What do you like most about your role of Internal Communications Manager at Urban Sports Club?
The best thing about my job is getting to work with almost every employee in the company – from interns to founders. This starts with the newbie newsletter, where we introduce our newcomers, through to collaborating on internal projects with many different stakeholders. I love working with people from different backgrounds every day and I think the cultural diversity in our company is a real asset. Fortunately for me, in my role as IC Manager, it’s important to be well connected in the company and always know what’s going on and consider all employees across every level when communicating internally.
What’s the best feedback you’ve ever received and why did it mean so much to you?
When I’m told my work is seen, appreciated and has a visible impact. I can’t pin it down to a specific statement, but this feedback often comes from employees or in regular feedback talks with my line manager. Of course, this isn’t just about me personally but my role as IC Manager. I’m very visible in the company and participate in and impact a lot of projects.
Tell us about the online graphic design course you’re currently enrolled at. Why did you enroll and why is it useful for your role?
Since September last year I’ve been enrolled in an online course to become a certified graphic designer. I’ve already got some experience working with graphics from university and from working in an advertising agency prior to Urban Sports Club. Graphic design as a creative craft has always fascinated me, so when my hours were reduced during lockdown I decided to enroll on the course. So far, I’ve designed magazine covers, icons, corporate brands and posters – and I’ll submit my graduation project soon.
My new knowledge and skills will be very useful in my role, as internal communications need to be attention-grabbing and compete with other media and messaging. Nowadays it’s not just the content that’s important – it needs to be presented in an appealing way too. This applies to newsletters, presentations and other internal media.
What are your favorite company values and why?
My favorite values are ”Put yourself in the shoes of others“ and “Leave your ego at the door.“
“Put yourself in the shoes of others“ means a lot to me. In my position as IC manager it’s essential I put myself in the shoes of my colleagues to understand how each message is received. It’s extremely important I take the different perspectives of our employees into account when creating content, as it means our message will be successfully communicated to all employees. This value is extremely important to me outside of work as well, as it has a positive impact on almost every interpersonal interaction.
I also connect with “Leave your ego at the door” because I believe no one should take themselves too seriously. We’re all just people trying to get through life as best we can, and an inflated ego only gets in the way – of ourselves, and everyone else.
Before you started working in communications you were a semi-professional volleyball player. How does this experience influence your daily work?
For two years during my master’s studies at the University of Paderborn, I played for DjK Delbrück in the second German volleyball league.
It was a very intense experience for me. I had never played at such a high level before, but I took part in try-outs anyway. I was selected for the squad and after a year I was on the team’s starting libero and played every game.
For me personally, I learnt it’s crucial to get out of your comfort zone and try something you don’t think you can do. This can be applied to professional life and is reflected in our corporate value “Challenge yourself and others.”
