1,200 managers discuss emotions in corporate management at the Swiss SME Day
The 22nd Swiss SME Day in St. Gallen was held under the theme «Moving SMEs – The Power of Emotions.» Around 1,200 guests heard insights from figures such as André Lüthi, Thomas Borer, and Joey Kelly on emotional leadership and current challenges.
Around 1,200 managers from small and medium-sized enterprises met for the 22nd Swiss SME Day in St.Gallen. Under the motto "Moving SMEs - Power of Emotions", the event focused on the influence of emotions on companies.
Emotions more important than ever in day-to-day business
Host Tobi Wolf presented the results of the annual SME Day study: over 70 percent of the managers surveyed are convinced that emotions play a much greater role in day-to-day business life today than they did ten years ago. The finding that almost 80 percent of employees at lower management levels feel little emotional attachment to their company sends out an alarming signal.
Between passion and global challenges
In his presentation, tourism pioneer André Lüthi from the Globetrotter Group pleaded for more courage to follow your own path. "The most important task of a manager is to create an environment in which employees can motivate themselves," Lüthi emphasized.
Former diplomat Thomas Borer analyzed the geopolitical challenges for Swiss SMEs. He described the current global situation as a "rough sea" and warned that US policy and the complex EU relationship in particular pose major challenges for Swiss exporters.
Innovation and emotional business models
One highlight was the start-up pitch won by Sarah Harbarth from KUORI with her innovation for biodegradable plastics. In the SME talk, "Gastro King" Michel Péclard and Sandra-Stella Triebl from "Ladies Drive" gave insights into their emotionally driven business models. Péclard presented his successful turnover-based remuneration model, while Triebl emphasized the growing importance of emotional intelligence in the digitalized world of work.
Mental strength as a success factor
The emotional highlight came with Joey Kelly's keynote speech "No Limits - How do I achieve my goal?". The musician and extreme sportsman drew impressive parallels between the challenges of extreme sports and everyday business life. His credo "Never give up" became the central message of the afternoon.
The next Swiss SME Day will take place on Friday, October 23, 2026.
