Trying things out rather than studying too much: Why companies are focusing on implementation skills

Whilst universities are expanding their Master’s programmes and companies have for decades regarded academic titles as a mark of quality, a quiet paradigm shift is taking place in the business world: there is an increasing demand for people who can solve problems, not just those who can analyse them in theory.

Technology-driven companies and start-ups, in particular, pose a provocative question: how much is an additional academic qualification worth if it is accompanied by a lack of practical experience, leadership skills and entrepreneurial implementation skills?

In Silicon Valley, the answer has long been clear. Many young technology companies deliberately recruit bachelor’s degree graduates rather than candidates with a master’s degree. This is not out of a lack of regard for academic education, but for reasons of economic rationality.

Whilst some graduates spend a further two years in the lecture theatre, others are already gaining operational experience: they lead teams, bear budgetary responsibility, experience crises, face project failures, negotiate with clients and learn to make decisions in the face of uncertainty. In short: they gain business experience – the very skill that no university can teach. After all, there is no theoretical shortcut to business experience, nor is there a master’s programme for it.

Experience is not a flaw, but a competitive advantage

For a long time, a particular narrative dominated, especially in innovation-driven sectors: young people are regarded as curious, agile and open to new ideas. Older managers, on the other hand, are often assumed to have experience but to be less flexible or less keen on innovation.

This view is too narrow: highly capable older managers are characterised precisely by their ability to combine experience with curiosity. They have weathered market cycles, recognised missteps, survived crises and possess a keen sense of risks and opportunities. At the same time, they remain willing to learn and open to new technologies, business models and social changes.

The difference lies not in age, but in attitude. Curiosity without experience can lead to naïve activism. Experience without curiosity ends in stagnation. Excellent management arises only from the combination of both qualities.

What companies are really looking for today

When companies select executives, another factor is increasingly coming to the fore: personality. Specialist knowledge remains important, but is rarely the decisive differentiating factor. In a world where knowledge is digitally available at all times, human qualities are becoming vastly more important.

Personality structure describes the totality of a person’s stable psychological characteristics. These include, amongst others:

• Openness to new experiences
• Diligence
• Extraversion
• Compatibility with stakeholders
• emotional stability

These qualities have a direct impact on the ability to lead teams, resolve conflicts, make decisions and remain capable of acting under pressure. Particularly in dynamic markets, companies need leaders who think analytically, are able to communicate effectively and, at the same time, remain resilient.

However, character is even more crucial. It describes a person’s moral foundation: values, integrity, a sense of responsibility and how someone acts when situations become difficult. Character is not revealed in a job interview, but in times of crisis.

In recent years, companies have learnt that impressive CVs are no guarantee of good leadership. Numerous corporate scandals were not the result of a lack of intelligence, but of a lack of strength of character. The business world is therefore increasingly seeking managers who not only deliver results, but also inspire trust.

The new reality of the labour market

The labour market now values experience differently than it did ten years ago. Traditional career paths are becoming less important. Rather than linear CVs, what counts are demonstrable results, adaptability and the ability to get things done. A candidate who, at the age of 28, has already taken responsibility for projects, clients or staff often brings more immediate added value than someone with excellent academic qualifications but no practical experience.

After all, management is not a purely academic discipline. You do not learn leadership exclusively from textbooks. You learn it through conflicts, through wrong decisions, through difficult negotiations and by dealing with uncertainty. The reality of business is more complex than any case study.

None of this means that academic education is superfluous. Universities impart analytical thinking, methodological skills and theoretical foundations. Particularly in specialised fields, academic excellence and in-depth training remain indispensable.

However, companies are increasingly recognising the limitations of purely academic qualifications. A master’s degree is no substitute for leadership responsibility. No lecture theatre can fully simulate the dynamics of a real market. No examination measures entrepreneurial courage, emotional intelligence or resilience in the face of crisis. The crucial question is therefore no longer: ‘What qualification does someone hold?’, but rather: ‘What has this person already achieved?’

The future belongs to those who make things happen

The economy is entering a phase of constant change. Technologies are developing faster, business models are becoming more volatile and decision-making cycles are getting shorter. In such a world, people who can combine theory with practice are becoming increasingly important.

The most successful managers of the future will be neither purely academic nor purely practical. They will be able to learn, think, question and act at the same time. After all, what ultimately counts in a company is not how long someone has studied, but whether they can take on responsibility, lead people and deliver results.