A promising path
How long have you been with agt and what has your career been like so far?
I've 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 and see a lot of the world, so I worked a lot in event services. Because I also wanted to meet new people. Back in Germany, I quickly got caught up in everyday life again. I realized relatively quickly that I wanted to do a dual course of study, as the mix of theory and practice was important to me.
I looked for a practice partner for a long time but realized that it was more difficult than I had previously thought. So I thought about looking for an apprenticeship and then studying. I thought that after the apprenticeship I would know more precisely which degree course would suit me better and how I would like to specialize. Somehow I came across "AGT Busvermietung" on the Internet at the time. I found out more about the apprenticeship and the company and then applied. I remember that I received an invitation to an interview after a short time. During the interview, I found out that agt also offers a part-time degree course, which made me even more interested. This is what I ultimately decided on. Unlike a dual study program, you work full-time at the company and study at the weekend.
I was aware that it wouldn't be easy, but I feel very comfortable with the path I've taken. I started out as a Sales Assistant and developed further as the company grew. A year later, I was promoted to Operations Manager. In July 2022, I took on the management position of Operations Supervisor, which I have been mastering alongside my studies ever since. My tasks as a manager consist of leading our team of 11 employees, promoting their satisfaction and motivation, coordinating workloads in day-to-day business and ensuring organization within the department.
When you started your career at agt, could you have imagined that you would take on a management role so early on or during your studies?
I think that at agt you can contribute very quickly to the development and implementation of processes and structures. I didn't set myself a timer for when I would like to be an example for women in management positions. It came more intuitively to me that I was interested in the company and in working at agt and also wanted to get more out of it both for myself and for agt. I like to think outside the box and take on responsibility. In turn, this also showed the company management that they can trust my work and me as an employee. I gratefully accepted the offer, but I wasn't aware beforehand that I would be taking on a management position during my studies. Nevertheless, I'm pleased that they see potential in me and that I can represent female leadership at agt. When a company is experiencing such dynamic growth, it is nice for many employees to see that women are present in management positions and contribute to the company's success with their unique drive.
In your opinion, what are the advantages of women in management positions? What benefits have you gained from your previous management experience?
In general, it depends more on the character and strengths of the leader and less on gender. I can only speak for the female leadership style when I say that women in leadership positions usually have a good sense of organization and an eye for detail.
I don't want to judge or categorize the leadership styles of men and women, but I think women lead differently. As a manager, it is important that you are able to put yourself in your employees' shoes and empathy is very important here. I have personally found that women tend to have more pronounced empathic senses. It should definitely be recognized that women have a positive influence in leadership styles and that this female influence provides new impetus. Nevertheless, I think that a mix of both leadership styles in a company is very beneficial. This is not to say that the leadership style of women is the ultimate. I also learn a lot from the leadership style of my male colleagues, because every leadership style is different and important in its own way.
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How does the agency for global transport support female leadership and what career opportunities does the company offer its female employees?
agt is very open to the topic of female leadership and does not set gender-specific requirements for any open management positions. It really never does, because equality is particularly important to our company management. They give every employee the same opportunities for further training.
If you as a woman want to combine family planning and a career, it doesn't have any negative effects on you. As a young entrepreneur and mother of 3 children, Heike in particular is the perfect example and also somewhere a role model that it can work and doesn't have to mean that just because you want to have children, your chances of promotion are reduced.
The fact that agt is a very young and dynamically growing company and that structures are not yet firmly established means that it offers all the opportunities and support you need to contribute as an employee, move up and get out of your comfort zone.
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How do you feel about managing male employees? Are there any challenges? If so, how do you deal with them?
I don't perceive any challenges per se when managing male employees and therefore don't differentiate between the genders. Here too, I think it's more a matter of respect that I have to receive as a manager. In general, I find managing older employees different - not worse, but different - and I notice that I interact with them differently in terms of leadership and communication.
Especially as I'm one of the youngest members of the team. At the beginning, it was a challenge for me to deal with the fact that I have to manage employees who are sometimes around 10 years older than me. What's more, I was their equal for a long time during my time as Operations Manager. So I had to find a balance between giving them instructions and being authentic, but at the same time being approachable and not putting myself on a pedestal.
For myself, I have realized that I sometimes have to take action and make different decisions. Decisions that don't make every team mate happy. These were difficult for me on a personal level, but professionally they were necessary and important. I have learned a lot from my time as an operations supervisor, but I still find these incidents difficult to this day. I take my lead from my male management colleagues, who find it easier to say "no" sometimes. This gives me the assertiveness and determination to stick to my decisions and earn respect as a manager.
What strategies have worked well in the past to ensure the motivation of the team as well as respect as a female leader?
First of all, I would like to say that I am still in the process of defining my management style and that it is constantly evolving based on my wealth of experience. I am a person who thinks about many situations, staff meetings, etc. - even after work. Even after work. I review my behavior and ask myself how I come across and which strategy works best.
One strategy I have discovered for myself is to look at the strengths of individual employees and consider how I need to communicate. There are colleagues who are dominant and focused in their work. A short piece of feedback is enough. But there are also team mates who expect more feedback from me and whom I have to pick up in a sensitive way. I also realize that both men and women in management positions have a role model function.
And so I also act as a role model within the team and make a significant contribution to employee motivation. During my time as an operations supervisor, I realized relatively early on that it is also easier for me to establish processes and structures better in the team if they are motivated by me and follow my lead.
Challenges as opportunities
How do you feel about managing male employees? Are there any challenges? If so, how do you deal with them?
I don't perceive any challenges per se when managing male employees and therefore don't differentiate between the genders. Here too, I think it's more a matter of respect that I have to receive as a manager. In general, I find managing older employees different - not worse, but different - and I notice that I interact with them differently in terms of leadership and communication.
Especially as I'm one of the youngest members of the team. At the beginning, it was a challenge for me to deal with the fact that I have to manage employees who are sometimes around 10 years older than me. What's more, I was their equal for a long time during my time as Operations Manager. So I had to find a balance between giving them instructions and being authentic, but at the same time being approachable and not putting myself on a pedestal.
For myself, I have realized that I sometimes have to take action and make different decisions. Decisions that don't make every team mate happy. These were difficult for me on a personal level, but professionally they were necessary and important. I have learned a lot from my time as an operations supervisor, but I still find these incidents difficult to this day. I take my lead from my male management colleagues, who find it easier to say "no" sometimes. This gives me the assertiveness and determination to stick to my decisions and earn respect as a manager.
What strategies have worked well in the past to ensure the motivation of the team as well as respect as a female leader?
First of all, I would like to say that I am still in the process of defining my management style and that it is constantly evolving based on my wealth of experience. I am a person who thinks about many situations, staff meetings, etc. - even after work. Even after work. I review my behavior and ask myself how I come across and which strategy works best.
One strategy I have discovered for myself is to look at the strengths of individual employees and consider how I need to communicate. There are colleagues who are dominant and focused in their work. A short piece of feedback is enough. But there are also team mates who expect more feedback from me and whom I have to pick up in a sensitive way. I also realize that both men and women in management positions have a role model function.
And so I also act as a role model within the team and make a significant contribution to employee motivation. During my time as an operations supervisor, I realized relatively early on that it is also easier for me to establish processes and structures better in the team if they are motivated by me and follow my lead.
A positive corporate culture and female role models can inspire, promote and strengthen women in management positions.
Despite her young age and her part-time studies, it is possible to take on management responsibility at agt.
When it comes to leadership, gender is less important than the character traits and strengths of the manager.
The opportunity to reconcile family and career is supported and specifically encouraged by the employer.
A reliable employer
How do you balance your career, private life and passions?
First of all, I have to say that studying while working takes up a lot of time. When you study and work full-time - especially with management responsibilities - something always suffers. I approach my everyday life with a very structured organization and therefore I get everything under one roof, but within a certain framework. But that was clear to me from the outset. I also didn't expect to be able to give 100 percent of my time to everything. It was a conscious decision on my part to focus on university and professional life.
A lot has happened in my life in terms of development since I became an Operation Supervisor and also have this management responsibility. To ensure that I can fulfill all of this in a satisfactory way and that I don't lose myself, I decided to ask the management for a 32-hour week spread over 4 days. This was approved without hesitation, because the personal and professional development of their employees is also very important to them. Since then, I've been using my Tuesday off to focus on university and work towards my degree. With an additional home office day during the week, I can organize myself even better. That way I avoid the frustration of not living up to my own expectations. What counts for me is achieving my own milestones.
What 3 tips would you give to aspiring women in management positions?
In general, I think that women in management positions tend to pay more attention to the small details and be perfect. But that doesn't always have to be the case, because everyone has imperfections and it's important not to deny them, but rather to accept them and use them correctly.
In addition, I would and should always encourage a woman to learn, because you never stop learning in life. You should always be open and willing to participate in this self-development that we have just talked about and believe in yourself.
Last but not least, I would say that women in management positions should not lose themselves. Because I think this can happen quickly due to the high demands they place on themselves - especially because of the pressure to "want to work in a perfectionist way".
Our bus world
In our agt Bus World, we provide information about current developments in our company, as well as the latest topics and events in the bus and mobility industry.
In our agt Bus World, we provide information about current developments in our company, as well as the latest topics and events in the bus and mobility industry.