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Katharina's career steps before her leadership role
Are you interested in the topic of leadership at OTTO or perhaps thinking about working in a management position yourself? Then our interview with Katharina is just right for you. As a manager in the area of corporate strategy, she shares her experiences at OTTO and gives exciting insights and tips on the topic of leadership. Katharina encourages women in particular to take the step into a management role.
Before joining OTTO, Katharina worked in consulting and for a media company and joined OTTO in 2017 at the start of the transformation to a platform. In various roles, she initially focused on the development of a platform-capable organization and took over as Head of Strategy in 2022.
Dear Katharina, what does leadership mean to you?
"For me, leadership means enabling employees to grow in terms of their own abilities, independence, professional maturity and visibility within the organization. In my view, the main task of managers is to create the necessary conditions for this and to clearly communicate objectives and requirements to employees."
What advice would you give women who are thinking about becoming a manager?
"Check for yourself whether you enjoy leadership tasks such as discussing strengths and areas for development with colleagues and forging development plans. Be honest with yourself: Can you also give critical feedback and talk about results that do not meet your expectations? Separate yourself from technical aspects - as a manager, it is more important to empower your colleagues than to be the best technical expert yourself."
What tips do you have for achieving a healthy work-life balance in a management position?
"It helps me to keep reminding myself: There is more work than time. Don't try to do everything, but what is most important and only you can do. That means delegating consistently. This also fits in well with the fact that employees can grow in their tasks and take on more and more.
In my experience, management roles require greater availability than non-management roles. You have to find a good solution for yourself personally: I'm often difficult to reach for two or three hours in the afternoon because I'm looking after my daughter. My colleagues know this and then post questions or urgent problems to the team so that I can respond later. "
How does OTTO help you to successfully fulfill your management position and at the same time find a good balance between family and career?
"Individually, I find my boss and my direct management colleagues in particular to be very supportive: we share our experiences, coach each other as colleagues and consult experts when necessary. For example, I had external coaching when I moved into my role as head of department. There is also a wide range of training courses on leadership issues and challenges."
How do you see the development of women in management positions at OTTO in the future and what measures can be taken to support this development?
"I believe that women at OTTO have a great opportunity to move into management positions even more than before. Because in our company, the topic is important and not just something we pay lip service to. OTTO offers a wide range of measures, such as mentoring programs and networks of women within the company, to facilitate the exchange of experiences, ideas and career tips. In addition, a flexible working model enables a better work-life balance."
Are there certain moments in your work as a manager that you find particularly fulfilling?
"Yes, these are moments when colleagues tell me that they have achieved something new that makes them really proud and that I was able to contribute to it! For example, when they have managed a project with many different interest groups on their own and my support was only necessary in the background. That inspires me!"
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