As the year comes to a close, many teams get caught in a frantic rush for last-minute deals, pushing themselves into exhaustion just to cross an arbitrary finish line.
But that intensity often comes at a hidden cost: the energy you end the year with is the energy you begin the next one with.
Part 5 of this mini-series from Volker Balluede shifts the conversation from short-term scrambling to long-term culture because performance is always downstream from the environment leaders create.
This session reframes December as a reset rather than a race. By slowing down enough to notice the emotional state of the team, their energy, focus, motivation, and mindset, leaders begin to spot the early signs of burnout that metrics never reveal.
Key Takeaways from Volker Ballueder:
- Energy sets the trajectory – The emotional state of the team at year-end becomes the foundation for next year’s performance. Leaders must finish the year with intention, not panic.
- Recognition fuels resilience – Meaningful, personal acknowledgement of effort — not just results — restores motivation and strengthens trust far more effectively than bonuses or speeches.
- Culture is created in the messy moments – Psychological safety, honesty, and accountability define real culture. When leaders model these behaviours, teams mirror them and build a healthier, higher-performing environment.
About Volker Ballueder:
Volker Ballueder is a seasoned leadership coach with over two decades of commercial experience across SaaS, tech, and high-growth scale-ups. Having led teams through acquisitions, restructures, rapid expansion, and the pressure of board-level decision-making, he brings a rare blend of strategic clarity and emotional intelligence to every engagement.
He works with founders, CEOs, CROs, and senior leadership teams who are navigating growth, tension, or change. His approach is direct yet supportive, cutting through noise, surfacing the real issues, and guiding leaders towards sharper decisions, stronger culture, and sustainable performance.
His background spans executive coaching, psychotherapy, NLP, and mindfulness, giving him the tools to address both the strategic and human sides of leadership. Volker’s clients include leaders from global brands such as PepsiCo, Sky, JCDecaux, Boots, and DHL, alongside ambitious scale-ups facing real-world pressure.
