Leading Through Challenge: Embracing Agility and Breaking Old Habits

“My role as a leader is all about empowering my team to make decisions and trust themselves to be experts in their areas, but also being there when they need a sounding board, supporting them when they stumble, and making sure they have all they need to bring their best selves to work.”  

Many of her team members come from non-product environments, having previously worked in more traditional, corporate companies. “Having people from outside of the typical product org does add a few challenges. Personio is a very agile company, and it can be tough for people to break the habits that come from a more static environment.”

And as a team lead, Natascha is constantly keyed in to recognizing those challenges as they come up. “I had one employee who was struggling to fulfill expectations. They loaded too much on themselves, got lost in the details, and overall were just overwhelmed by increased scope.” As Natascha says, “Adding too many responsibilities on the plate of one person is a setup bound to fail. It’s a situation most of us have experienced at some point in our careers, and it certainly doesn’t set us up to ever meet expectations.”

Once she identified this challenge, Natascha stepped in to provide the necessary support and guidance. “We essentially realigned our team structure with the domain-wide tribe structure, adding a Team Lead for each app that falls under the Payroll product.” The change meant that each member of the team could focus on their own priorities and areas of expertise, and allowed for a more positive work-life balance for everyone. “The Leads are now responsible for all the topics within their apps, which also gives them a chance to grow in their own careers as well. It’s really been a win-win!”

The restructure benefited the entire team, but Natascha also went one step further for the specific employee. “I also wanted to make sure the employee who had been overwhelmed had all the support they needed to fulfill their potential. So we found budget and lined up a coaching program for their development over a six month period.”

Identifying and tackling challenges at an early stage has not only enabled Natascha to drive the success of her team, but also to contribute to the overall growth and success of Personio as a company. “Feedback from the team has been fantastic since the changes were made, and the employee was able to change their approach in order to fully embrace our operating principles, especially #CommunicationIsKey and #SolutionsOverProblems."

For Natascha, Personio's commitment to its employees' growth and development has been the ideal platform for her leadership style to thrive. “Personio allowed me to empower the coaching for this employee. In addition, I was able to make the structural changes to the team within a very short period, so that we could address the issue within just a few weeks.”

At Personio, leaders like Natascha play a vital role in creating an environment where individuals can thrive and reach their full potential. “The provided support also helped in dealing with pressure, adapting better to the agile environment, and accepting those things that cannot be changed - and then moving into a solution-oriented mindset.”

Interested in joining a team like Natascha’s? Personio is hiring in multiple teams, including Product & Technology! Check out our open roles on our careers page today.