Embrace Your Craziness and Co-Create!

Happy Friday!

I'm super thrilled, to finally, after all this hesitation and the internal blocking I sat down and started my long cooked-up Danny's Friday Feature (Well, name has yet to be found).? It's been quite a while that I've been really working on that in my head, because that is what I do.? First think, ponder and find a gazillion reasons, why not to do it.? Sounds familiar to you?? Well, well, the procrastination monster is calling.? But today, there was no way back! I had to do it! While getting my breakfast ready, I listened to a podcast. TheCrazyOnes by the MorningBrew , I listen to it every week.? It's by Alex Lieberman, Sophia Amoruso and Jesse Pujji. Highly recommend the podcast to all crazy entrepreneurs! Every week there is the same jingle and intro, but today it had an impact. Part of the jingle is the frequently cited quote of Steve Jobs:?'This?is to the crazy ones [...],?because the people who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do!' ?Wow! This time the podcast intro really hit me!? If we have a story to tell and ideas to share, this should be the way to all of us to contribute to change. ?I decided to stop thinking and act.? Be a little crazy and just do it!? Hello there Nike, here's victory!

So every Friday Feature will not be about some business only topic, but linked how our super power, which to be clear, always comes with a dark and light side, can impact on our business endeavor. I'm not trying not to bore you with some business wisdom or esoteric woo woo, or anything to sell a product, but provide you with my honest view on being a working Mom and Leader and simply share my experience, ideas and open the room for discussion and exchange on how to collaborate in all our beautiful craziness.

AN IDEA WAS BORN?

You might think, she's a female leader, entrepreneur, mom and speaker, so how creative to start with yet another blog. Sounds pretty straight forward, right? No, no, it's not like that. I fought against this for quite some time now. ?In essence, it was a journey that took me all across the ups and downs of motherhood, female leadership, being a woman, and accepting my superpower. ?Many people approached me over the past month and asked me to participate in diversity panels, formats, coach, help assist and sharing my experience as a female leader.? Until that point I really was all about 'no, not me, not agaaaain, I'm not one of these diversity women.? I don't want to talk from this victim position about gender equality and I really detest the German gender asterix.?This is not me, and after all, I'm a woman and can decide to leave it out!? I refused this way with all my heart and being. ?So many people, books, situation pointed me into that direction, yet, I could not simply see any pleasure in that.? I'm more of a geek, I love Future Tech, gym, superheroes, gaming, telco, IT-Architectures.? I'm competitive, assertive and ambitious.? This is so masculine,?how could I represent the female leader, when I don't care even about any ratio. The best person should get the job, period.

I looked into science, personality tests and trying to work hard against this topic to talk about being a female leader and entrepreneur and turn it into a kind of anti-topic by trying to hack all the biases there are.? Yet, it was about two weeks ago, that the insanity started to really take on shape. But still, those who know me well,?I really don't like to be put in any kind of box.? So this Friday Feature is not about female empowerment or diversity same ol stories, it's new and should make you think and most importantly act.

Beginning of this year in a prep for a diversity panel I was struck with the idea of what if we looked at the topic of diversity and equality from an 'unequal' perspective, like in superheroes. Those misfits who do not 'fit' any box. Who can't be put into any ratio because they are so unique. What if we looked through the eyes of the dark and light side of a superhero and their own duality at it and hack the bias we have, following the topic of diversity at the workplace. All of the superheroes have dark and light sides and not just the shiny side, the good we always put out in the world and want others to believe we are like that.? But when a super hero admits to her power, she shines, she is empowered and a contribution to the world. So of course I don't encourage to be aggressive like Hulk, but instead really dare to be a little crazy. And I'm super thrilled to know that I'm not alone on that journey and it's great to share.

STORIES TO STEP UP

Well, I kind of have a tendency of 'storytelling' my almost 10 year old son Gabriel really nailed it recently, when we met coincidentally a young entrepreneur, who after a short small talk was asking for advice on her fashion business, after she learnt about my history with building startups.? I told her, of course, let's meet up and chat when we have more time, Gabriel just winked at her with a smile,?'of course, mommy's stories are always long, and everything has a story.' ?

Wow!?This was kind of a light bulb moment, hearing this from your own kid.? I laughed, but could not get this sentence out of my head.? It’s true, I have a story to tell and it is not always about 'oh its so cool what I've achieved' or 'ah, I experienced that you have to do it in that way' or 'from my experience'.? No, sometimes it’s just experience I like to share for others to not make the same mistake I made. Because some were painful, and why shouldn't we learn from each others experiences? ?Regardless, it’s part of a way that took me to be where I am today, which contributes to valuable insights.? I've been telling my kids day in day out to go after what they can do best, and trust in their passion and talents.? I realized, the amount of time I had been investing these past months and in fact in retrospect years, to fight against the common clichees of female vs. male. Both in my work and private life. ?

Interestingly this fighting against a part of me,?I had denied for so long being a coach, brought me closer to my so to speak feminine side and being able to identify more with that.?Still, I needed some more ‘signs’ to sit down and compose this very first article.?#heartbeatsfasternow

So, I took this incident as it was and started getting back into my thinking space being offline for a couple of hours, having intense me-time, walking my dog, hitting the gym, reading, journaling and just getting my head around what I could do, to stop this need to get it out there. ?

Then, after so many encounters over the past week, valuable conversations with all kinds of people, strangers, former clients, colleagues, family, friends, requests coming in and finally my 17 year old daughter Finja, who told me ‘if somebody can find a way, whatever needs to be done, it’s you, Mom. Step up and share!’

BACK TO YOU: BE DYNAMITE

So, after this little story, here's my Friday Feature Fun Fact: Who calls you crazy?? Probably you're your own worst critic and prevent yourself from really acting upon what we know is right. Are you crazy enough to dare to not just imagine but take a leap, and contribute with your fantastic self?? It does not have to be huge, it will be one baby step perhaps, that is a step out of your known comfort zone. My former executive coach told me 'Dynamite comes in portions.'? I really love this sentence, because it is so true! Dynamite, or let's say your idea, how crazy it might be, come to your head for a reason, if it ignites, you'll see, but it's out there. Once it's out, it might be as well ignited by not yourself but by somebody else, sometimes time will tell. This too crazy idea is meant for you not just to think but to do.? Don't even start to find reasons why you shouldn’t but rather find ways and means why you should do.? It’s in your head for a reason.? And we're here to collaborate!

So, it's about time to put out and unleash your little bit of crazy super power you have!

Bring it on!

Danny