A woman among men: “I’m not your typical boss.”

Verena Hammer: At first it was a bit difficult to gain the trust and acceptance of the ten male team leads. But with conviction, honesty, loyalty and transparency, I was able to win them over fairly quickly.

Verena Hammer: I was surprised, happy, incredulous and a little bemused all at the same time. But with the encouragement of the regional and logistics heads and the support of my husband, I decided to give it a go. And I haven‘t looked back.

Verena Hammer: Their reaction made me so happy. I received so many kind emails and calls, which made it so much easier to jump into the new challenge.

Verena Hammer: When I started out as the head of goods staging, there were 130 men and two women working there. There were some prejudices stemming from experiences with my predecessors, but I didn’t let them put me off. When I took over as operations manager, there were no more prejudices to overcome.

Verena Hammer: For me, it’s completely normal to be pretty much the only woman among men. At the start, I’m sure I had to fight harder and make a solid case in any arguments to gain the trust and acceptance of my colleagues.

Verena Hammer: I’d make my rounds of the warehouse several times a day and whenever I found something amiss, I would point it out immediately. If I got pushback, I was usually able to provide the proof I needed to get my point across. And that gained me the necessary respect. I don’t think a man would have had to do that. But it worked out well.

Verena Hammer: When working with my team, the most important thing is to know my stuff. It’s also important to me to communicate fairly and treat everyone as equals. I want my colleagues to know that I take their concerns seriously. It is absolutely essential to be a good listener when working with others. And I am a good listener. I’m probably not your typical boss.