Michael Gross is a three-time Olympic Champion (1984 & 1988), five-time World Champion (1982 – 1991), and four-time Sportsman of the Year (1982-84 & 1988).
For Prof. Dr. Michael Gross, the key lies in the combination of talent, knowledge, and determination. This blend was crucial during his athletic career and remains essential in his current roles as an entrepreneur, speaker, trainer, author, and lecturer specializing in digitalisation.
Michael Gross stands as Germany’s most accomplished swimmer, having secured 21 titles across the Olympic Games, World, and European Championships. He earned 39 medals at international competitions and set 12 world records. Due to his butterfly stroke technique and his impressive arm span of 2.13 meters at a height of 2.01 meters, a journalist from the French sports newspaper L’Equipe nicknamed him “Albatros” in 1983.
Michael Gross is married and has a daughter and a son. He pursued studies in German, politics, and media, earning an M.A. in 1990 and a doctorate in 1994. With over twenty years of lecturing experience, he has been an honorary professor of organisation and leadership at Goethe University Frankfurt since 2023. He is also the Managing Partner of Gross & Cie, a consultancy focused on change and talent management based in Königstein/Taunus.
Michael Gross delivers lectures on management, motivation, self-leadership, and sports-related topics.
Michael Gross Lecture Topics
- AI transformation – collaboration between humans and machines
- Digital Leadership – the new approach to company leadership
- Change Management: preparing companies for the future
- Motivation – achieving an Olympic victory every day
- Self-leadership – simplifying processes in digital transformation
Successfully implementing digitalisation
Nearly all companies and leaders understand the importance of digitalisation and many have identified necessary actions. However, few know how to successfully execute digital transformation. This lecture highlights the critical success factors and areas of focus for effective digital transformation in businesses.
Making companies fit – securing future success
Change is the only constant. Now more than ever, companies must “make their organisation fit” by fostering a performance culture that embraces new challenges as opportunities for the future. This lecture outlines key tasks and common pitfalls in the implementation process.
Michael Gross: Diversity, Resilience, and Change in Digital Transformation.
As an athlete, entrepreneur, speaker, trainer, author, and lecturer, Michael Gross has embraced diverse roles since his school days. Back then, balancing academic learning and swim training was central—culminating in 1984 when he completed his A-levels and Olympic competitions within weeks. Since then, he has continually faced new challenges and opportunities, increasingly influenced by digital transformation and artificial intelligence in recent years.
About ten years ago, Michael Gross reflected on how digitalisation would impact his life and career regardless of the technologies involved. His conclusion was clear: cooperation and communication would undergo revolutionary changes through digital transformation. New skills would be essential, whether consulting companies, conducting seminars, or delivering keynote speeches. After years of theoretical and practical work, his findings have been published in numerous specialist books. As an honorary professor at the University of Frankfurt, he continuously reviews scientific research and experiments with new management and leadership methods. This ongoing work informs his other roles, including regularly updating his keynote presentations.
Management & Digital Leadership & Motivation
The digital transformation and artificial intelligence bring Michael Gross full circle to lessons from his sports career: standing still means moving backward. Digitalisation offers constant new developments, much like how every training session once brought fresh experiences. Today, deepening one’s knowledge also benefits others. For Michael Gross, exchanging experiences in digital transformation is highly engaging, whether as an entrepreneur, lecturer, trainer, or speaker. One thing remains certain for him: life is never dull.
