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From Anonymous Notes to Open Appreciation
It’s more than ten years ago. I can still see the conference room — too dark, too quiet. I had been asked to design the agenda for a department’s off-site. The leaders wanted to lift the mood, to spark something positive in a team that missed a personal touch. So I built a day full of rhythm and light: exercises on collaboration, time for feedback, moments of laughter in between. And at the end, I wanted to close with something small but meaningful — a gesture of appreciation. Each person would write a few kind words for another. A note to take home, a reminder that what we do matters.…
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Why Leadership Can Feel Isolating (and How to Stay Connected)
What I would tell my younger self
What should I do next?
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Why Leadership Can Feel Isolating (and How to Stay Connected)
Suddenly, I was no longer one of the team. I was leading it. There was a beautiful pride in that moment—but also a quiet void. Meetings changed. Conversations shifted. People started looking to me for answers, but I still had so many questions. And somehow, it felt like I had to figure it all out… alone. If you’ve ever stepped into a leadership role and thought, “Why does no one talk about how lonely this is?”—you’re not alone in that thought either. We often assume that once we’ve “made it” into leadership, everything clicks into place. Especially when we’re surrounded by more experienced leaders who seem calm, composed, and confident.…
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UNFAIR!
What social work on sunday morning at 6am taught me
Resilience through thankfulness
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The Leap: From Senior to Leadership — Why It’s Not Just About the Next Role
Today, I listened to a podcast from a well-known comedian. Not exactly your typical career guru, but his words hit me with surprising precision. He shared that everything changed for him when he decided to prioritize himself — not his career, not the next gig, not even success. Himself. For him, that meant going to the gym, showing up on time, preparing his material like it really mattered. The result? He didn’t just become physically stronger — he started taking himself more seriously. And in turn, others started doing the same. And I thought: that’s exactly the moment when careers take off — when we stop waiting to be discovered,…
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If you want a career, this is important
‚I messed up‘ – how you turn your messy leadership moments in fruitful team culture
Why you need to defend your team culture
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From the Sidelines to the Spotlight: What Your First Leadership Role Really Feels Like
You thought it would feel powerful. Like finally having a seat at the table. Like being the one who decides, not the one who follows. And yes, it does feel different. But probably not in the way you expected. Your first leadership role is rarely the victory lap you imagined when you were still working your way up — delivering results, trying to be seen, and occasionally wondering why your boss acts the way they do. Because the truth is: when you step into leadership for the first time, the world tilts. It doesn’t revolve around you anymore. It revolves around others. And that… can be both humbling and beautiful.…
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STOP! Don’t do a career!
If you want a career, this is important
Why it is good to have no clue what to do
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When Saying “No” Isn’t an Option: How to Handle Tough Leadership Requests with Grace
“You can’t really say no to this, you know.” The words still echo in my mind — half a suggestion, half a command. If you’ve ever been asked to take on a task you didn’t want (or shouldn’t) do — and felt like “no” wasn’t an acceptable answer — this article is for you. ✨ When the Ask Isn’t Really a Choice Maybe it’s an extra project that feels wrong. Maybe it’s a task that clashes with your values. Maybe it’s simply more than you can — or should — take on. Whatever the reason, here’s the hard truth: Sometimes, especially when senior leaders are involved, refusing a request comes…
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Why it is good to have no clue what to do
When I led my first project team, it felt quite overwhelming. Assigning tasks to my team, talking to the client, keeping my internal stakeholders up to date, managing the scope, keeping track of the numbers … sometimes I didn‘t know what to do first. On top, the solution for the client didn‘t fall off the shelf but we needed to interview people, ask questions, define deliverables and agree on a way of working to getting to the results. Sometimes I really wished to know everything already. At that time, a lot of the solutioning was created in the evening when I went swimming. Under water I could think. I could…
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The lies you believe
I want that promotion. Now!
You need to love the process over the result
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Why it’s a good sign when your job feels boring
Starting a new job is exciting. Meeting new people, getting to know the tools and processes, learning about the industry and diving into unknown challenges. Every meeting and task requires concentration. The brain is on fire and one is wondering whether this job can ever be mastered. Time flies – and way too soon the day is over. This sensation usually keeps up for a few weeks or months – until a certain routine settles in. The key people are met, the main meetings are known, the content can be handled. You are still on a learning curve but it is not as steep as in the first weeks. You…
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How to handle a missed promotion
This crisis kills my empathy
Who is your heir?
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Contradictory leadership skills
„What are the most important leadership skills?“, I challenge my team. Amongst several valid skills ‚empathy‘ and ‚resilience‘ come up. As we discuss what each one means to us, we are realizing that these two skills can become quite contradictory. But before we look deeper into that matter, let’s understand what each skill means. Empathy – n. the ability to imagine and understand the thoughts, perspective, and emotions of another person. https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095750102;jsessionid=299D66408E0C979792F904B31354D677 We use empathy in client and staff meetings to understand the perspective of the other party. We comprehend or even feel the emotions of the other person. In consequence, we act according to the situation in the room.…
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Why being ‚predictable‘ will make you a great leader
Why are you such an asshole?
I am in the wrong job
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How my mindset influences my skillset
“I am such a looser.” “Everyone else gets the tasks done – but I am again running detours.” “Of course, this bad luck happened to me. As always.” Do you know any of this negative self talk? If you ever say these sentences aloud, chances are high that your inner talk is filled with messages of self-doubt. Have you ever wondered why you think this way? Our brain is amazing: once we start thinking certain messages, our brain learns that we need this information and builds its network accordingly. It gives us quick access to certain thoughts until they become routines and we need less energy to access them. Unfortunately,…
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How weakness could be our strongest teambuilding (Part 1)
You are not good enough
Why it’s a good sign when your job feels boring
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What to do when a team member quits
„I need to leave the team“, she sighs. After training her the past year in different roles, I have offered her a leadership position in the team. And while she was thinking about it, she realized that she needed to focus on another role in her life. And that role is not in my team. I have mixed feelings: I am more than proud that she thought deeply and made a decision (these are the type of people I want in my team!) all while I am sad because I will not work with her in the future anymore. Did people quit in your team, too? It is very easy…
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My life is f***ed
Turning bad experiences into valuable lessons
How to handle a missed promotion
