In our series, we present personal stories about female employees at Telekom Technik GmbH. Many (but not all) of the decisions Ulrike made were good. But anytime it didn’t go so well, she was able to learn an important lesson. Follow her exciting career.
Ulrike, tell us a little about your eclectic career path!
Ulrike: After finishing my degrees in business administration and social education, I started working at Deutsche Telekom as a trainee and spent time in various units such as Sales, HR, and Revision – including a stint abroad. After that, I worked for years as a HR Business Partner in the Technik & Innovation Board of Management department before transferring to Telekom Technik.
My wide-ranging professional experience helped give me a broader insight into various functions and business units. This variety helps me to this day when it comes to staying flexible and curious. A particularly formative experience of mine was setting up a start-up – this showed me how quickly smaller companies can overtake big corporations with market-driven actions.
How did you end up transferring from HR to Telekom Technik?
Ulrike: I was approached about the chapter lead role at Telekom Technik. Since the idea of a position within a flexible organization was still all new to me, I sat down with my boss and we worked out what exactly this role would mean to me. I was deeply impressed by this results-oriented approach and decided to take the leap. I don’t regret a second of it.
I can learn something from anyone and any situation.
What exactly are your responsibilities as a chapter lead?
Ulrike: They include, for example, fostering development, resource management, staff restructuring, work relating to culture, and much more. Part of my job is to promote people and, in doing so, create an optimistic, independently responsible, and results-oriented atmosphere in which they can dare to be bold and always keep learning while they’re at it. Showing trust and appreciation is fundamental to this.
I also have corporate responsibility. I make sure that the “right” tasks are carried out by our existing colleagues in accordance with our company targets and that those selected have the appropriate skills. Of course, I also have to identify the skills that will be needed in future and make sure that they get developed in time. To make this happen, I have to talk to the squad leads as soon as possible and create use cases.
What gets you most excited about Technik?
Ulrike: I find that the people at Technik are respectful, down-to-earth, and objective, and they deliver results. Beyond that, the work we do at Technik is really the foundation of our company and serves as the basis for our customers’ experience.
What inspires you?
Ulrike: My strength is supporting people in realizing their full potential. I get so much energy and joy at work just seeing how the members of my chapter develop, flourish, and enjoy doing their job, plus how much commitment they bring to it. It also boosts their performance (and team spirit) significantly. Besides, not only can I increase the satisfaction of individual team members without too much effort, I can even add more value for the company – a win-win situation. That inspires me every day.
What has helped you most over the course of your career?
Ulrike: Many people have supported me along the way and fostered my development. However, what personally helped me the most was:
- Working in jobs that match my strengths
- Always keeping on learning
- Accepting jobs in different functions and segments
- Assuming the perspective of a top manager and taking this into account when making decisions in order to deliver the most added value possible
- Having a good, wide-ranging network
Ulrike Borns story is just one of many that demonstrate the wide variety of career opportunities at Deutsche Telekom. Do you want to start your career with us? Click here for jobs at Technik. We look forward to meeting you!☺️
