For the latest episode of my podcast “Die Boss”, I spoke to not just one but two women in leading positions: Katrin Suder and Katja Krauss. Katja Kraus is, among many other things, a national goalkeeper-turned-CEO of Jung von Matt/Sports in Hamburg. Football has remained a major part of her life; she was the first woman to become a member of the management board for the Hamburger SV (German football club) after her career as a football player.
Katrin Suder is a non-executive director as well as a consultant for business and politics. She is currently the head of the German government’s Digital Council. Previously, she works in the German Ministry of Defense as first female state secretary.
To this day, it is rare to meet a couple where both partners pursue a top-level career. Instead, there is usually one partner who focuses on a business career and one who has more of a supporting role, managing the family life. That is why I was really curious to hear how Katrin and Katja manage their different everyday responsibilities as a couple. They told me that their family life has its daily challenges, but that humour and open communication help them to figure out what works best in an individual situation. In the end, it is often also about being okay with imperfections. I think that is a very comforting message in an environment where we often feel that we have to be perfect.
As women taking on leadership positions in male-dominated fields, football and military politics, Katja and Katrin know what it is like to be the only woman around. That is why they founded TAE (Think Act Effect), a consultancy that advocates for more women in high level leadership positions. They think that especially now, companies need diverse teams and a diverse leadership to manage challenges like the impact of the Corona virus or the slow adoption of digitalisation.
I really enjoyed having two guests on the podcast, it made the conversation flow very easily and freely. As always, you can listen to the podcast on all major hosting platforms or on the Stern website.
Image rights: Gruner+Jahr, STERN