Young Female Professionals

The #1 Career Shortcut Nobody Tells You. It is also the reason why most people work hard, but only a few get noticed. The difference? Just two words: ‘’Be different’’ On any day at work, just look around you. You will see sameness everywhere. People say the same things, in the same tone of voice, with a very similar execution style. Because sameness is comfortable but invisible...And, in many cases, it is also safer. But you can’t stand out if you blend in. And I promise you, if you blend in, maybe you will have a ‘’safe’’ and predictable career now... BUT one day you will wake up later and regret every time that you should have raised your hand, and you didn’t, or wish that you had said your opinion, but you couldn’t. You will regret this great idea that you wanted to share, but you didn’t, or this thing that you wanted to say ‘‘enough’’ to, at work, but you couldn’t. So here are some small examples for you: 💡If your colleagues use the same slide’s structure when presenting to the management, then use a different structure. 💡If your boss asked your team for a summary of the projects that they are working on and everyone created 10 pages, create only 5. 💡If someone mentioned something in a meeting that seems unreasonable and no one asked for further clarification, then raise your hand and ask for clarification (even if this person is higher than you in the hierarchy). 💡If you see a recurring problem and everyone is ignoring it and it happens repeatedly, be the one who says ''let us fix it once and for all’’. 💡And one last super simple example...If everyone enters meetings and says the same words with the same tonality, then say something different or change your tonality. Exposure means influence. And to influence, you have to be able to attract and retain people’s attention. And to do that, you need to interrupt their patterns by being different. And you know what the best part is? Now, more than ever, our companies need people who are trying to do things differently. Because, in many cases, these people make the lives of the people around them easier (except those who fear change and want to suffer quietly). Just start with one thing. One bold move. You’ll be surprised how quickly you stand out because most people never even try. Be different...

Years ago, on my way to a business meeting in Germany, a tourist stopped me. She was American, exhausted, and stuck with a life-changing decision… We chatted a little, and then she told me something unexpected: "Actually, I'm here in Germany to make a big decision." She had three options: 1- Stay in her job in the U.S. (where she was only partially satisfied) 2- Take a new offer in Germany 3- Immigrate to Australia to join family She looked exhausted — mentally stuck. So, I asked her one thing: 👉 “What are your current priorities? Can you list them in order?” She replied, “I’m not sure. I’ve never really written them down.” So, I told her to go home that night and do just that. Write down her priorities. In order. A week later, I ran into her again by complete chance (true story, by the way). This time, she looked different. Calm. Clear. She ran over and said: “I made my decision. I’m staying in Germany. That question you asked saved me.” She’d written her list… and suddenly, everything became obvious. 💡 Hard decisions are only hard when your priorities are unclear and when you do not spend enough time to pause, know who you really are, and what is important to you at this moment. And the tricky part? We all think that our priorities are clear until we pause, sit, and try to write them down on a piece of paper. Then conflicting priorities appear that force us to think deeply about what is really more important to us. That’s why the first thing I do with any client is help them define their priority compass. Because when the storm hits, for example, a tough career call or a major life shift, that compass will guide them. Always. 👉 Have you written/updated your priority list recently? What’s the #1 thing that matters most to you right now?

In the past weeks, after many conversations with global leaders, one thing became very clear to me: 👉 We don’t have, in a lot of cases, a strategy problem. We have an execution problem. Why? Because most leaders spend their days buried in meetings, emails, and reports. Necessary tasks, yes. But not the high-value work that drives execution. This is where technology, such as practical AI, can be a game-changer: summarizing meetings, analyzing reports, automating follow-ups. It frees leaders to focus on speed and quality of execution where leadership really matters. But here’s the catch: what stops many leaders from using AI isn’t only a lack of know-how, it’s their own fears and concerns, often reinforced by cautious company cultures that hesitate to adopt new tech. Yet with the speed of AI’s advancement, the real question is no longer: “Will AI reshape leadership?” It’s: “How fast will leaders adapt?” Curious, what’s holding leaders in your organization back from using AI in practical ways?

Don't talk about 'belonging' if you're NOT ready to walk the talk. One of the most dangerous illusions in today’s corporate world is that loyalty, motivation, or a sense of belonging happen automatically—especially when budgets get tight. Here’s a scenario you've likely seen before: · A hiring freeze is declared. · Salary raises are “delayed until further notice.” · Travel requests are rejected—even ones under €500. · Managers and their teams absorb the workload and keep pushing. Then comes the internal announcement: “500 global executives will gather for a 4-day summit in [Country X].” The estimated cost? Well over $2 million. That’s when employees start saying: “They rejected my €500 trip, but flew the top brass first class?” “They can’t increase my salary, but they can rent out a palace for a summit?” Even if the summit is important, perception is everything. If leaders want cultural commitment, they must first show consistency. If you must make a decision that appears contradictory—address it openly. Show the reasons. Show the trade-offs. Show that you’re aware. Because when leaders hide behind silence or formality, they send a louder message than any email: “We come first. You come later.” And when people feel that, something breaks: They stop saying “we.” They start saying “us vs. them.” Let’s not pretend that culture is about slogans. Culture is about credibility. And credibility is built by actions—not words. P.S: I’m working on a free newsletter for leaders who want to drive real change — not just talk about it. It’ll include real stories, practical insights, and tools to lead with clarity, consistency, and influence. If you’d like early access, just reply “Interested” or message me — I’ll make sure you’re on the list. #leadership #culture #management

Bad Feedback Is Worse Than No Feedback — A True Story. A woman I work with as her consultant shared this with me. She works for one of the biggest companies in the world. One day, a colleague came to her looking stressed and frustrated. His manager had just told him: 👉 “You need to improve your communication. Learn to get to the point.” But when he asked for clarification, the manager didn’t give any. So now he was stuck — unsure what the feedback meant, what he did wrong, or how to improve. Let’s pause here. This kind of situation happens in companies every single day. And most of the time, it’s not the employee’s fault — it’s poor leadership. And that poor leadership is often rooted in the myth that people can simply “learn by doing.” Someone gets promoted with no leadership preparation or an incremental leadership-growth plan over the years (maybe just attended a leadership training), decides to wing it, and assumes they'll improve over time. The result? They repeat the same mistakes for 20 years — and call it “20 years of experience.” But there’s a better way. If you’re a leader giving critical feedback, vague statements are useless. You need to offer concrete examples. You don’t say: 🛑 “Your communication isn’t good.” You say: ✅ “In last Tuesday’s meeting with Engineering, you said X. I think if you had said Y instead, it would have landed better.” This helps your team member learn, grow, and trust you. Otherwise, they’ll waste time replaying conversations in their head, wondering what you meant — and whether they’re being judged unfairly. 🎯 As a leader, you’re not just a critic — you’re a coach. Your feedback should guide, not confuse. And one last thing — just because you’re in a leadership role doesn’t automatically make you a good leader. Being a great leader takes real effort. It takes learning. Feedback. Practice. And the humility to admit you’re still growing. 💬 If this resonates, I’m building something for leaders like you — a free, no-fluff newsletter that gets straight to the point. Want early access? Just write “interested” below or DM me. #leadership #management #organisationaldevelopment

How to make leaders support REAL change? Show them the PAIN—not just the plan. This story stuck with me for years. A senior leader at a major manufacturer believed the company was wasting millions on procurement. He estimated they could save over $1 billion in five years—but no one in top management believed him. So he did something smart. He didn’t create a fancy deck. He didn’t add more numbers to a spreadsheet. He sent an intern to investigate one item: work gloves. The intern discovered 424 different types of gloves being purchased by factories across the company. Some cost $5. Others, $17—for the same model. So the leader printed price tags for each pair. And piled all 424 gloves on the executives’ conference table. The reaction? “We really buy all of these?” “These two are identical—why is one triple the cost?” “This is insane. We need to fix this.” Suddenly, the leadership team cared. Suddenly, the change was urgent. The shift happened. This story (shared by John Kotter) teaches something most change leaders forget: You don’t convince leaders with logic alone. You move them with emotion, visuals, and urgency. If you want to lead real change: · Don’t just share the numbers · Show the friction · Let people feel what the problem is costing them Because we’re not presenting to robots, we’re influencing humans. And humans don’t change through spreadsheets. They change when the pain becomes visible. Make the pain visible. That’s how change begins. P.S. I’m sharing more real-world strategies like this in my upcoming newsletter for leaders driving change. If you’d like early access before the public launch, just reply ‘interested’ or DM me directly. #leadership #changemanagement #management

Most change initiatives don’t fail because of lack of strategy. They fail because of human behavior—and how badly we manage it. Years ago, when I was working as a Global Project Manager, I attended a PMI Risk Management course. I was energized. Ready to implement what I learned. One of the key takeaways? → Always create a risk mitigation plan and share it with the customer—alongside the main project plan. The logic was sound: Be transparent. Show potential bottlenecks. Propose how to reduce their impact. But the moment I tried to implement it, I was stopped. ❝ We can’t show this to the client. It will scare them. We might lose the project. ❞ Internal resistance exploded. And after long debates, I had to back off. That was the day I learned a hard truth: Companies often fear transparency more than failure. This is one face of organizational inertia—the hidden force that keeps everything “familiar”… and quietly blocks progress. And this same inertia shows up in every behavior-based change effort: · Digital transformations · New leadership models · Cultural change · Team resets Everyone wants new outcomes—but very few understand what it takes to shift behavior. Let me be blunt: Attending a training won’t change behavior. Giving a speech won’t change behavior. Launching a PowerPoint deck won’t change behavior. If it did, every person who attended a weight loss seminar would be fit. Every new manager would suddenly become a great leader after onboarding. And every “creative thinking” session would turn teams into innovators. So why do we keep pretending behavior change is simple? If you're a leader today, ask yourself: → Do I actually know how to change behavior in my team or organization? If the answer is no—you’re not alone. But let’s stop calling it “transformation” if we’re not willing to learn the science behind how humans actually change. That’s where most leaders fall short. And that’s where change quietly dies. P.S: I’m writing more on the real blockers of transformation in my upcoming newsletter. No fluff—just what leaders really need to shift behavior. If you’d like early access, DM me or comment ‘interested’. #changemanagement #projectmanagement #leadership #organizationaldevelopment

The moment I STOPPED being the “QUIET overachiever”—and started speaking up. Early in my career, someone gave me this advice: “Never shake the boat. Obey your boss. Don’t challenge management.” And I internalized it. I started believing that if I share a different opinion, I’ll embarrass someone… or create trouble… or make myself a target. So I stayed quiet. Even when I saw flaws. Even when I had better ideas. I told myself: “They’re more senior. They know better.” Until one day, I had a real conversation with an executive. And I discovered… he was just human. He had doubts. He had fears. He didn’t know all the answers. He wanted someone he could trust to help him see clearly. So I started speaking to more executives. And again, I saw the pattern. They weren’t perfect. They were human—and they were searching for people they could rely on. That changed everything for me. I stopped sitting silently in meetings. If I had an idea, I shared it. If I disagreed, I said so—with respect and clarity. And something amazing happened: I started earning real trust. Executives began asking for my opinion. They included me in closed-door conversations. Some even pulled me aside when I was quiet and asked, “Are you okay?” My voice became my leverage. And my influence started expanding across the company. That’s when I realized something powerful: 👉 Top leaders don’t want passive followers. They want bold partners. People with their own voice. Their own thinking. Their own edge. So if you're a middle manager with ideas—speak up. Speak up even if you're afraid. Speak up even if you're not sure they’ll listen. Speak up because leadership isn’t just about having a title. It’s about making the ship move better. And yes, not every leader will appreciate it. Some may resist. But if you get punished for speaking up—leave that ship. Because that’s not a company growing forward. That’s a company sinking slowly. You don’t win by staying silent. You win by stepping into your voice. Have you ever had to break your silence? What did it cost you—or unlock for you? P.S. I’ll soon share more of these strategic insights privately through my new leadership newsletter. If you’d like early access before the public launch, drop a quick ‘include me’ or send me a message. #leadership #organizationalstrategy #management

Strategic leaders know that alignment IS NOT agreement. It’s commitment after clarity...But do you know what the real challenge is? In many cases, leaders move forward without that clarity, not because of external complexity, but due to internal misalignment. Let me share a true story. I was working with senior leaders from a multinational company that had just gone through a major leadership change. The business was at risk, and transformation was urgent. The new leadership team came in with a vision. They translated that vision into one PowerPoint slide and shared it with their direct reports and middle management. A lot of time was invested in getting “buy-in” for this plan. And then something surprising happened. During a leadership session, I asked a group of these senior leaders to write down, individually, the top three goals they believed the company needed to focus on this year to bring that vision to life. I collected the papers and then asked a simple question: “Looking at your answers, would you say there’s full alignment, partial alignment, or no alignment?” The room was quiet. Eventually, someone said: “Partial. Maybe 50%—or even less.” And I told them: “If you, as senior leaders who work directly with the General Manager, aren’t fully aligned… what do you think is happening one level down in middle management? Or deeper in the organization?” They had all attended the same meetings. Read the same documents. Heard the same words. But clarity? Still missing. And here’s the truth: 👉 When there is no clarity, there is fake alignment. And fake alignment creates the illusion of progress, while friction builds underneath. It’s like installing two engines in a racing car—one pushing forward, the other to the side. You’ll still move. But you’ll burn out faster than you think. ✅ Communication does not guarantee clarity. ✅ Distributing KPIs does not guarantee alignment. ✅ Agreement in a room is not commitment in reality. Strategic leaders don’t just present plans—they test for shared understanding. Because clarity before commitment is not optional. It’s the cost of real progress. If you want real alignment, start by testing clarity, not just collecting agreement. What’s one question you ask to make sure your team is truly aligned? P.S. I’ll soon share more of these strategic insights privately through my new leadership newsletter. If you’d like early access before the public launch, drop a quick ‘include me’ or send me a message. #leadership #teamperformance #organizationalstrategy #alignment #management

There was NO career path. Just tasks, meetings, and hope that someone would notice. Even after being selected for a prestigious rotation program across EMEA, I assumed the company had a vision for my future. I thought they’d be eager to leverage my experience working in a new, critical department for a full year. I imagined they’d see the value of someone who understood the full end-to-end process—and could help improve cross-functional collaboration. Until I asked the wrong question—and got an answer that stopped me cold. I asked a senior leader in my original department: “What’s the plan for me after the rotation ends?” He replied: “I don’t know. We’ll see when it’s time. Nothing’s defined yet. Maybe we can give you back your old job—if it’s still available.” That moment changed everything. It became clear: there was no plan. Around the same time, I received an offer to stay in the new department I was working in during the rotation. I wasn’t sure whether I should take it. So I reached out to a C-level executive I trusted—someone uninvolved but wise. We sat down for 30 minutes. I told him the full story and asked for his opinion. He said: “Sometimes it’s good to try the new car rather than spend the next 20 years wondering what it would’ve felt like.” That was it. The message was clear. I made my decision: I would no longer leave my career path to randomness. I chose to try the new car rather than wonder what could’ve been. And looking back now, it was absolutely the right decision. Because it gave me something most leaders crave but never claim: Clarity. And clarity is the fuel for momentum. Have you ever faced a moment where you had to choose clarity over comfort? I’d love to hear what it taught you. #leadership #management #career