳ Treat workouts as investor meetings
↳ Strong body → calmer mind → better decisions

6. The money you invest
↳ Pay yourself first, then live on what’s left
↳ Buy assets & skills, not things to impress strangers
↳ Every $1 you invest buys you future freedom or regret

7. The sacrifices you make
↳ Saying “yes” to everything is the path to disaster
↳ Trade one hour of scrolling for one hour of building
↳ Short-term comfort is just an expensive addiction

Your future self is watching how you live this week.
 
Which one of these will you change today?

♻️ Repost it to inspire other leaders
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(picture found on Pinterest)

The CEO Whisperer | Wiley Author (New Book → Q4 2026) | Helping CEOs & Leaders Turn their Identity, Message and Presence into Real Impact | Top 1% Executive Coach & Speaker | Founder of WCL21 & World Class Leaders Show

Your biggest competition isn’t out there.
It’s the one living in your head.
Every day, we battle against our own perceptions:

↳ The voice telling you, “You’re not good enough”
↳ The habits that keep you distracted instead of focused
↳ The fear that whispers, “What if I fail?”

But you can win. 
This is how:

✅ Ego
↳ It’s the barrier to self-awareness and growth
↳ Ask for feedback. Not to defend yourself, but to listen
↳ Have the humility to admit what you don’t know

✅ Fears
↳ Fear isn’t the enemy. It’s a signal
↳ It points you to what matters
↳ Face one fear, take one step, courage will grow

✅ Insecurities
↳ We all have doubts. But insecurities thrive in silence
↳ Speak them out, reframe them
↳ And take consistent actions to build your confidence

✅ Distractions
↳ In the noisy world, your attention is your best currency
↳ Protect it. Schedule deep work, eliminate distractions
↳ Focus on what truly matters. This is what winners do

✅ Toxic Behaviors
↳ We all have habits that hold us back
↳ Identify one today. Replace it with a positive action
↳ Small shifts lead to significant transformations

✅ Negative Thoughts
↳ Your mindset shapes your reality
↳ Challenge your inner critic
↳ Replace “I can’t” with “What if I could?” 

✅ Knowledge You Neglect
↳ In a fast-moving world, staying still is falling behind
↳ Read, learn, grow
↳ Real wisdom is often in the books you haven’t read yet

Remember...

The toughest battles aren’t fought in boardrooms or on the field. They’re fought within.

But those are the battles that transform you.

Which of these battles are you fighting today? 

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Most presentations look like lectures. 
While the best presentations feel like stories. 
And stories aren’t just entertaining:

They’re how humans connect, trust, and remember.

Here’s how to make your next presentation unforgettable:

1️⃣ Introduce the Villain
↠ Start with the problem you’re solving
↠ Be specific—what pain points does your audience face? 
↠ When they feel the problem, they’ll lean in

2️⃣ Position Your Solution as the Hero
↠ Show how your solution saves the day
↠ Make it aspirational, not just functional
↠ Think: “This could change everything for you.”

3️⃣ Add Personal Touches
↠ Share your “aha” moment: how did you solve this?
↠ Vulnerability creates trust
↠ Your story becomes theirs

4️⃣ Use the Power of Three
↠ People love patterns
↠ Give them three parts:
↠ The challenge, the breakthrough, the transformation

5️⃣ Create a Visual Journey
↠ Your slides should feel like a movie, not a spreadsheet
↠ Bold visuals + concise words = memorable
↠ The simpler, the better

6️⃣ End With a Mic Drop
↠ Leave them with ONE unforgettable message
↠ Tie it back to their pain—and what they can do next
↠ A powerful ending moves people to act

7️⃣ Rehearse Until It Feels Natural
↠ Practice your story—not your slides
↠ Your authenticity is your superpower
↠ The more natural you feel, the more they’ll believe you

Great presentations don’t just share information.

They spark emotion. Build trust. Inspire action.

What strategy resonates most with you?

♻️ Share this to inspire someone to tell their best story
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----------------

📌 Want more? Grab your FREE template to create presentations that captivate every audience: https://lnkd.in/evgSDXEX

I've coached many leadership teams. 

Here's what I found:

High-performing teams don’t fail loudly.
They decline quietly.

You don’t notice it until:

→ People disengage
→ Momentum fades
→ Great talent walks away

And by then, the damage is already done.

In my experience working with teams, I can tell you the real threats aren’t always visible.

They show up in silence, inertia, and slow erosion of trust.

Here are 7 silent killers that quietly destroy even your best teams:

1. Unspoken tension
↝ A meeting where no one says what they’re thinking?
↝ That’s not “professionalism.” That’s fear
↝ If people can’t speak freely, you’re breeding resentment

2. Invisible overload
↝ High performers won’t always complain
↝ They’ll just quietly burn out
↝ Intervene, otherwise you'll lose them without warning

3. Subtle disrespect
↝ It’s not always loud or obvious
↝ It’s being talked over. Left out. Undermined
↝ These small signals slowly push people out

4. Passive leadership
↝ When leaders avoid hard conversations..
↝ The team reads it as: “Nothing will change”
↝ Inaction in the face of issues kills trust and engagement

5. Unequal standards
↝ If one person gets away with poor behavior..
↝ Everyone notices
↝ And they start caring a little less

6. No space for real feedback
↝ If feedback always flows top-down..
↝ You’re not hearing the truth
↝ No truth → No improvement: Only performance theater

7. Lack of shared purpose
↝ Even the best teams drift if they don’t know..
↝ What they’re building together
↝ No mission → People lose fire, even if they still show up

Great teams don’t die overnight.

They die when leaders stop paying attention.

What silent killer resonates most with you?

♻️ Share it with someone leading a team right now
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7 Silent Killers of High Performing Teams

Don’t stay where you feel small.
You deserve an environment that lifts you.
Not one that drains you.

If you:
Wake up dreading Mondays…
Feel your ideas get dismissed over and over…
Are constantly questioning your worth…

It's time to move on.

Here’s what to do:

1. Choose leaders who see your potential
→ Look for leaders who notice how you think
→ They give you stretch opportunities to grow
→ They celebrate your wins, even the small ones

2. Find people who challenge you with care
→ They push your thinking without tearing you down
→ They ask tough questions with respect
→ You feel supported, not diminished

3. Seek roles where you learn fast and contribute deeply
→ If you’ve stopped learning, you’ve stopped growing
→ Choose work that forces you to think differently
→ Make sure your impact is visible and valued

4. Protect your energy and health
→ A toxic environment destroys your confidence
→ No paycheck can fix the harm it does
→ Walk away before it drains your joy

5. Back yourself enough to start over if you need to
→ You are not your title or your employer
→ Your skills and grit go with you
→ Leaving opens the door to something better

Your time is your most valuable asset.

Spend it where you expand.

You owe yourself that.

♻️ Repost it to inspire leaders to take action
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------

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Some of the most powerful leaders speak the least.
But when they do, the whole room stops to listen.
That's how they do it:

Most leadership advice rewards being bold, loud, and assertive.

But volume doesn’t equal value.

You don’t need to speak more to lead better.

You need to own your space, quietly but powerfully.

Here’s how:

1. Signal strength with your body language
↳ Stillness > fidgeting.
↳ Eye contact > scanning the room
↳ Presence is how you hold the room

2. Speak last but focus on moving the room
↳ Listen deeply
↳ Anchor your words in clarity and impact
↳ You'll earn attention without demanding it

3. Turn questions into influence
↳ Ask sharp, thoughtful questions
↳ They will shift direction
↳ More than statements ever could

4. Build deep 1:1 relationships
↳ Quiet leaders win trust behind the scenes
↳ Influence happens in private...
↳ Long before it shows in public

5. Master the pause
↳ Silence makes people listen
↳ Don’t rush to fill the space. Own it

6. Be the calm in the chaos
↳ When others react, you respond
↳ Your emotional control = your team’s emotional anchor

7. Deliver results, then speak from credibility
↳ Quiet leaders build influence on proof
↳ Let your results speak louder
↳ Than your voice ever will

Remember...

You don’t need to perform to lead.

You just need to show up, stay grounded, and speak with purpose.

That’s how the quietest person becomes the most trusted voice in the room.

♻️ Repost if you believe presence beats noise
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📌 Want more? Subscribe to my weekly CEO Playbook newsletter: https://lnkd.in/ec3XVa9w

How to Lead When You're Not the Loudest

You never lose your best people overnight. 
First, they feel unseen.
Then, they feel overworked.

Here’s the kicker: 

94% of employees say they’d stay longer if they saw opportunities to grow.

High performers don’t quit because of money or titles. 

They quit when:

↳ Their growth stalls
↳ Their hard work feels invisible
↳ Their energy runs dry as no one’s paying attention

Here are 7 signs your star employee is about to quit
(and what to do about it before it’s too late):

1️⃣ They Get Overwhelmed
↠ Top performers get more work because they’re trusted
↠ Ask: “What’s overwhelming you right now?”
↠ Rebalance their tasks to lighten the load

2️⃣ They’re Always ‘On’
↠ Working late. Skipping breaks. Always online
↠ Model balance and show they don’t need to burn out

3️⃣ They Don’t See Their Impact
↠ Top talent can lose sight of the bigger picture
↠ Remind them: “Here’s how your work makes a difference.”

4️⃣ They’re Not Getting Recognized
↠ Big wins matter, but so do small victories
↠ A quick “Great job on that” can boost morale

5️⃣ They Feel Stuck
↠ Without growth, they’ll look elsewhere
↠ Offer stretch projects or leadership roles to inspire them

6️⃣ They’re Not Being Heard
↠ High performers want ownership, not just tasks
↠ Ask for their input and let them lead key projects

7️⃣ They’re Running Low on Energy
↠ Ask: “How’s your energy this week?”
↠ It’s a simple way to uncover burnout early

In summary:

Don’t wait for the resignation letter.

It’s often too late by then. 

Act now to show your best people they matter.

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7 Signs Your Star Employee Is About to Quit

If you want to win high-stakes conversations
Stop rehearsing lines like a script.
Start showing up like you belong there:

Most high-stakes conversations are lost before the first sentence.

Not because people are stupid.
Because they walk in small.

They focus on “getting the words right”…
and forget the thing that decides the room:

Presence.

The raise negotiation.
The investor pitch.
The tense talk with someone you love.

Same rule:
If you don’t own the room, the room owns you.

I wrote this with my friend Nausheen I. Chen, a brilliant communicator and creator.

We pulled together the 5 moves we see separate people who enter powerful from those who leave defeated:

1) Don’t sugarcoat. Say the hard thing early.
Clarity creates safety.
Softening the truth creates confusion.
State the issue, then the fix.

2) Lead with “I”, not “you”.
“You always…” triggers defense.
“I noticed…” opens a door.
This keeps you on the problem, not on blame.

3) Be the best listener in the room.
Listening isn’t polite. It’s a power move.
When people feel heard
They stop fighting to be right.

4) Acknowledge their perspective before yours.
You don’t have to agree.
You just have to show you get it.
That lowers the temperature fast.

5) Don’t make things up.
Never guess under pressure.
A clean “I don’t know” beats a messy guess.
Trust dies when people sense you’re performing.

These aren’t “communication tips.”

They’re how you walk into tension and stay the adult in the room.

Words matter.
But presence makes words land.

If you want to win high-stakes conversations, stop rehearsing lines like a script.
Start showing up like you belong there.

Bet the room feels it in 30 seconds.

How many of these 5 do you already practice? (0–5)

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How to win high stakes conversations

Most people think becoming CEO is the finish line.
But that’s not true.
Getting the title is the easy part:

What comes after is where the real challenge begins.

Your first 90 days will either:

✅ Position yourself as a respected and decisive leader
❌ Or brand you as someone in over their head

One bad decision can shake stakeholder confidence.

One misstep can ruin your credibility.

And “winging it” is the fastest way to fail.

After 20+ years advising CEOs and senior leaders worldwide…

I’ve created a simple, proven playbook:

➡️ 10 strategies new CEOs use to establish authority from DAY ONE

These are the exact steps that helped 250+ leaders:

↳ Command respect instantly
↳ Make bold, confident decisions
↳ Build high-performance teams
↳ Navigate complex politics with ease

I’m giving this away FREE to my network because so many have asked for guidance lately.

If you want the guide:

1. Like/share this post
2. Follow Andrea Petrone
3. Comment “CEO”
4. Connect with me (so I can DM you)

I’ll send you the link ASAP.

70% of transformations still fail (of course they do).

After this conversation, I finally understand why.

I just interviewed Alex Adamopoulos — founder of Emergn, Forbes contributor, and one of the sharpest minds on product-led transformation and AI.

What he shared is gold for any CEO trying to move their company forward.

Here are the 5 practical shifts every leader must make now:

1️⃣ Start small. Scale what works.
Big programs create fatigue.
Small wins create belief.
Do this:
Pick ONE product or process → 
8 week experiment → show value → let others pull it.

2️⃣ Stop measuring “project completion.” 
Start measuring “customer impact.”
Finishing work isn’t progress.
Changing behaviour is.
Do this: 
Ask one question before approving anything:
“How will this change the customer?”

3️⃣ Build capability before technology.
Most teams don’t fail due to tools.
They fail due to weak problem framing.
Do this: 
Train people in product thinking:
– problem definition
– customer validation
– rapid testing

4️⃣ Use AI to enhance thinking, not replace it.
AI can make you smarter or dumber.
It depends on how you use it.
Do this:
AI drafts. Humans decide.
Never outsource the final 20%.

5️⃣ Protect the human advantage.
Your real IP lives in people’s heads.
Not in your systems.
Do this: 
Run short “knowledge anchor” sessions 
where teams capture what only they know.

The bottom line:

Transformation isn’t a project.

It’s a continuous capability.

And CEOs who invest in people win faster.

👉 Watch/Listen to the episode on YT, Spotify, Apple.
And follow Andrea Petrone 
and The World Class Leaders Show.

Most leaders talk to prove they know.
Great leaders ask questions that make others think.
Here's how:

If you want to change minds, shift direction, or unlock ideas don't make a statement.

Ask a better question.

A well-timed question can:

→ Challenge old thinking
→ Create clarity in chaos
→ Unlock the truth others avoid

The right question is more powerful than the right answer. Here is what to do:

1. Start with curiosity, not judgment
↦ Don’t use questions to trap or test
↦ Ask to understand—genuinely
↦ Curiosity disarms. Judgment shuts people down

2. Ask questions that slow people down
↦ The best questions create reflection, not reaction
↦ Try: “What are we assuming here?”
↦ Try“What would we do if we weren’t afraid?”

3. Use silence to let it land
↦ Ask your question—then stop talking
↦ Resist the urge to fill the silence
↦ Let it hang. That’s when the truth shows up

4. Don’t ask to be clever. Ask to be clear
↦ You’re not here to impress
↦ You’re here to unlock better thinking
↦ Simple, direct questions go deeper than fancy ones

5. Ask questions that reveal ownership
↦ Instead of: “Why did this fail?”
↦ Try: “What would you do differently next time?”
↦ The first places blame. The second creates learning

6. Flip the lens
↦ Great leaders help people see differently
↦ Try: “If you were in their shoes, how would this feel?”
↦ Try “If this goes well, what does success look like?”

7. End with a forward pull
↦ Don’t stop at reflection—create movement
↦ Ask: “What’s the smallest step we can take today?”
↦ Ask: “What would extraordinary look like here?”

Save this before your next leadership meeting.

What question changed the way you think?

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taplio

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Dipl.-Ing. Lars Behrendt

Andrea Petrone

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The Battle

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Andrea Petrone

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Andrea Petrone's LinkedIn Performance

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