OCTOBER 2020HR TECH OUTLOOK8I'm a human and also a realist. I believe in being open and transparent, I'm Dutch after all! My biggest asset and personal burden at times, is that I only have one way of operating, and that's being me. With all human challenge that comes with that. Working in a start-up sometimes is hard, really hard. It can feel like a never-ending circle of chaos, completely overwhelming, pulled in every direction, and it's not always for everyone. Yet, I still bounce out of bed with the same energy every day, ready to take on whatever is thrown my way. Something keeps me coming back for sure. But what? To answer the question I have to take work to one side for a moment and bring it back to what's important to me personally. Call it my own values if you like. So what do I love? What are my passions? People, travel, reading, wine and dine with friends, and having an impact, to name but a few. They're in no particular order but ask me over a wine at the end of another big week at N26 and that may change. So what keeps me coming back? The Power in PeopleI am genuinely interested in people and their stories. I love reading biographies and watching documentaries. There is no right or wrong in people stories, there are just different motivations, key decisions and sometimes human clumsiness with larger effect. It's why I've been in HR for 20 something years. Seeing people as people first rather than seeing them as employees are what's important to me. I'm lucky to work with an amazing group of smart people at N26 who come from all corners of the globe with varying professional background. I learn from them everyday. Sometimes in large organisations that passion and energy can be defused by so many things-- hierarchy, politics, just the sheer number of people. Everyone at N26 can also be a leader. A job title isn't a license to be a leader. There are always opportunities to show acts of leadership and have immediate impact and I love that. I also firmly believe that the difference between a leader and a great leader is the ability to operate and connect at a human level. You can only do that by being in touch with people and knowing what's going so it all circles back to the power in people. That's what keeps me coming back. Being Who You Want To BeAs mentioned before, I am not blessed with a poker face nor an ability to transform into a `work-Noor#. There is only one variation: Noor. This works both for and against me. I am lucky that within N26 we operate in such an open and honest way where everyone can just be themselves. We assume good intent, even when an action, emotion, or interaction is not the most helpful for that situation. We address the topic but remain kind on the person. We have a collaborative environment where feedback is part of our everyday and that helps everyone feel a part of it, and part of something bigger. I believe through this connection you garner greater respect from a team, who become naturally inclined to discuss issues before they become problems, creating WHAT KEEPS ME COMING BACK?Noor van Boven, Chief People Officer, N26ByIn MyOpinion
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