Leading together

When I decided to do an internship at the DHL hub in Leipzig, I didn't expect to encounter so many different topics, such as female leadership.

I was invited to participate in the first event of the LEJ Hub 4 Her, an initiative founded by women for women in leadership positions. The purpose of this initiative is to build a network among each other, to gather impulses and inspiration, gain new perspectives, and exchange thoughts.

"I believe that the world is a better place when it is led equally by women and men," says Christiane Gehb. She is a Communication Manager and responsible not only for external, but especially for internal communication, and it is her passion to initiate projects that motivate and advance her employees.

The evening began and women from very different departments came together to be part of this completely new event format. Accompanied by a cabaret artist, this event reminded me of entertaining coaching and offered added value through inspiring impulses.

Even though I am not a manager, I quickly realized that I am receiving many incentives here that are important for my further career path. I found the suggestion to first become aware of my own priorities particularly interesting. It is important to first define a goal for oneself, to reflect and deal with myself before choosing a direction in which one wants to go. This is of course particularly important for leaders. Here, the participants told what their priorities are when leading and what challenges they face. The topic was also highly relevant for me because my entire professional life is still ahead of me. Being aware of my strengths is important in order to be able to use them effectively and to integrate them into everyday work.

Feedback was another focus of the event. Appreciative communication is a foundation for good cooperation, but it is just as important to heed and implement advice, to show gratitude and to express praise when it is appropriate. I have resolved to live this for the rest of my internship. For me, one of the biggest learnings is: a "female" and a "male" leadership style can indeed be different. However, these differences can also become an advantage for a team and the entire company.

For me as a new colleague, it was really exciting to get these insights into the everyday work of my colleagues. Above all, however, I am impressed by the intense efforts to continuously advance the company and promote diversity.