As a girl, I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher, later a primary school teacher, and finally a high school teacher. Although in the end I decided differently, the passion for teaching and coaching has always remained.

At the beginning of my career, I had once put forward an idea in a large group that was not given any attention. A little later, a male senior leader formulated the very same idea, and everyone was enthusiastic. But my true aha-moment happened when I returned to work after my first child was born. That’s when I began to realize that as a working mother, I belonged to an even stronger minority that had to struggle with societal expectations and structural challenges in an environment still predominantly influenced by traditional role models.

I have always listened to myself and embraced a difficult situation as a learning experience that strengthens my resilience.

Take your career in your own hands – listen to yourself, seize the opportunity, trust in your abilities and last, but not least build a network that you can rely on.