Author: Trotzendorff

Person standing in front of a crashed, weathered airplane wreck on a desolate landscape.

When Failure Gets a Standing Ovation (And Why Knowing When to Quit Might Save You)

Published by Trotzendorff

The room in that unassuming, almost ugly office building smelled like spilled beer and sweat. Concrete walls, neon lights, cables running along the ceiling, a cheap PA system humming somewhere in the corner. People leaned against each other on folding chairs, scrolling through their phones, waiting for the next person who would walk on stage and say the one thing we are all trained not to admit: »I failed.«

A smiling barista wearing a black beanie and apron holds a metal milk pitcher and a red coffee cup in a cozy café, standing in front of an espresso machine and stacks of red cups.

Time Tastes Different: On Trading Leadership for Presence

Published by Trotzendorff

The first time I read about Before the Coffee Gets Cold, I was sitting in a café not unlike the one in the book — quiet, a little narrow, the kind of place where time seems to gather rather than pass. Outside, the city was still in its morning hurry, but inside there was only the soft hum of the espresso machine and the faint clatter of cups.

Collage of five photos from a mountain hike in Switzerland: alpine landscapes with snow-covered peaks, a smiling hiker wearing sunglasses and a backpack, yellow trail signs with time estimates, a narrow ridge trail, and a clear mountain lake under a deep blue sky.

Time, Not Distance: What Swiss Trails Taught Me About Estimating Work

Published by Trotzendorff

The trails in Switzerland don’t rush you. They invite you — past cowbells, into fir shade, up where the air turns glassy. Somewhere between a ridgeline and a mountain hut, a small yellow sign rewired how I think about work.

A tree-lined path in autumn with vibrant orange leaves forming a canopy, a lone person walking in the distance through the mist.

Autumn Is a Masterclass in Transitions: How to Navigate Everyday Shifts at Work

Published by Trotzendorff

The light tilts, the colors deepen, pavements shine after quick showers. Autumn moves the city from one state to another without fuss or apology. That same current runs through our workdays: from tiny thresholds to bigger crossings it’s all about the art of leaving one thing cleanly and arriving well at the next. These transitions come in all sizes — from the eyelash-thin switch between two tasks that lasts a heartbeat to the long arcs that reshape teams, companies, and people over months, sometimes years.

A runner moves through the forest, silhouetted against the light

You Want to Start Running? 10+1 Very Personal Tips for Beginners

Published by Trotzendorff

A while ago, a friend of mine told me she wanted to start running – and asked if I had any tips. That got me thinking: wait, didn’t I write something about that ages ago? And yes, I did. Ten years ago, to be exact. Back then, I had just gone through the ups and downs of learning how to run – the excitement, the injuries, the first few kilometers that felt like marathons. So I wrote down what had helped me. Now that question from my friend gave me a great excuse to take another look: How much of it still holds up today? What would I change, knowing what I know now? Here’s the result: ten very personal tips for beginners – tried, tested, updated, and translated into English.