Marianne Janik | FuckUp Night ETH Entrepreneur Club

Summary

In this reflective corporate journey, the speaker recounts their early enthusiasm for blending entrepreneurship with corporate life. After joining a company with a promising mission, they face tensions between old and new cultures, ultimately experiencing a painful failure as the company's fortunes decline. This failure leads to a critical realization: purpose is key in meaningful work, and toxic environments can have lasting negative impacts. The speaker emphasizes the importance of choosing a work environment aligned with personal values, making quick decisions to avoid prolonged failure, and seeking purpose-driven work in one's career.

Takeaways

• 😀 The importance of purpose in work: The speaker emphasizes the need for a sense of purpose and importance in what one does, reflecting on their past experience of working without clear purpose.
• 😀 Corporate life isn't always as glamorous as it seems: Initially, the speaker joined a corporate job with high expectations but soon discovered the challenges and contradictions within the system.
• 😀 Personal energy can be drained in toxic work environments: The speaker describes how a toxic corporate culture can diminish one's energy and lead to self-inflicted stress and shame.
• 😀 The value of entrepreneurial thinking in corporate roles: Despite working in a corporate environment, the speaker still believed that entrepreneurial mindset and innovation could thrive in such settings.
• 😀 Hierarchical tensions can impact collaboration: The conflict between the 'old world' of the company (long-term employees) and the new generation of workers from different industries created friction and misalignment.
• 😀 External pressure from market changes can exacerbate internal conflicts: The introduction of new competitors and market forces led to further tension and loss of focus within the company.
• 😀 It's important to recognize when you're not aligned with company values: The speaker eventually realized that the direction the company was heading didn't align with their personal values, which caused internal conflict.
• 😀 Leadership isn't always about staying: Sometimes, stepping back and choosing not to lead is the better decision when the environment is misaligned with your personal or professional goals.
• 😀 Reflecting on failure is crucial for growth: The speaker took time to reflect on their experiences, eventually understanding the importance of making the right choices and learning from mistakes.
• 😀 Protecting yourself from toxic environments is key to well-being: The speaker learned to protect themselves from the damage that a toxic corporate culture can cause, and now focuses on choosing the right work environment.

Q & A

What motivated the speaker to join a corporate company initially?

The speaker was motivated by the idea of making the best use of their talents and believed they could achieve entrepreneurial goals while working within a corporate environment. They were particularly drawn to the mission of transferring technology into various industries.

How did the speaker describe their experience at Daimler?

The speaker started their career at Daimler, where they were involved in creating new business cases and ventures, such as Navy Tail. While they initially enjoyed the mission, they eventually realized that many employees were disengaged, and the hierarchical structure limited opportunities.

What key turning point did the speaker experience after leaving Daimler?

After spending eight years at Daimler, the speaker transitioned to a new company. Initially excited about the opportunity to drive change, they soon realized that the company was struggling with internal conflicts between the old and new cultures, particularly around the introduction of new sales teams and the clash with larger ERP vendors.

What challenge did the speaker face while working in the new company?

The speaker faced significant internal tension as they attempted to build a global sales team and integrate employees from different industries. The company's shift from being a consultancy to a systems integrator led to a clash between the old culture and the new, more dynamic approach, resulting in poor performance and financial issues.

How did the speaker handle the internal conflict at the new company?

The speaker tried to navigate the conflict by balancing between the old and new leadership, attempting to protect employees and stabilize the company. Despite their efforts, the company's financial situation worsened, and the stock value plummeted.

What was the turning point that led the speaker to question their role in the company?

The turning point occurred when a friend of the speaker questioned the purpose of their work, suggesting they were wasting their time and energy in a meaningless environment. This made the speaker reflect on their own values and the lack of purpose in their current role.

What decision did the speaker make after reflecting on their situation?

After much reflection, the speaker decided not to join the board of the company, realizing that continuing to work in a toxic and purpose-less environment would not align with their values. They ultimately left the company and took several months to process the experience.

What was the most significant lesson the speaker learned from their experience?

The speaker's most significant lesson was the importance of working with purpose. They realized that staying in a toxic environment without a clear sense of meaning could have long-term negative effects. They learned to make decisions based on their values and to avoid staying in unproductive situations for too long.

How does the speaker view failure now, compared to their experience at the company?

The speaker now believes in failing quickly and learning from mistakes rather than dragging out a failed situation. They emphasize the importance of making decisions that align with personal values and leaving situations that are not working rather than staying out of a sense of obligation.

What does the speaker believe about corporate careers and entrepreneurship?

The speaker believes it is possible to have a successful corporate career while maintaining an entrepreneurial mindset. They argue that while failure is inevitable in both realms, it is important to pursue work that makes sense and aligns with personal goals, without compromising one's values.