You are interested in agile project management? Then feel free to make an appointment with me! I would be happy to support you with your challenges or questions. I have been working in project management for several years in different roles and companies. Currently I am leading a large Scrum project and am therefore a domain product owner. In my daily work I work with an international developer team, managers but also with stakeholders like Amazon, Google and Vodafone. In addition, I regularly hold and moderate Design Thinking workshops to enable agile working in the company.
My Mentoring Topics
- Agile project management & Scrum
- Agile Mindset
- Product Owner/Manager
- Design Thinking
- Woman in IT
- Personal goal setting
- Servant Leadership
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Lean In - Women, Work, and the Will to Lead
Sheryl Sandberg
Key Facts and Insights from "Lean In - Women, Work, and the Will to Lead" Leadership Ambition Gap: One of the primary concerns that the book addresses is the lack of women in leadership roles, which Sheryl Sandberg refers to as the "leadership ambition gap". The 'Impostor Syndrome': Women often doubt themselves and their abilities, believing they are not as competent as others perceive them to be - a psychological phenomenon known as the 'Impostor Syndrome'. Success and Likeability: There is a fine line for women between being successful and being liked. The more successful a woman becomes, the less likeable she is perceived to be. The Importance of Mentors and Sponsors: Having mentors and sponsors can significantly influence a woman's career trajectory. However, women should focus on performance and results, which will attract mentors and sponsors. The Myth of Doing It All: Women are often expected to "do it all". However, Sandberg argues that this is a myth and suggests finding a partner who shares domestic responsibilities. Leaning In: Women need to 'lean in' towards their careers and take on challenges and opportunities, even if they're not completely ready. The Gender Bias: Women are often held back by gender biases in the workplace, including gender stereotypes and discrimination. Make Your Partner a Real Partner: In heterosexual relationships, women often take on more household chores and child-rearing, which can hinder their professional progress. A shared domestic responsibility can help alleviate this. The Leadership Ladder: Women must not only climb the corporate ladder but also broaden their skills and experiences in a "leadership ladder" to reach senior roles. Don't Leave Before You Leave: Many women scale back their ambitions or even leave the workforce due to future family commitments. Sandberg advises women not to leave until they actually have to. In-Depth Analysis and Discussion In her book "Lean In - Women, Work, and the Will to Lead", Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook, provides an insightful and compelling look at the issues women face in the workplace. Drawing from her own experiences, as well as extensive research and data, Sandberg discusses the reasons behind the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles, commonly referred to as the "leadership ambition gap". One of the critical issues she addresses is the 'Impostor Syndrome'. Despite their achievements and competencies, many women constantly doubt their abilities and fear being exposed as frauds. This lack of confidence often holds women back from pursuing opportunities and taking on leadership roles. Sandberg also illuminates the complex relationship between success and likeability. The societal expectations and biases often place women in a challenging position where their success inversely affects their likeability. This double-bind situation often leads women to downplay their success to be more accepted by society. The book highlights the importance of having mentors and sponsors in one's career, especially for women. However, Sandberg warns against focusing too much on finding mentors. Instead, she encourages women to focus on their performance and results, which will naturally attract mentors and sponsors. A recurring theme in the book is the myth of 'doing it all'. Women are often expected to excel in their careers while also taking on the majority of domestic responsibilities. Sandberg challenges this notion and advocates for a more equitable division of labor at home. The concept of 'leaning in' is the cornerstone of the book. Sandberg encourages women to lean in towards their careers and embrace challenges and opportunities, even if they feel they aren't ready. Gender bias is another significant barrier for women in the workplace. Sandberg discusses various implicit and explicit biases women face, including gender stereotypes and discrimination. She urges women and organizations to recognize and challenge these biases to create a more inclusive environment. One of the most practical pieces of advice Sandberg gives is to make your partner a real partner. In heterosexual relationships, women often take on more of the domestic chores and child-rearing, which can hinder their career progress. By sharing these responsibilities, women can have more time and energy to focus on their careers. Sandberg introduces the concept of the leadership ladder, suggesting that women need to broaden their skills, experiences, and networks to reach senior roles, rather than simply climbing the corporate ladder. Finally, Sandberg advises women not to 'leave before they leave'. Many women scale back their ambitions or leave the workforce prematurely due to future family commitments. Sandberg encourages women to stay fully engaged in their careers until they actually have to leave. In conclusion, "Lean In - Women, Work, and the Will to Lead" is a thought-provoking and empowering book that challenges societal norms and biases while providing practical advice to women to take charge of their careers. It encourages women to lean in, speak up, and lead, bridging the gender gap in leadership roles.
ViewThinking, Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman
Key Insights from 'Thinking, Fast and Slow' Cognitive Ease: The human brain tends to choose the path of least resistance when processing information. System 1 and System 2: Two distinct systems govern our thought processes. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional, while System 2 is slow, deliberate, and logical. Heuristics and Biases: Our brains use mental shortcuts or 'heuristics' to make quick decisions, which can often lead to biases in our thinking. Prospect Theory: People tend to make decisions based on potential losses and gains, not final outcomes. Anchoring Effect: The first piece of information we receive about a subject heavily influences our perception of subsequent information. Availability Heuristic: We tend to judge the probability of events by how easily examples come to mind. Endowment Effect: We value things more when we own them. Hindsight Bias: Our tendency to see events as more predictable than they really are after they have happened. Framing Effect: The way information is presented can drastically affect how we perceive it and make decisions. The Halo Effect: Our overall impression of a person influences how we feel and think about their character. Deeper Analysis of the Book's Concepts 'Thinking, Fast and Slow', a seminal work by Daniel Kahneman, delves into the two systems that drive the way we think—System 1, which is fast and intuitive, and System 2, slow and deliberate. This dual-process theory of cognition is not new, but Kahneman's exploration of how these systems interact, often leading to cognitive biases, is groundbreaking. System 1 operates automatically and quickly, with little or no effort and no sense of voluntary control. It's the part of our brain that responds to a surprising sound in the darkness or decides to swerve to avoid an accident. This system is heavily influenced by our past experiences and emotions, making its responses feel intuitive and automatic. In contrast, System 2 allocates attention to the effortful mental activities that demand it, including complex computations and conscious decision-making. This system is slower and more deliberate, often stepping in to verify and modify the impressions and intuitions from System 1. However, System 2 is lazy and often defaults to the easier, automatic responses of System 1. This is where cognitive biases come in. Heuristics and biases are mental shortcuts that System 1 uses to make quick decisions. While these shortcuts can often be useful, they can also lead to systematic errors in our thinking. For example, the availability heuristic might lead us to overestimate the likelihood of dramatic events (like plane crashes) because they are more memorable and thus more easily available to our minds. Prospect theory, introduced by Kahneman and his colleague Amos Tversky, challenges traditional economic theory, which assumes that humans are rational actors. Instead, prospect theory suggests that people make decisions based on potential gains and losses, not the final outcome. This can lead to seemingly irrational decisions, such as refusing to take a small loss to potentially gain more in the long run. The anchoring effect describes our tendency to rely heavily on the first piece of information we receive (the "anchor") when making decisions. Even when the anchor is arbitrary or irrelevant, it can dramatically influence our judgments and estimates. Similarly, the framing effect reveals that the way information is presented can drastically affect our decisions. For example, people are more likely to opt for a surgical procedure if it’s presented with a 90% survival rate than a 10% mortality rate, even though both statistics convey the same information. In conclusion, 'Thinking, Fast and Slow' highlights how our thought processes—though powerful—are not always as rational, objective, or logical as we might believe. By understanding these biases, we can take steps to mitigate them and make better, more informed decisions.
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