When projects fail to deliver on time, on budget, or at expected margins, the root cause is often not the engineering, the technology, or even the customer. More often, it lies in how contracts are structured, managed, and executed.

Contract Management is not paperwork — it is project management in practice.

From proposal through delivery, a strong contract management discipline drives clarity, reduces risks, and protects profitability. Let’s break down why it matters — and what “good” looks like.

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1. Contracts start before the contract is signed

In many organizations, contract management is treated as an afterthought. But the seeds of success (or failure) are planted much earlier — in the proposal and tender process.

• Involving engineering, procurement, and project management early avoids gaps and misaligned expectations.
• Using structured checklists and scoring models helps decide when deeper technical consultation is needed.
• Better-prepared bids increase hit rates and reduce margin leakage later.

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2. Scope clarity prevents costly disputes

The difference between a Lastenheft (customer’s requirements) and a Pflichtenheft (detailed supplier specification) may sound academic, but in practice it is the line between smooth execution and endless disputes.

• A precise inquiry (Pflichtenheft) is the foundation for project planning, budgeting, and risk management.
• Everything not clarified upfront will turn into a change order or worse, a claim.

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3. Change is inevitable — manage it

Scope changes are unavoidable. The difference lies in how they are handled:

• Change orders (Nachträge) should follow a formal process with clear documentation, impact analysis, and customer approval before implementation.
• Claims (Nachforderungen) arise when changes are disputed. At this stage, costs are higher, relationships strained, and outcomes uncertain.

A disciplined contract management framework moves more changes into the “controlled” bucket and fewer into the “conflict” bucket.

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4. Contract management is cash flow management

Good contract management is not just about avoiding losses — it’s also about improving liquidity.

Clear milestone acceptance criteria accelerate invoicing.

Continuous tracking of project costs and cost-to-come will form a solid base for PoC (Percentage of Completion) and ensures financial transparency.

Active steering of payment terms, securities, and guarantees stabilizes project cash flow.

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5. It’s a team sport

Successful contract management requires more than legal expertise. It involves:

Sales, engineering, procurement, and project management working in sync.

Standardized documentation and clear governance structures.

Leadership commitment to continuous improvement, learning, and sharing best practices.

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The ROI of getting it right

Strong contract management means:

Higher margins (through reduced leakage and better risk control)

Faster project starts (with better-prepared bids and handovers)

Fewer disputes (thanks to clarity and structure)

Stronger customer and supplier relationships

In short: Contract management is not an administrative burden — it’s a value driver.

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✅ If this resonates, and you’d like to explore how to strengthen contract management in your organization, let’s connect.

When companies set up transformation programs, it’s tempting to staff them with whoever is available internally. But availability alone doesn’t equal readiness.

Transformations are rare, often once-in-a-lifetime events for most organizations. Internal leaders and teams may be excellent in their day-to-day business — but lack the routine and repetition required to steer and deliver such programs with confidence.

That’s where experienced transformation leaders come in. With proven methodologies and execution discipline, they move faster, stay focused, and avoid the pitfalls of trial-and-error. The result? Earlier realization of synergies, accelerated cost reductions, stronger market impact, smoother integration — and ultimately, higher ROI on the program itself.

That’s why bringing in experienced transformation leaders isn’t a cost — it’s an accelerator of ROI, ensuring synergies, cost savings, and market gains are realized sooner.

👉 If this makes you think, and you’d like to explore how external expertise could support your transformation or change program, let’s connect.

Carve-outs are the open-heart surgeries of business. One wrong move — and the patient bleeds cash, customers, or talent.

Here’s what separates smooth carve-outs from painful ones.

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1. Start with a clear scope and end-state

Define:

• What’s in scope?
• What’s the NewCo’s minimum viable setup?
• What must be ready by Day 1?

Ambiguity here creates chaos later.

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2. Plan with functions — not just for them

Finance, IT, HR, Operations, Sales… each team needs to co-design the carve-out.

This avoids surprises and ensures ownership.

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3. Build your TSA logic early

Don’t treat TSAs (transitional service agreements) as an afterthought.

Agree early:

• What services are needed
• For how long
• At what cost
• With what exit logic

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4. Address organizational identity

The NewCo isn’t just a legal entity.
It needs:

• A leadership team
• Roles and processes
• A minimum culture and communication backbone

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5. Don’t skip the culture and compliance dimension

Align values, define behaviors, and ensure legal basics:

• Contracts
• IP rights
• Licenses
• Data ownership
• Code of conduct

Wenn Unternehmen einen Berater für ein Projekt suchen, höre ich oft dieselbe Frage:

„Kennt er unsere Branche?“

Mein Blick darauf ist differenziert – und pragmatisch:

✅ Branchenkenntnis kann Türen öffnen, Prozesse beschleunigen, Begriffe erklären sich manchmal von selbst.

✅ Methodenkenntnis hingegen entscheidet oft darüber, ob ein Projekt überhaupt zum Ziel kommt.

Gerade im Bereich „Transformation“ braucht es nicht nur fachliche Nähe – sondern Verständnis, Struktur, Steuerung, Kommunikationsstärke und die Fähigkeit, durch Unsicherheit zu führen.

Ich bezeichne mich daher bewusst als 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘯-𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘩. Meine Projekte reichen von Chemie über Automotive bis zu E-Commerce und Software-Qualitätssicherung. Was diese Erfolge verbindet?

👉 Ein klarer Plan.

👉 Ein methodisches Vorgehen.

👉 Die Fähigkeit, Führungsteams und Organisation in Bewegung zu bringen.

🔍 Was bedeutet das für Auftraggeber?

·       Prüfen Sie fachliche Relevanz – branchenspezifisches Wissen kann helfen, ist aber kein Erfolgsgarant.

·       Fragen Sie: Hat die Person Transformation strukturiert begleitet – oder „nur erlebt“?

·       Bauen Sie eine Exit-Strategie ein: Ein gut definierter Scope, Meilensteine und ein Review-Point nach 30 Tagen geben Ihnen volle Flexibilität.

Mein Rat: Entscheiden Sie nicht für oder gegen Branchenkenntnis – sondern für Wirkung.

👉 Wenn Sie Ihr Transformationsprojekt auf stabile Beine stellen möchten – mit Klarheit, Struktur und Tempo – freue ich mich über Ihre Nachricht.