Embracing Growth: My Fellowship Experience

As part of my professional journey, I embarked on a fellowship in the Corporate Strategy department, specifically the Competitor and Market Intelligence (CMI) Team. The experience was nothing short of incredible. It offered me a unique opportunity to immerse myself in a new environment, broaden my skill set, learn new sources of information, and contribute to initiatives with board-level importance.?

I became interested in the CMI team because of the nature of their work. Like Talent Intelligence (TI), CMI is chartered to be SAP's trusted advisor providing information that carries actionable insights. While TI supports Talent Attraction/Human Resources with talent and talent market insights, CMI supports the core business with competitive and market insights. Both teams excel in?

• gathering data from various sources, ?
• analyzing it for meaningful insights, ?
• creating?content that drives efficiencies and growth, ?
• supporting strategy development and the “field” operations, i.e.?recruiters and sellers respectively.?

Strategic thinking, data interpretation (incl. ability to present data?in a visually appealing and understandable format for stakeholders) and anticipating competitor moves are critical for both roles. TI consultants and CMI analysts need to adapt and be curious due to the ever-changing markets and competitors.?

While both heavily leverage open-source intelligence (OSINT). TI benefits from human intelligence (HUMINT) due to recruitment and career conversations whereas CMI relies on industry analyst research. ?

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Learning the Ropes?

From day one, I was welcomed by a team eager to share their expertise.? I delved into understanding Human Capital Management vendors and their comparison to SAP's Human Experience Management (HXM). Collaborating quickly with CMI analysts, I developed briefing documents regarding competitors and market events. These documents served to keep stakeholders informed about the competitive landscape and market trends.?

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Hands-On Involvement?

One of the most rewarding aspects of this fellowship was the hands-on experience I gained. I wasn’t a bystander; I was an active contributor. Working on key CMI assets for sales enablement sharpened my analytical and advisory skills. A standout experience was representing my fellowship manager at the leadership meeting.?This opportunity offered great understanding of the big picture and the CMI strategic direction.? It significantly deepened my comprehension of CMI's vision, goals, and key priorities for 2024.?

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Engaging Opportunities?

During my CMI fellowship, I had the privilege to attend the SAP Partner Summit MEE in Duesseldorf. For three days, SAP and its partners discussed market insights, product innovations, and GTM strategies. Alongside York Thomson, Head of GTM & Value Advisory, I presented on the HXM market opportunity. The summit also provided insights into cloud transformation in HXM, HXM SOLEX, CCFlex, SAP PartnerEdge, and HXM sales excellence. It was an excellent chance to meet CMI colleagues from different German locations in person.?

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Skill Enhancement?

The fellowship became a crucible for honing various skills. Navigating Work Zone content management, understanding SAP's competitors in HXM, enhancing analytical thinking, and refining problem-solving and advisory abilities were daily pursuits for growth.?

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Networking and Cultural Immersion?

Beyond professional growth, I cherished the cultural immersion with the largely US-based team. Meeting CMI colleagues helped to expand my professional network within SAP. I also collaborated with colleagues from other teams, aiding my understanding of interdependencies. The best CMI’s assets affect and rely upon other areas of the organization.?

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Key Takeaways?

Reflecting on these six plus months, the fellowship taught me the importance of adaptability, resilience, and seizing opportunities outside my comfort zone. It reaffirmed my belief in continuous learning and the value of embracing change. Learning about different team cultures, organizational structures, processes, workflows, and objectives widened my perspective.?

Lastly, the fellowship reinforced the significance of networking and maintaining relationships across departments, allowing me to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the organization as a whole.?

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Conclusion?

As I bid farewell to this department, I leave with a heart brimming with gratitude for the experiences, knowledge gained, and relationships forged. This fellowship was not just a career milestone but a life-enriching journey that shaped me into a more versatile professional.?

I encourage anyone seeking growth and new perspectives to embrace such opportunities. You never know how they might shape your future endeavors.?

Here’s to new horizons and the continuous pursuit of growth!?