There is no real recipe. I believe that every leader has to observe his or her own team and choose tools that are appropriate for the situation. This is about trust and performance. We use the whole range of digital platforms that REHAU offers. However, sometimes it is enough to pick up the phone and just talk. It is that simple.

You particularly emphasise trust – why?

Without trust, we fall into the trap of micromanagement instead of cooperating and finding solutions together. Another issue is daily contact and thus accessibility for the team members - this really speeds up the processes. I also travel a lot myself between the Rehau, Erlangen and Poznan sites to keep in good personal contact. However, that doesn't mean that the whole team always has to be in the same office. If someone is at another location, we simply connect them via WebEx.

You are a diverse team in many ways. Does that also mean challenges in your daily work?

My team consists of three creatives in Germany, a Ukrainian designer who lives in Poland, I am Polish and my supervisor is Italian. We are different ages, have different experiences, live in different countries and speak different languages. However: we have a lot in common. We share design thinking and creativity, and we have built a great team around these qualities. From visual identity, physical branding to film and photography to layout. Each of us has our own style and skills. Only the right balance between all of us guarantees a modern look and feel for the REHAU brand experience.

I understand what you are implying: You are rather unconventional, aren't you?

Brand management is a creative department where traditional ways of working are difficult to implement. For design, you need space to focus, think, develop and finally create. I give the designers a free hand, but I also monitor the execution, because my job is to build a strong brand.

Have you ever experienced language barriers?

At the beginning maybe, not everyone is so open to talking in English from the first moment. But it only took a few weeks before we could easily use the language as a means of communication, without any inhibitions about misspelling or mispronouncing anything. But that is nothing compared to the opportunity we have. REHAU is an experienced, international company that is present in a global market and we represent this strength. I think if we want to create a brand that works internationally, we have to use cultural differences to create common ground.

What does diversity mean for our brand?

If we live diversity internally, we will be able to successfully communicate this concept externally. I am convinced of that. If we are aware of the differences, we have the chance to turn them into a common message. We enhance lives. This is what people understand because it touches them.