Shaping the future through agile working: How the Münster Economic Development Agency is successfully developing its organization

Impulses for teamwork, self-organization and leadership

19. May 2025 //

Corporate management and teamwork, the core business and the business world are subject to constant change. A challenging bundle of changes that is complex and needs to be understood and organised. This mix of requirements is currently keeping many organisations busy. This also applies to Wirtschaftsförderung Münster GmbH (WFM), which is focussing on targeted change and the future.

When organisations grow or realign themselves strategically, there is a need to adapt existing structures. This was also the case at WFM: new focal points, demanding markets and personnel growth led to major changes in the internal workings of the organisation. In order to safeguard its performance and efficiency, WFM decided over two years ago to initiate a systematic further development of cooperation - with noventum as a partner at its side. Since then, noventum has been supporting the organisation on its path to greater clarity, self-organisation and a future-proof working culture.

Employee satisfaction as the starting point for cultural change

The management's wish was clear: to improve collaboration, increase employee satisfaction and strategically and structurally position the organisation for future challenges. noventum was commissioned to support this transformation process - with the aim of initiating both structural and cultural developments.

The collaboration began with an intensive kick-off workshop in which key areas of action were identified. These ranged from internal communication, collaboration and methods through to common objectives for the future. Concrete measures to improve employee satisfaction were developed and implemented.

An enabling form of leadership was at the top of the list of priorities for both the client, Enno Fuchs, and the noventum team of consultants. Joint success depends on the active goal-setting of all those involved.

Creating rules together, living values

In the next step, the project focussed on the foundations of a healthy communication culture. In a further workshop, common rules for respectful and appreciative cooperation were developed. This participatory approach not only ensured acceptance, but also strengthened the shared understanding of teamwork and responsibility.

A subsequent retrospective workshop served to critically scrutinise existing working methods and develop them further in a targeted manner. This resulted in a shared view of what works well - and what can be improved.

"Economic development is the central key to the further development of an economic region. WFM has played a major and supporting role here for decades and is well equipped to perform in a complex and agile future thanks to the changes it has initiated. Our region will benefit from this motivated team of enthusiastic business promoters."

Marc Schwellenbach - Senior Business Development Manager - noventum consulting GmbH

Agile way of working: Learning through experience

The decision to provide the team with agile support was particularly effective. In an iterative process, new ways of working were not only taught in theory, but also applied directly in everyday life. Employees learnt about methods such as Scrum and were able to try them out in practice. The result: more flexibility, greater personal responsibility and a new understanding of collaboration.

The WFM team was supported by the two noventum consultants Marc Schwellenbach and Laura Wenningmann, who contributed their many years of expertise in agile transformation, cultural development and strategic organisational consulting to the project.

Mission statement process as a strategic anchor

Part 3 continued with a World Café to discover organisational possibilities for dealing better with complexity. The potential for improvement identified in part 2 was concretised "in the round" outdoors and always garnished with a rewarding "WHY" as a motivational aid. The resulting ideas were useful takeaways for the participants for their organisational work at home.

Part 4 of the event was rounded off with recommendations on how the creative ideas for organisational and cultural development can be introduced into the organisation in a participatory and effective way using agile methods.

A strong foundation for the future

"In noventum, we have found a partner who has accompanied us with sensitivity, a clear view and proven methods," says Enno Fuchs, Managing Director of WFM, describing the joint journey.

Through the combination of cultural work, agile methodology and strategic mission statement development, Münster Economic Development has strengthened its organisation and geared it towards the future."

Enno Fuchs - Managing Director - Münster Economic Development Corporation (WFM) GmbH