Lisa Eckhardt’s life is characterised by contrasts. She grew up in the Bavarian Alps and is now at home in the cool north. She can look back on 20 years of professional experience, including more than 10 years as an independent interim manager with her own brand. Lisa Eckhardt is a power woman in business and a surfer at heart.
The beginning: In 2001, she started as the first female IT specialist at Porsche AG – at the age of only 16. Got the desire for a career. Studied business informatics while working. In short: she took advantage of all the opportunities that came her way – and became a power woman in a man’s world. Because to become successful as a young and female IT expert in the automotive industry, you need a lot of assertiveness. But not with elbows, but with heart, humour and a good dose of down-to-earthness.
The sea has also taught her these qualities. Her great passion is kitesurfing. The rougher the conditions, the faster her surfing heart beats. When others no longer dare to go into the water, the fun is just beginning for her!
Read what makes Lisa Eckhardt a crisis manager and keynote speaker in the interview:
1. What are the core subjects of your keynote speeches?
My presentations uniquely combine the parallel worlds of management and kite surfing. In a rousing and inspiring way, I talk about the top skills that unite both worlds. It is about courage, self-confidence, diversity, flexibility and willingness to learn. As a top manager as well as a professional kitesurfer, I talk about my own experiences and literally take my audience out on the water with me.
2. Which audiance or which branch do you reach with your speech?
My presentations are the ideal complement for customer and employee events. They also bring a refreshing, powerful change of pace to professional conferences. Whether top management or working students, everyone can benefit from the skills of a surfer. As a crisis manager, my interim mandates are primarily in technical as well as IT areas. The presentations are cross-industry oriented.
3. Are you a PREMIUM SPEAKER? Where do you get your insights from?
I am a premium speaker because I bring the ocean on stage. I take my audience on an exciting as well as inspiring surf session. I don’t talk about readings or other theories, but about my own experiences. Experiences and stories from over 10 years as a crisis manager, leadership coach and professional kitesurfer (kite instructor + team rider for the kite brand Naish Kiteboarding).
4. What will be in the future? Does «time» play an important role in your work?
In the course of my life I have learned that it is much more important to dwell in the now than to brood about the future. We can’t foresee the future and most of the time things turn out differently than expected anyway. At this point I prefer to use two of the most essential surfer mindset skills: courage and flexibility. I look courageously and confidently into the future and know exactly that with a little flexibility I can draw something positive from every change. This has worked in the past so why shouldn’t it continue successfully in the future?!
5. Tell us your life motto? What do you want to give your listeners to take with them?
My motto in life is “go with the flow”. This is of course self-explanatory for me as a kitesurfer. But also in business or private life it often makes no sense to fight against the storm and exert unnecessary resistance. Sometimes things come unexpectedly and differently than planned. So why not see the chance and go with the flow? This motto has been following me my whole life and has brought me to this point where I am today. As a successful interim manager, leadership coach and keynote speaker.