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Sabine Vogt
December 18, 2023
/ 8 Minutes
Women in Leadership Positions
Sabine Vogt
December 18, 2023
/ 8 Minutes
I am Yasemin, 25 years old, and hold the leadership position of Operations Supervisor part-time at agt. Simultaneously, I am pursuing a part-time degree in Business Administration at the Northern Business School (NBS) in Hamburg on weekends. I must say that I quickly realized that qualities such as reliability and loyalty can take you far at agt. Because agt offers many opportunities. I believe that my inspiration for the leadership position is based on the general corporate culture, especially with our Managing Director Heike, who embodies the whole concept of "Female Leadership" as a woman in a leadership role. This also helped me a lot in the beginning to settle into the leadership position.
A promising path
Since when have you been at agt and what has your career path been so far?
I have been with agt since February 2019. After graduating from high school, I took a year off and traveled the world. I wanted to gain experience, see a lot of the world, and therefore worked a lot in event services. Because I also wanted to meet new people. Back in Germany, my everyday life quickly caught up with me. I quickly realized that I wanted to do a dual study program, as the mix of theory and practice was important to me.
For a long time, I searched for a practical partner but had to realize that it was more difficult than previously thought. So I considered looking for an apprenticeship and studying afterward. I thought that after the apprenticeship I would know more precisely which course of study suited me better and how I wanted to specialize. Somehow, I stumbled upon "AGT Busvermietung" on the internet back then. I researched the training profession and the company and then applied. I remember receiving the invitation to the interview shortly afterward. During the interview, it turned out that agt also offers a part-time study program, which further increased my interest. This is what I ultimately decided on. Unlike a dual study program, you work full-time at the company and study on the weekends.
I was aware that it wouldn't be easy, but I feel very comfortable with the path I have taken. Starting as a Sales Assistant, I also developed further as the company grew. A year later, I was promoted to Operations Manager. In July 2022, I took the leadership position as Operations Supervisor, which I have been mastering alongside my studies ever since. My tasks as a leader involve leading our team of 11 employees, promoting their satisfaction and motivation, coordinating the workloads in daily business, and ensuring the organization within the department.
When you started your career at agt, could you imagine taking on a leadership role so early on, or during your studies?
I think that at agt, one can quickly contribute to the development and implementation of processes and structures. I did not set a timer for when I should stand as an example for women in leadership positions. It was rather intuitive for me to show interest in the company and working at agt, and to want to achieve more for both myself and agt. I like to think outside the box and take on responsibility. This, in turn, has shown the company management that they can trust in my work and me as an employee. I then gratefully accepted the offer, but I was not aware beforehand that I would take on a leadership position while still studying. Nevertheless, I am pleased that potential is seen in me and that I can represent Female Leadership at agt. When a company experiences such dynamic growth, it is nice for many female employees to see women present in leadership positions and contributing to company success with their unique drive.
What do you think are the advantages of women in leadership positions? What benefits have you gained from your previous leadership experiences?
Generally, it depends more on the character and strengths of the leader than on gender. I can only speak for the female leadership style when I say that women in leadership positions often have a good feeling for organization and an eye for detail.
I don't want to evaluate or categorize the leadership styles of men and women now, but I believe women lead differently. It is important that, as a leader, you can empathize well with your employees, and here empathy is very important. Personally, I have experienced that women tend to have more pronounced empathic senses. It should definitely be recognized that women have a positive influence on leadership style and that new impulses are given through this female influence. Nonetheless, I think that a mix of both leadership styles in a company is very beneficial. It should not mean that the leadership style of women is the ultimate. Because the other way around, I also learn a lot from the leadership style of my male colleagues, as each leadership style is different and important in its own way.
Your path to us
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A reliable employer
How do you find leading male employees? Are there challenges? If yes, how do you deal with them?
Per se, I do not find challenges in leading male employees and therefore do not differentiate in leadership based on gender. I also believe that it’s a matter of respect, which I must earn as a leader. Generally, I find leading older employees different – not worse, but different – and notice that I interact with them differently in leadership and communication.
Especially since I am one of the youngest in the team. For me, it was initially a challenge to deal with having to lead employees who are sometimes about 10 years older than I am. Additionally, during my time as Operations Manager, I was equal to them for a long time. So I had to find the balance of being in authority, appearing authentic, but also being approachable and not putting myself on a pedestal.
For myself, I have noticed that sometimes I have to be more assertive and make decisions differently. Decisions that do not make every team member happy. These have been difficult for me on a personal level, but professionally they were necessary and important. I have so far been able to take away many learnings during my time as an Operations Supervisor, but these incidents still weigh on me today. Here, I look to my male leadership colleagues, who find it easier to say "no" at times. This gives me the determination and resolve to stick to my decisions and earn respect as a leader.
What strategies have proven effective in the past to ensure team motivation and respect as a female leader?
In advance, I want to say that I am still in the process of defining my leadership style, and it constantly evolves through my wealth of experience. I am a person who reflects on many situations, employee discussions, etc., even after work. I review my behavior and ask myself how I appear to others and how various strategies have proven effective.
A strategy I have discovered for myself is to look at the strengths of each individual employee and consider how I need to communicate. There are colleagues who are dominant and goal-oriented in their work. A brief feedback is sufficient for them. However, there are also team members who expect more feedback from me and whom I need to engage in an empathetic manner. Further, I am aware that both men and women in leadership positions serve as role models.
And so I also portray a role model within the team and significantly contribute to the motivation of the employees. During my time as an Operation Supervisor, I realized quite early on that it is easier for me, in turn, to better establish processes and structures within the team when the team is motivated by me and supports me.
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Challenges as an Opportunity
How do you perceive managing male employees? Are there challenges? If so, how do you deal with them?
I do not perceive any intrinsic challenges in managing male employees, and therefore I do not differentiate in leading the genders. I also think it's more about respect, which I must receive as a leader. Generally, I find managing older employees to be different—not worse, but different—and I notice that I interact differently with them in leadership and communication.
Especially since I am one of the youngest in the team. Initially, it was a challenge for me to manage employees who are about 10 years older than I am. On top of that, I was long equal to them during my time as Operations Manager. Thus, I had to find a balance between being in a position to give instructions and appearing authentic, while also being approachable and not elevating myself on a pedestal.
I have realized for myself that sometimes I have to be assertive and make decisions differently. Decisions that do not make every team-mate happy. These were personally difficult for me, but professionally they were necessary and important. During my time as Operation Supervisor, I have been able to take away many learnings, but these incidents remain challenging for me to this day. Here I orient myself by my male leadership colleagues, who find it easier to say 'no.' This gives me the assertiveness and determination to stick to my decisions and earn respect as a leader.
What strategies have proven successful in the past to ensure the motivation of the team and, at the same time, the respect as a female leader?
In advance, I want to say that I am still in the process of defining my leadership style, and it constantly evolves through my wealth of experience. I am a person who reflects on many situations, employee discussions, etc., even after work. I review my behavior and ask myself how I appear to others and how various strategies have proven effective.
A strategy I have discovered for myself is to look at the strengths of each individual employee and consider how I need to communicate. There are colleagues who are dominant and goal-oriented in their work. A brief feedback is sufficient for them. However, there are also team members who expect more feedback from me and whom I need to engage in an empathetic manner. Further, I am aware that both men and women in leadership positions serve as role models.
And so I also portray a role model within the team and significantly contribute to the motivation of the employees. During my time as an Operation Supervisor, I realized quite early on that it is easier for me, in turn, to better establish processes and structures within the team when the team is motivated by me and supports me.
A positive corporate culture and female role models can inspire, promote, and strengthen women in leadership positions.
Despite her young age and her part-time studies, it is possible at agt to take on leadership responsibilities.
In leadership, it is less about gender and more about the characteristics and strengths of the leader.
The possibility to balance family and career is supported and specifically promoted by the employer.
A reliable employer
How do you balance career, private life, and passions?
First, I have to say that studying alongside work takes up a lot of time. When you study and work full-time - especially with leadership responsibility - something always suffers. I approach my daily routine with a very structured organization, and therefore I manage to keep everything balanced, but within a certain framework. I knew this from the start. I also did not expect to be able to dedicate 100 percent of my time to everything. It was a conscious decision of mine to focus on university and professional life.
Since becoming an Operation Supervisor and also taking on this leadership responsibility, a lot has developed in my life. To satisfactorily fulfill this whole situation and not lose myself, I decided to negotiate with management for a 32-hour week, spread over 4 days. This was approved without hesitation because personal and professional development of their employees is also very important to them. I have since used my free Tuesday to focus on university and work towards my university degree. With an additional home office day a week, I can organize myself even better. This way, I avoid the frustration of not meeting my own demands. What matters to me is achieving my own milestones.
What 3 tips would you give to aspiring women in leadership positions?
In general, I think women in leadership positions tend to focus on the small details and strive to be perfect. However, that isn't always necessary, because everyone has imperfections, and it is important not to deny them but to accept and utilize them properly.
Furthermore, I want and believe a woman should always encourage herself to learn, because there's always something to learn in life. They should always be open and ready for this self-development we were just talking about and believe in themselves.
Last but not least, I would say that women in leadership positions should not lose themselves. Because I believe it can quickly happen due to the high demands they place on themselves, especially because of the pressure 'to want to work perfectly.'
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