Meet Judith
Do you dare to make an impact? I do.
During studies I started to reflect my values, my personal characteristics and what I like to do. Thus, I was not only looking for a job, I was also looking for a company which fits to me – the base to make an impact. For me, Henkel Adhesive was a match from all the information, I was able to collect beforehand by my research and chatting with employees: A company which cares, wants to create a future for the goods of generation, and generating an innovation culture. Moreover, the impact program is one of the accelerators to bring this culture and vision to life.
Tell us about your first impressions of the program. What surprised, excited, or impressed you the most?
A corporate world is often described as a marine tanker: Stable, but difficult to adapt in terms of new economic, ecological, and cultural directions. It is steered from high level, and it is often difficult to see what is going on at the base. I experienced Henkel listening to the voices from the base and we as the Innovation Impact Program are like a sailing boat, taking the wind and connecting and accelerating ideas. Nevertheless, it sounds like a dream world – it is not. There are hurdles, but you can handle them, and you are encouraged to find and implement solutions, be the impact.
What advice would you offer for graduates starting in R&D's Application Engineering path at Henkel?
Be yourself, stay curious, ask a lot of questions, and create a room to contribute and to be heard as much as you want to be heard as well.
What has been your biggest challenge so far, and how did you overcome it?
Sometimes, there can be conflicts due to a lack of communication, wrong words and diverging expectations. With the program on the one side, the SBU on the other side and potential additional projects, you manage different stakeholders. Conflicts are kind of natural. To overcome those conflicts, it is important to communicate your position and reflect your way of communication and position, give and demand feedback. Sometimes, it is helpful when you identify a person you trust, who can give you an outsider perspective on conflicts and thus ways of solution.