My First Week Navigating Leadership in Berlin

It’s still so weird saying “Ich” instead of “I,” but honestly, after a few weeks here in Berlin, I’m starting to get the hang of things. Or at least, I’m getting more comfortable with the difference. This week, I’ve been reading a lot about workplace leadership – something I need to get better at, especially since I’m starting this new role at a small marketing agency.

It all started with a simple conversation. I was reading an article about “Führung im Arbeitsalltag” (leadership in the workplace) and I was chatting with a colleague, Thomas, over coffee.

“Hallo! Wie geht’s dir heute?” he asked. “Mir geht’s gut, danke. Und dir?” I replied. “Auch gut, danke.” It’s the standard greeting, of course, but it still feels a bit… formal sometimes. I’m trying to relax, you know?

He then brought up the article. “Ach, wirklich? Was steht denn darin?” (Oh, really? What’s in it?). The article was talking about how important it is for leaders to really involve their team members. It’s about having the opportunity to make decisions together. “Ja, das finde ich auch sehr wichtig,” I said. It makes total sense.

Honestly, I’ve felt a little… invisible sometimes. Like I wasn’t really being heard. It’s a common thing, I think, especially when you’re new. “Ich habe den Eindruck, dass viele Leute sich unter Führungskräften übersehen fühlen.” (I have the impression that many people feel overlooked by leaders.) It’s just good to feel like you’re being listened to. Definitely!

But it’s not always easy, is it? Figuring out the right ways to communicate that. It’s not just about saying what you want; you have to say it clearly. “Aber es ist nicht immer einfach, die richtigen Funktionsverb-Strukturen zu finden, um das zu kommunizieren, oder?” (But it’s not always easy to find the right functional verb structures to communicate that, or?). Thomas said, and he was right.

I realized I’m sometimes terrible at clearly stating my expectations. I tend to get a little lost in my head, and then I end up misunderstanding things. “Ich muss manchmal versuchen, meine Erwartungen klarer zu formulieren, sonst verstelle ich mich.” (I sometimes have to try to formulate my expectations more clearly, otherwise I get confused.)

Then he suggested we brainstorm some ideas. “Vielleicht sollten wir gemeinsam überlegen, wie wir das besser machen könnten?” (Maybe we should think together about how we can do it better?). It was a great suggestion! “Gute Idee!” (Good idea!).

We talked about having a short “Brainstorming-Session” next time. “Wir könnten das nächste Mal mal eine kurze Brainstorming-Session machen.” (We could have a short brainstorming session next time). He said we could pick a topic and work on a solution together. “Ja, das wäre super! Wir könnten uns dann ein Thema aussuchen und gemeinsam eine Lösung entwickeln.” (Yes, that would be great! We could choose a topic and develop a solution together.) “Perfekt!” (Perfect!).

Then we decided to meet up the following week. “Dann treffen wir uns nächste Woche? Gerne!” (Then shall we meet next week? Gladly!). I’m actually really looking forward to it.

German Phrases to Remember:

• Hallo! Wie geht’s dir heute? – Hello! How are you today?
• Mir geht’s gut, danke. – I’m fine, thank you.
• Und dir? – And you?
• Auch gut, danke. – Also good, thank you.
• Führung im Arbeitsalltag – Leadership in the workplace
• Führungskräfte – Leaders/Management
• Funktionsverb-Strukturen – Functional verb structures
• Brainstorming-Session – Brainstorming session

My biggest takeaway this week? Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Even if you feel a little silly. And remember, a little bit of German goes a long way. Now, I’m off to practice my “Bitte” (please) and “Danke” (thank you)!