Transcript​

Welcome to the celebrate brave podcast. 

I’m Nicole Trick Steinbach, your host, and the international bravery coach. On a mission to redefine brave. How we identify it, live it, and most importantly, celebrate it. Because when you build your brave, you change your world and that changes the world. Talk about something to celebrate. Let’s go.

Hello, brave people today we are Nicole squared. Which means the energy is going to be squared as well. It’s going to be awesome. We have Nicole Tschierske. She is joining us today. Hello, Nicole. 

 

Hi, Nicole. I am excited. I know you don’t hear it in my voice, but it’s Friday after a long week at the end of the day. And so I’m like, yes, this, this is my Friday excited voice.

 

So thank you for bringing that in because as y’all know, I lived in Germany for a long time and Nicole is still in Germany and is actually, right you are, you are German? 

 

I am. 

 

Yeah. And it has a fascinating path into tech. I have no doubt is going to inspire you. And she even offers opportunities for you, dear women in tech and women in STEM. The opportunity to become even more influential. So let me introduce Nicole real quick. Nicole is super passionate. And you see it In how she shows up, in how she supports people and the amount of free, dedicated effort she puts into the world. To help overlooked women in STEM become influential. To unlock new opportunities for you, dear women in STEM and get your employers to say, and I love this quote and I love how you say it. “We need you on this job so that you can make a bigger impact”. The cool thing about Nicole is that she is a scientist and she’s a positive psychology coach. So Nicole helps her clients strategically turn their career frustrations into a renewed love for their work. And for listeners, regular listeners, I don’t usually read sentences and that one. Just speaks to the testimonies that are out there as well as my own experience with Nicole. So strategically turning your career frustrations into a renewed love for your work. So welcome welcome Nicole. Is there anything that I missed or anything you want to underline? 

 

No, that is all it, that is important. Well, we have collaborated before. So I’m really excited that well, we have turned the mic on each other basically. 

 

Exactly, exactly. I had the wonderful experience of being a part of your summit and seeing the other incredible high-quality people that you collect and service of women in STEM. So I have a clarifying question. There are so many forms of scientific excellence. What is your focus? 

 

Yeah, so my focus began, back when I was in science, I used to be food chemistry. So I studied food chemistry, which was mainly about analyzing and knowing what is in your food, may it be manufactured food, maybe, you know, food that just comes from the trees, for example, you know, so anything around that composition, pesticides analysis, the packaging that you use with all of that. And then I did my PhD in chemistry, in the cosmetics industry. Yeah, and that’s where also, where I fell in love with consumer goods innovation. So really looking to what untapped needs are there in the market. What other useful things might people need, which we could develop, or how can we make existing products better, more sustainable, more user-friendly all of, all of those things. And, um, yeah, that’s why I spent the first part of my career working as a scientist in consumer goods innovation and research. But then the story unfolded for the way I talked my way into change management and coaching and more the people side of the work. 

 

I can’t remember if I’ve shared with my listeners. People in real life know, I have a stupid amount of food sensitivities and intolerances. I have a silly diet that keeps me healthy and keeps me energetic. So everything from reduced gluten, because it makes me feel tired. All the way to cashews. I just recently discovered that my breakfast cereal was made of cashews and that’s why my mornings were rather unpleasant. And so when we first connected, I got so excited to have the vocabulary, to talk to doctors in the United States. Cause a lot of these sensitivities were there when I lived in Germany, but German food or European food is just isn’t as chemically enhanced. And so when I came to the US suddenly I was having a lot of different issues. And so you gave me the language to go to doctors and say, these are the things that, you know, are we looking at this? Is this an experience? And then to be able to gain more clarity. So I think this is one of the amazing opportunities of just listening to people’s stories. Is for inspiration. I know the story you’re going to share is very inspirational, but also it gives us the language to work forward. And that’s one of the reasons I want so badly to have these conversations. So anyways, thank you very much. I’m not taking daily naps anymore girl!. It’s very exciting. . My mornings are much more delightful. Anyway, so thank you for that. Now, on the Celebrate Brave podcast, we celebrate those small moments of bravery that lead to big changes or clarification, inspiration for others. So what is the brave story you want to share with us? 

 

I liked that this story now finally gets a reframe from, uh, I had to go through a crisis in order to end up where I’m now, too. I had a chance to be brave, to really step outside of my field that I studied in. So yeah, let’s tell the story from that angle. So I think one of the bravest moments in my life, I guess, was really leaving science and not because leaving science is the best part of it, but because I, well, it sounds cheesy, but I followed my heart. I followed my passions and the things that I am, that I really noticed that I really, really want to do that light me up if I do them every day. And that is really working with people. Looking back at my life all the way to when I was a preschooler, it is only logical, but, it never occurred to me to switch outside of my field because, in Germany, we typically grow up with the mindset that what you study is what you’re going to work in for the rest of your life. That is how my parents were raised. That is how they raised me. And so I never thought of it being possible of even ever getting a job outside of science and even more specifically, anything that has to do with chemistry of food chemistry. And it took really observing. Go on. 

 

There are so many international listeners and I have to underline this,bold it, italicize it, put it in a larger like glitter font or something because when people in my life have chosen, so they’ve been in HR and at the same company they’re looking at going into, you know, software implementation the network freezes and gets very nervous. And so I just want to underline. Just the depth of self-trust and brave it takes, and Germany is not alone. We’re talking Austria, we’re talking Switzerland, we’re talking, you know, Poland is very like stability focused, Japan. The level of self-trust and brave it takes to step into a shift of content focus. In these societies is beautiful. It is gorgeous. And so I just have to underline that for our readers who are, you know, from South Africa or from Singapore or from the US or readers ……listeners, heavens just the level of brave we’re talking about. So, okay. Keep going, keep going. 

 

Yeah. Like I said, it was unimaginable until I observed many of my colleagues. I was working in an, in an international company. And so naturally within my team, there were people from other places and especially the colleagues from the UK. They had a completely different mindset. It was like, Oh, maybe now I’m going to do this for two years. Maybe, then I’m going to go there for two years. And there was like, no, no consideration of any formal education needed in these spaces. And it might sound a bit silly or naive, but that blew my mind. Like I couldn’t comprehend that kind of attitude, but as I watched them and the freedom that they have, you know, the freedom of choice and the multiplied opportunities that they saw for themselves. I was really very intrigued and they probably have no idea what they did there for me, but I really want to thank that from the bottom of my heart, that, you know, they, they just, you know, role model, this, you know, Liberty to really go after wherever your interests takes you. And like I said, looking back at my life, it is not even a surprise because back when I was a child, I was playing school for my imaginary class. And then, you know, I tutored other pupils when I, when I was in school. And then I gave chemistry seminars to engineers when I was at Uni. And so there was always this element of teaching or working with people. It was always there in my life. I always come across it, but I always fought. I can never turn that into a profession or a career for myself and well, I had to grow on what, 35 years old or, or 34 years old to learn that, yes, I can. 

 

35 years young. 

 

Yeah, exactly. Yeah. 

 

Oh, man, that is because a German and American that lived in Germany for a long time. Not jumping, not leaping, not moving, like building roots and having conflicts and living through them and knowing what you’re doing on a specific weekend in September, because it’s kerwe, which is a little town celebration was something that was role modelled for me. And I observed, and I think this is one of the, and this is why I support, you know, women who work globally. This is one of the most enormous gifts we get. From having exposure and not, I travelled to the UK and I went to London and I ate a Curry. Long term, personal exposure with people who come from a different class, a different culture, a different mindset. I mean, what would you be doing right now if you hadn’t ever had that experience?

 

Quote, unquote, worst case. I would still be at the lap bench, probably still be enjoying developing consumer goods and doing all of that good stuff, because it is fun. Absolutely best case. Maybe I would have gotten a lab team leader position or something like that and have, you know, climbed a few stairs in that direction, which I always thought was the only path to take. Yeah. But it goes to show, there are many more different opportunities in the world. 

 

Oh, my gosh. That’s so true. How long did it take Nicole, from when you started working in this international environment and you started observing and acknowledging the feelings that you had from a child that are obviously logical until you made that brave step of embracing change management, embracing coaching.

 

 Looking back, I really have to thank the company for merging with another company and then putting all of the projects on hold and putting me in a position whereby accident as a casualty, so to speak, of this merger, I had nothing to do for a very long time and had a bore-out and then was literally forced to either pack my bags and change something. Or be miserable for the rest of my life. So like I said, I was in this position that would have been great in terms of research and content and so on. But because of the company hadn’t found its way yet to know how they structure, like who is in charge, who can give us projects. All of that I had for about 12 to 18 months, I was like at 10% capacity. And I like working, you know, and then, and I started to feel so useless. At the worst point I was literally thinking, can I give back my salary somewhere? I have not earned that. It was horrible. So like I said, it took this crisis. 

 

Nicole, you, you used a term. I’m just not familiar with bore-out. Did I hear you correctly?

 

Yes. 

 

Okay. So bore-out I’m like trying to catch up. I’m…….  I’m thinking about myself. I work so happily, so I’m trying to like, make sense of it. So bore out, you had 12 to 18 months of boredom and you were still showing up. 

 

I know, don’t ask me how, but I did, but it took a toll on me, on my personal life. 

 

Holy Molly, Molly, Molly. Oh my goodness. 

 

Yeah. I was always hoping, you know, for it to get better. I mean, it’s not like I just sat there quietly waiting, you know, 

 

Of course not!

 

I was talking to my manager a lot. I was asking him, okay, is it, can I not do this? Can I not get involved with that? But what about this? But, I mean, also he was sort of powerless of influencing the, the bigger forces at play there, and the only thing he could ever say to me, so yeah. We’ll have to wait. Yeah, we’ll have to see, I even started to look full at a side project, getting involved in internal communications projects, things like this. So I did whatever I could to keep myself busy. But if you are at a company, at least that’s the case for me. And if you have not been given some responsibility and a certain task that this is your thing. Go do that. Show us the value that you can contribute. And that there just was no opportunity for me to really show up and feel competent. In any which way, and that over time it drained my energy, drained my energy. I really let it go on for really quite a while. But then when I noticed it started to seep into my personal life, where even after a day of doing nothing at work, I could only come home and lie on the couch because I was so exhausted from managing myself, you know, anything that started to resemble a routine like, Oh, what do you mean? It’s Saturday again. I could, I couldn’t stand any routine anymore. And then an alarm bell went off in my head and I said, okay, I have to put the emergency brake here. Something’s got to give. This can’t go on like that. And that’s when I, um, sought the help of a coach and within four sessions, obviously, not everything was peachy again, but he had me back in my energy, had me back in my self-efficacy and trying new things, knocking on new doors, asking for new things, connecting to new people. All of those things that I didn’t, for some reason, didn’t even occur to me beforehand. And, um, yeah, from there just, I’m not going to say opportunities started popping up like mushrooms, but it really like one thing led to another. And that was also the moment where I was so amazed at the progress that I had made within four sessions that I thought to myself, How did he do that? I want to be able to do that for people. And that’s when I started coaching training. So again, this crisis, as horrible as it felt at the time, looking back, it was really, it was, it was literally life-changing for me, kind of, you know, in terms of the path that I took, uh, and the, and the things that I pursued.

 

And not just your life. I mean, you changed my life. You gave me language. Oh my gosh. So you asked you expanded, you explored with these internal possibilities. You found a line, you invested in yourself and then this momentum built over time. 

 

Yeah, exactly. But I also had a good lifeline to fall back on, which was my reputation. So all the good work that I had done in the past years and also the relationships that I had build and people knowing that I work well with others, that’s really why the company, when I sat there with my, with my functional director at the time. And then also the lady in HR saying. People I’m done. It’s like, either something is going to change or I have to leave here because I’ve been trying for one and a half years now nothing’s happening. Can you please help me? And they heard me loud and clear, but I don’t think they would have given me the chances that I got switching into the supply chain function, doing a change management job. I had credentials for neither of them. The only thing I had was my reputation. Literally, the only thing I had was my reputation for being a fast learner for being dedicated to what I commit to and to working well with others, that is why people gave me a chance to, to tap into those areas. And yeah, I made good on my promise basically.

 

Oh my God. There’s so much gold in this conversation. 

 

Yes. Can you please underline and highlight and bold again because we often don’t feel it in our own stories. So for the benefit of your listeners, Tell me, where’s that, where’s the gold in that story? 

 

What I think is amazing is that you really, you were clear. So often, and I’m sure you have the same experience. so often we’re talking to people who are dissatisfied and the clarity on the other side of the table is missing. Sometimes it’s because folks on the other side of the table, aren’t listening. Most of the time it’s because the person with the challenge isn’t clear and isn’t asking that’s the second part clarity. I’m bored. I want to do more than ask. Is how can I do more? And then that exploration and the expansion of areas. So you didn’t have the certifications, you had these potential role models who had a different mindset, and you were willing to take those things that you were known for, that you are special in that you’re a fast learner that you’re dedicated that you work well with others. And step into that, the expand thing of being uncomfortable. I don’t have certifications, but I’m going to try it anyways. And the explorer really being willing, and this is something that in my build your, brave framework is in the own it like a boss. The accountability. We have to release slash destroy, get off the lab bench so that we can create slash embrace, change management and coaching. So there’s so much gold inside of your story that I know I’m going to take forward. There’s an aspect that I need to destroy. I need to release it. So that I can make space and embrace new opportunities coming to me. So bold it underlined, glitter, font italicized bigger

 

So that also reminds me of, because that clarity aspect of your framework is; tell it to your dentist, I remember?

 

Yes, 

 

You know, sometimes we just don’t know what specifically the next step looks like. So I guess that is also worthwhile highlighting that while we need to be very clear on what can’t be, and we need to be clear on what we’re good at and what we like doing. And that sometimes that needs to be enough to start walking and then the opportunities will form and we will co-shape the opportunities, I guess. But if I would have waited to be struck by lightning and to have had, you know, the perfect position to be handed to me. It’s like here, read that role description. This is what it is. Don’t you like it? This would never have happened because that path that I was on, it led me to the opportunity to write the role description myself. But that was, you know, it was something that had to emerge over time, but yes, like you said, we really need to rely on the clarity about a number of things. Like what are deal breakers? What are we not willing to tolerate anymore? And then the other aspect is, what am I good at? And what do I love doing 

 

1000000%? So there’s two things I’m finding myself saying more and more. Number one, often it’s enough to know what you don’t want. It’s a great starting place. And number two, what was number two? Oh yeah. Yes. You know what you’re good at. And it’s enough to say, I want that. And then start build that momentum get that clarity, build that accountability, right? Like it’s just this wonderful loop of the spiral of the growth that you’ve shared with us with your story. So I have two more questions. One question, one of the aspects that I get a lot of listener feedback about is hearing other people’s brave role models. So who is for you in your life one of your role models for bravery. 

 

It’s…., I’m not going to say it’s tricky, but you have to think and look very hard. And then when I do that, I’m really surprised, like why aren’t there more coming to mind, but then that is an overall issue that we face well I guess for women in just any profession, is that there just aren’t enough role models that show what’s possible. But I, I guess I’m lucky enough to have seen two amazing women in the company where I worked to have pursued a really great career path. So one is originally a chemist who then went on to, the quality department who then went on to lead the labs who then went on to become a factory manager. I mean, it’s like how mind-blowing is that? So, you know, just to is like, and not only like taking on these bigger and bigger roles, but also moving and living in other countries, what you share so much about is, is really a life-changing and test to our own bravery. And then there’s the other lady. She is a lawyer by education and she went on to lead a technical innovation team. And then went on to lead the supply chain team, and now she’s destined to even bigger things. And this is just so inspiring, especially to see how they did not lose their humanity and their personality and their character. And there, I dunno, I just think that like really, really great leaders that amazing with people and they still get the job done without screaming and yelling. I’m not suggesting that many other people do, but yeah. I just find that these two are really amazing role models and they really inspire me to find my own path and, you know, find out what’s what really works for me and what I like most. 

 

Oh, that’s beautiful. Oh my goodness. Thank you. And what a great, I mean, chemist to factory, to lawyer to supply chain, like that’s all the things inside, so thank you for sharing those stories. So I have no doubt that folks are inspired and I want to make sure that they get in contact with you as well as you have a summit that takes place twice a year. So may I ask you to share a little bit about how folks can get into contact with you and continue to learn from the amazing group of people that you have collected? 

 

Yeah. Sure. So that summit is, and I’m still grateful to you that you were one of the guests of my very first one in September 2020. I now, in March, 2021, I had the second season. So I’m going to be bringing it back every September, every March. So whenever you’re listening to this podcast, go on and find https://womeninstem-reimagined.com/. It’s a week-long masterclass, it’s free to sign up and you can listen to all of the amazing interviews. They are tailored to advise women in STEM, any gender in  STEM, any gender in any role, really who is curious and wants to learn and grow. And yeah, we’re just really bringing very generous professional development advice, and people get so much out of that. I hear that from the feedback. So, like I said, it’s free to join, but everyone who upgrades and next summer for the awesome bonuses also contributes to a good cause because we always donate all of the money. I’m really grateful to all of the speakers who come on and share the knowledge so generously and then, you know, help raise money for good causes. 

 

When I was a part of it, we donated to a water organization and I didn’t even know about it. And so it’s a wonderful way to learn about the footprint we all have on the world and how to make an even better one while we’re re-imagining our careers. And turning them from the frustrations into a renewed love for our work, which I know your story has really highlighted. Well, I am so, so grateful for your time and for your heart , Ich danke dir von ganzem Herzen . And I hope that we get to meet each other at some point. 

 

Absolutely. 

 

All right. Dear friend, have a wonderful rest of the day.

 

Thank you for having me Nicole.

 

Bye 

 

Bye. 

 

Thank you for listening to this episode of the celebrate brave podcast.

If you’re ready to build your brave, to live a life you love, and create a career that matters to you. Reach out! Together we can spend time one-on-one to explore how I can help you. And until then share this episode with people in your life. People who can join our movement. To redefine brave how we identify it, experience it, and celebrate it.