It's stevo, b****!

This year has been one of the most turbulent years for me so far, and I’d like to take you along on this journey because I want to encourage people to share more personal stories here. I find them much more interesting than all the buzzwords out there. Being human-centered in love, life, and work also includes this platform for me ???

Energy flows where attention goes

I joined the Marketing team at kreuzwerker (now PCG DACH) early this year, even though I did not want to return to Sales and Marketing. I felt it would be better to use my knowledge in internal roles such as communication, people, culture, and organizational development. However, I felt the need to help, so I decided to step in. I had the opportunity to lead interdisciplinary teams in rethinking their IT services. The approach was to redesign the service portfolio in a way that could be understood by people who are not familiar with IT. Since then, I have a much better understanding of my value. You can throw something on my table, and I will deep dive into it and create something new that is understandable, appealing, and marketable. The saying "where energy flows, attention goes" is very applicable here. Even though I led the teams using Scrum, I allowed them enough space for creativity. I like to follow a consistent direction (after all, we are all products of our experiences), but sometimes it’s worth trying something different. I’d like to thank Bj?rn Stahl, jean-pierre damen, Aleksa Perovic, Philipp Holz, Gopal Tayal, Guido Lena Cota and Kristine Jetzke for their openness and dedication. Last but not least, thank you, Ana Maria Junges, for your trust. You allowed me to do my thing and supported my creativity even more with this attitude.

However, I am no longer a part of kreuzwerker. Initially, it was shocking for me to realize that there was no longer space for me there. My value was recognized, so that is not the issue. I was able to contribute significantly to the organization: moderating workshops for internal services, participating in the Culture Club and executing initiatives, supporting management with copywriting, cleaning and simplifying the intranet, hugging, smiling, and maintaining a positive attitude (most of the time ?? ) were just a few highlights. I want to thank Daniel Meisen, Lea Daiker, Gil Sagi, Ulrike K?nig, Anne Gerlieb, Viola P?nitz, Ana Laura Martorano, Anja Sang Ae Gruss, Wolfgang Kerner, Timo Lechner, Julian Gode?a, Kai Shimba, Elizabeth Adégbajú, Fabian Duft, Victor Vinken, Maren Müller, Sabine Achilles, and Leokadija Springsguth (Sviridova) for being wonderful sparring partners, colleagues, and friendly people.

Free your mind and the rest will follow?!

So far, so good. The summer had just started, so I decided to embark on a longer journey (to myself). After turning 40, I went on a solo hike to Slovenia to clear my mind. "Free your mind and the rest will follow" - what a cliché. I was literally sitting in front of a blank page with the privilege of using colored pencils in every shade, but I just felt stressed and questioned. However, what I discovered by the end of this trip was even better. I simply followed my intuition, and it always turned out to be the best choice. I also had to learn once again to step back, not to push myself under pressure, and to avoid planning for the next potential worst-case scenario.

I left Slovenia and went to Croatia to join some new friends on a sailing trip which was an absolute blast in many ways. Sailing taught me to let go of things I cannot change and to distance myself from people who drain my energy. I also realized how important it is for me to be part of a healthy and respectful community. Inspired by the people and the nature, I felt the need to stay closer to this country. So, I went to the countryside to volunteer on a huge farm. Resources on a farm are limited since you eat what’s available. It made me realize how much we have of everything, and yet for some people, it still doesn't seem enough. I always find it "amazing" how horrified people become when something runs out, as if their life suddenly becomes less valuable. After Croatia, I also visited Bulgaria and Greece. These countries are completely different, but there is one similarity I really enjoyed: "Don’t take yourself too seriously."

What's next?

I could elaborate further on my experiences, but the phrase "don’t take yourself too seriously" is simply too good to over-elaborate. I am currently seeking a new role in organizational development, focusing on internal communications, people, culture, change, and transformation. I have been following open job opportunities for a couple of weeks now, and I’m getting fed up with reading these overly inflated job descriptions. Why not just describe the problems (yes, there are problems, and they are no longer challenges), and I’ll see if I can help? This endless stringing together of qualifications and requirements is really tiring. Take a cue from the company orderbird; they do it very well.

If you’ve read this far, you should recognize what I'm like and what’s important to me - maybe we’d be a good match?!

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stevo