You’re in a meeting. A big, bold, slightly terrifying opportunity lands on the table. You’re not fully prepared. Your team’s maxed out. Your to-do list? A crime scene. And your gut? Screaming maybe.
In October last year, when my Achilles tendon had finally made its opinion known, I found myself in a park in Cologne. I wasn’t running. I was jogging, slowly, with my eyes covered and one hand lightly resting on the arm of someone guiding me. We were part of a workshop for sighted running guides—learning how to help blind and visually impaired runners move safely, confidently, freely. It was humbling. I was there to learn how to guide. But at that moment, I needed guidance myself.
Leadership has long been entwined with traditional masculine norms. The ideal leader is often seen as decisive, strong, in control, and emotionally stoic – traits stereotypically coded as male. In fact, classic research found people implicitly associate leadership with being male («think manager, think male»). Many organizations still operate like a «masculinity contest» culture. Some core unwritten rules of this old-school masculine code include:
In three weeks, Germany will vote. When I decide where to place my vote, one thing matters most: Which party represents a vision of society that acknowledges a fundamental truth—who we become is largely shaped by circumstances beyond our control. Our intelligence, resilience, and talents may feel personal, but they are, to a significant extent, the result of factors we never chose: our genetics, the quality of our education, the financial security of our parents, the country we were born in. Even our ability to work hard and persevere is shaped by early childhood experiences and social conditioning.
Leadership is a journey of trial and error. Over the years, I’ve experimented with countless ideas to make work better for my team. Many didn’t work—and that’s okay. But today, I want to share three things that did. These small adjustments might not seem revolutionary, but they’ve stood the test of time. And they have made a difference.