Tuesday, November 02, 2021
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DOSB does not find a “culture of fear” in itself
The allegations against DOSB boss Alfons Hörmann were clear, the head of the association will withdraw shortly. In a specially commissioned study, Germany’s sports umbrella organization has now found that “fear” is rarely mentioned.
No “culture of fear”, but there is a need for action: the in-house cultural analysis commissioned by the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) has so far not been able to confirm the criticism of the leadership culture in the umbrella organization of German sport. This emerges from an interim report from the management consultancy employed by the DOSB. “A ‘culture of fear’ as a collectively carried and formative characteristic cannot be determined on the basis of the cultural analysis. The term ‘fear’ was mentioned once in a total of 1272 individual evaluations,” says the interim report of the company permitto GmbH.
However, among other things, several points are mentioned which are intended to promote “necessary and desirable cultural changes”. For example, employees and executives would like a culture “that is even more clearly characterized by mutual respect and appreciation across all levels of the organization (presidium, board of directors, executives and teams).”
“The results now available clearly show that there is no evidence of a nationwide ‘culture of fear’ in the DOSB. That made it a lot easier for us all. Nevertheless, we have identified cultural fields of action that show important starting points for a necessary further development of the culture”, said DOSB CEO Veronika Rücker in a statement. A “targeted cultural change process” is currently being planned together with the employees and will “begin implementing the first measures in a timely manner”.
Hörmann leaves after eight years
The DOSB leadership crisis came to the public in May through an anonymous letter, which presumably came from the workforce of the association. In the letter, the author (s) raised explicit allegations against DOSB President Alfons Hörmann for lack of leadership qualities (“culture of fear”). The letter speaks of a lack of respect and fair play towards association employees.
Hörmann has headed the DOSB since December 2013 as the third president after the current IOC boss Thomas Bach and interim boss Hans-Peter Krämer. At the general meeting on December 4th in Weimar, Hörmann will not run again in the presidential elections that are on the agenda.
Criticism of his management style was denounced in the anonymous letter. The letter spoke of a lack of respect and fair play towards association employees. Thereupon the DOSB asked an independent ethics committee for clarification and evaluation.