Ingrid Kühtz exudes peace and confidence at first sight. Yet behind that quiet presence is a voyage of boldness, strength and a deeply human leadership philosophy, paired with an extended business acumen, based on holding a Master of Business Administration degree. Having over 25 years of leadership and change experience, the story of Ingrid is not that of a consecutive development or strict strategies. It is rather a tale of believing in herself even in the face of uncertainty, breaking free from rigid beliefs, and rediscovering professional values beyond names and titles.
Ingrid is currently the CEO of Penrose-AP GmbH, which was established in January 2024 and is located in Switzerland. Ingrid is at the cross of mentoring, coaching, and strategic leadership. The professionals at all levels find her work to be helpful at each point in their career, be it in moments of doubt and reinvention as well as ambitions. What stands out in her leadership is not what she has done, but the way she has decided to lead which is based on dignity, clear and strong regard to people.
The Inner Compass – People and Business, Hand in Hand
When asked what has guided her consistently through more than two decades of leadership, Ingrid does not list accolades or strategies. Instead, she returns to two fundamental inner qualities: a genuine interest in people and strong business acumen.
For Ingrid, people are not resources; they are the heart of every organization and the source of every meaningful success. At the same time, she believes deeply in an organization’s responsibility to grow.
“Growth is not greed; it is what enables innovation, sustainability, and the fulfillment of purpose,” Ingrid shares.
Without growth, even the most well-intentioned organization risks stagnation.
What defines her leadership is the balance between these two forces. Respect for people without clarity about business realities is fragile. Business ambition without respect for people is hollow. Ingrid’s compass has always pointed toward honoring both, creating environments where individuals can thrive while organizations remain strong, relevant, and future-focused.
A Career Without a Map – Why Ingrid Thinks in “Flights”
Ingrid often describes careers as journeys without a map. To make sense of this uncertainty, she uses a powerful metaphor: flight.
A career, she explains, unfolds in phases much like an airplane journey. First comes the decision, the moment you choose to go for it, to take the next step. Then comes choosing the destination: defining what you actually want. Reaching higher altitudes is the phase in which a career grows to its max and cruising in the achieved role means finding stability while remaining alert to possible turbulence.
And finally, there is the “flight manual”, the practical tools that support the journey, from CVs and cover letters to interviews and the skills needed to succeed once you land.
This metaphor is more than poetic. It reflects Ingrid’s belief that direction matters more than certainty. You do not need to see the entire path clearly to move forward. You need clarity about where you want to go, and the courage to begin.
Moments That Tested and Defined Her
Every leader is shaped by moments of challenge, and for Ingrid, the most difficult ones were not about strategy or performance. They were about people.
She recalls situations where individuals were treated disrespectfully by others pursuing their own interests. In these moments, Ingrid often stepped into the role of mediator, not because it was easy, but because it was necessary.
She worked to dissolve conflict, restore trust, and protect dignity.
These experiences left a lasting imprint on her leadership philosophy.
Authority, she learned, is not the essence of leadership. Responsibility is. Especially the responsibility to ensure fairness, respect, and humanity in environments where pressure can easily erode them. This belief continues to guide her decisions today.
Growth Through Relationship – Mentoring, Coaching, Strategy
Ingrid’s work blends mentoring, coaching, and strategic thinking seamlessly, but she does not see these as separate disciplines. For her, this blend is growth.
Each client engagement challenges her to listen deeply, to evoke her client’s awareness about something they did not know yet and to support them in their learning and growth. All this comes with a solid foundation of the Professional Coaching Credential from the International Coaching Federation. She learns as much as she gives, shaped by the questions, aspirations, and struggles of those she supports.
This relational approach keeps her grounded. It reminds her that leadership is not a finished state, but an ongoing practice, one that requires humility, curiosity, and openness to change.
Visionary Leadership in a World of Constant Change
While many leaders speak of unprecedented change, Ingrid offers a grounded perspective. She does not believe the world is changing more rapidly than it did for previous generations. Our ancestors, she notes, likely felt the same intensity of transformation. And as a Master of Science she genuinely trusts the purpose and mechanism of evolution.
“Visionary leadership is therefore not about reacting faster, it is about clarity of direction,” she shares.
A visionary leader holds a compelling picture of the future, one that supports ambition, sustainability, and growth. But vision alone is not enough. It must be communicated in a way that builds trust, so people choose to follow.
True vision inspires not compliance, but commitment to taking off to begin the journey.
The Human Insight That Changed Everything
Working with professionals at every career stage has given Ingrid a powerful insight: most people do not struggle with answers. They struggle with clarity and self-trust.
Again and again, she has seen breakthroughs happen when individuals reconnect with what truly matters to them and begin trusting their own judgment. Once that reconnection occurs, progress accelerates naturally.
This insight shapes everything she does. Ingrid listens for values, not just goals. She focuses on self-awareness as the foundation for sustainable performance and genuine fulfillment. “Success that is not aligned with values is fragile, and ultimately unsatisfying,” she shares.
From “You’ll Never Be a Leader” to Leading 140 People
One of the moments Ingrid is proudest of began with doubt.
Early in her career, after a three-day assessment, she was told bluntly: “You will never become a leader, you simply don’t have the skills.” It could have been an ending. Instead, it became a beginning.
Two years later, she stepped into her first leadership role, managing a team of one. Over time, her responsibilities grew. Her final assignment as a Senior Manager involved leading 140 people across nine teams on four continents.
She is proud that she trusted herself, accepted the challenge, and made it happen. But what matters most to her is not the scale, it is the relationships. Many of those 140 people are now friends. For Ingrid, that is the truest measure of leadership.
Sustaining Balance, Clarity, and Energy
Supporting others through transformation requires energy and Ingrid is intentional about how she sustains it.
“Balance comes from experience, which forms the foundation of mentoring,” she says. Clarity emerges through strategy, co-created with clients. And energy flows from coaching. Witnessing even the smallest steps of growth in others is deeply rewarding and energizing for her.
Rather than draining her, the work sustains and reinforces her sense of purpose.
Advice for the First Courageous Step
For those standing at the edge of a new chapter, unsure how to begin, Ingrid’s advice is simple and profound: start with clarity.
What should the next chapter look like? Is it one step or part of a longer transition? Is it a shift in expertise, a move into leadership, or a transition to a board-level role?
Many people seek support at this stage from friends, family, or increasingly from professional mentors, coaches, and strategy consultants. Ingrid notes that while AI can assist with resumes today, one element still requires human interaction: interview preparation, simulation, and practice.
Confidence, presence, and authenticity are learned in relationships.
Looking Ahead – Returning to the Art of Listening
As she looks to the future, Ingrid is excited to reconnect with a skill from her very first business role as a Field Sales Representative.
For her, sales was never about persuasion. It was about listening, understanding client needs, and serving them where they were. In her current role as CEO of Penrose-AP, the same mindset applies, scientific thinking, behavioral curiosity, and a human focus.
As a mentor, strategist, and coach, her ambition is to continuously deepen these skills, in service of those ready to commit to their next career step.
The Quiet Power of Choice and Commitment
What quietly distinguishes Ingrid’s leadership journey is her deep respect for choice, both her own and that of others. She understands that every career decision, no matter how small it may appear, carries emotional weight. Behind every transition lies fear, hope, responsibility, and often unspoken doubt. Ingrid does not rush these moments. She honors them.
In her work, she creates space for reflection before action. She encourages people to pause long enough to hear themselves think, to feel what resonates and what no longer fits. This pause is not hesitation; it is intention. Ingrid believes that when decisions are made from clarity rather than pressure, they carry a strength that lasts.
Commitment born from self-awareness is far more powerful than motivation driven by external expectations.
She also speaks openly about courage, not as a dramatic act, but as a series of quiet decisions. Courage is sending the application you feel unready for. Courage is asking for feedback you may not like.
Courage is stepping into leadership while still learning. Ingrid’s own journey reflects this truth: leadership is not about perfection, but about presence and responsibility.
Leading with Patience
Another defining aspect of her philosophy is patience. In a culture that celebrates speed, Ingrid values timing. She reminds leaders and professionals alike that growth has its own rhythm. Some phases demand action and momentum; others require consolidation and learning. Both are valid, and both are necessary.
At the heart of everything she does is service, not in a self-sacrificing sense, but in a purposeful one. Ingrid serves by helping people see themselves more clearly, trust themselves more deeply, and move forward more consciously. Her legacy is not measured only in organizations built or teams led, but in lives strengthened, confidence restored, and futures shaped with intention.
Ingrid Kühtz embodies a form of leadership that is rare and deeply needed: one that is strategic yet humane, ambitious yet grounded, and powerful precisely because it never loses sight of the person behind the role.
A Leader Defined by Humanity
Ingrid Kühtz’s story is not one of effortless ascent. It is a story of trust, trust in people, trust in direction, and trust in oneself. She reminds us that leadership is not about having all the answers, but about creating the conditions for others to find their own.
In a world searching for certainty, Ingrid offers something more enduring: clarity, dignity, and the courage to take flight, even without a map.
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