1. What excites me about my job…
I get just as excited about bringing people together to create something new as showing people new possibilities. It's real experiences that move mountains, not theory.
2. What frustrates me sometimes…
That change takes so long. People are often overcautious about change and lack the courage and confidence to just go for it.
3. My secret dream job
I used to want to be a doctor, but I put aside that dream because I faint whenever I have blood drawn. Also, due to the numerus clausus principle, I probably wouldn't have been able to start studying medicine until I was 30…
4. My top strategy for surviving a really bad day at the office
In the past, I would have said exercise or sport, but these days it's the joy of getting my son out of daycare and doing something completely different. The gloomy thoughts usually fade away very quickly and in the evening the world looks sunnier again.
5. The moment I find I am in the flow
I am at my most effective when I am so enthusiastic about the content of my work that I give plenty of space to it and the people who are involved. That's when the sparks fly! Christian Kaiser always refers to me as "The Torch".
6. Biggest success so far
Do something that fulfills you and you’ll notice whether and how well you are balancing other aspects of your life. The greater my impact, the more I question my work. This leads to me being better able to adjust my focus.
7. My greatest defeat
When people just cut contact instead of trying to talk things through. This has happened to me both in my circle of friends and also in a professional context. For me, nothing is so bad that people need to stop talking to each other.
8. Worst buzzword
New Work, a term that is used for everything these days, but in fact stands for nothing.
9. The best reward after a hard week at work…
Reviewing the week.
10. Home office or in-house?
Working from home. It gives me more flexibility, and, for me, I get the same closeness, trust and fun as from in-person encounters.
11. The most important quality a colleague/business partner can have?
Openness, so they are able to create and learn something new. Only those who are open-minded are able to think outside the box and are willing to leave their comfort zone.
12. My creative hack
Going for a walk with my dog and experiencing nature with all my senses.
13. The first website I check in the morning
LinkedIn
14. My favorite digital tool
My cell phone
15. The book or series from which I have learned the most for my (work) life
Untamed by Glennon Doyle. Although I have to work on myself every day and all too often fail to keep myself in perspective.
16. Which series, book, or podcast I would generally recommend...
Podcasts:
Good Work, Jule Jankowski, Media Heroes, T + M, and Courage of Personality, Chérine De Brujin
Books:
Understanding People by Kenza Ait Si Abbou, Listen to Each Other by Elif Shafak, and Innovation by Wolf Lotter
17. Most prominent follower on social media?
Fame doesn't matter to me. It's more important to me to communicate with people who don't just see things in black and white and have something relevant to say about their field. Therefore, I put more emphasis on sustainable and value-creating connections that create something new.
17 and a half: What has always...
... motivated me showing people they are wrong about pigeonholing me or not believing in me. I use this as a challenge to rise above. People like to talk down to others for their own benefit or to make themselves feel better. That doesn't work for me at all. This gives me all the more reason to empower others and transform this empowerment into progress.
