a successful day

today, I consider a successful day at work

I ran a successful presentation and participated in two meetings in which I was very happy with my performance, securing my lead of a workstream for the next months and showing the "guys" that this is my territory, my approach and that I am leading this and the new guy can work for me but not taking over ;)

I also had a telephone call with my mentor - a former boss who now works in industry - about the opportunities which are coming up for me at the moment. This call really inspired me. He just asks the right questions, knows me and is really helpful.

I experienced what it means to talk to the two people at the same time who wants to keep you and wants that you work for them. Just watching their body language was fun.. like two little boys trying to mark their territory.

Tomorrow morning I have two presentation spots on the mgmt meeting... so at the moment work wise I riding the right wave. I enjoy it. It is fun.

for the girls

Girls! If you haver get your hands on this book "Das Führungsbuch für freche Frauen" - read it! I am normally not a big fan of all this special things for women trara in work context, as I believe if somebody really wants it gets where he/she wants and I am not at all the opinion that all women should act like men in business... I have really seen examples of this men like women leaders in work and I do not like it at all.

But this book is a good read, just because it has the same opinion! It does not tell you do act like a men, but explains like men act and how a lot of women react on this behavior and it gives loads of practical advise how to use a women´s strenghts to deal with the situations without acting like a men.

It opens your eyes on a lot of aspects and makes you aware on your behavior, what you already do and what you could take on in some situations.

And it is a good laugh as well... you will see ;) Some of the situations described just make you grin as we all for sure have seen this before..

Dares will be rewarded

Sometimes you need to dare something...

Today I had a Blind-Salsa-Dancing-Date and it was excellent!

Last autumn, when I was just about to start Salsa lessons again, I put an add for a dancing partner on the uni zurich dancing partner search board. Two weeks ago, a guy dropped me a note asking if I want to go out to dance. So we fixed to go to the Salsa Festival in Zurich today. I just had his name, email and telephone number, no picture nothing. Thus I was quite excited who this guy is... could be a weirdo as well, you never know with these blind date things ;)

But my expectations were more than met! It was such a nice guy, one of those people you immediatly connect to, no strange silence, you just click from the beginning, can talk normally and the most important you can dance together! Karo - if you read this you would love this guy!!! Just finishing Physothereapist school, used to play in a band, good looking, well mannered...

We will definitly go dancing again.. lets see if we manage a dance course together.. as he lives an hour outside of Zurich it might be tricky..

So back from a great night of dancing salsa, watching salsa shows I am about to go to bed... to continue salsaing in my dreams

putting a stamp on it

Work is fun at the moment. I am really busy and work more overtime than usual, but I am really passionate about what I do. I am managing the knowlede transfer between a current and new project team, which will take over to lead another phase of the project.

I designed this program from the beginning, defined the approach and strategy, sold the idea to the mgmt team, mobilized a team of persons who coordinate these activities in their teams, do status meetings, communicate the next steps etc. Part of the program are two 2 week long training programs (a bit like AIESEC conferences) which I am totally responsible for. I scoped the program, developed a course curriculum, an agenda, worked on logistics and parts of the material. I can really put my own stamp on this program, introducing a learning log, review exercises and an agenda dry run session.

It starts Monday in a week... so I am really busy ;) also as this is only part of my job... still managing training and change management as well ;)

but I am happy, loads of fun, loads to learn and definitely something which I had not set up from scratch without my years in AIESEC... so one good example how to use this experience