Niko is amazing!
Who is Niko?
Nikolaus Krahé is a Consultant, Program Manager at the German office.
But he is much more than this.
Let him describe himself!
“In a shocking turn of events, similar to a lot of other atrainers, I am a psychologist by training. Ever since my final years at school where I had the chance to first study psychology, I have grown to see it as a vital journey of self-discovery, understanding of and for others and ultimately growth. It’s that opportunity of growth that I want to provide to other people, so they can be their best self.
A lot of my growth in the past has happened due to the chance that I had living in the UK for ten years prior to joining atrain, which has shaped me in so many ways. Most importantly I’ve had the chance to meet so many different people and experience new environments and it’s what to this day gives me the most energy: face new challenges and meet people, get to know them, and ideally help them develop.
I am very happy that atrain is able to provide exactly that on a daily basis! Just as important though is that whilst we love our work, we also love to have fun, make jokes, and care for each other. This balance of work, fun and care makes work life pretty awesome most of the time.”
Let’s start!
We know that each company has its own characteristics and peculiarities, could you tell us which ones distinguish us and which you might not have found elsewhere?
The strong focus on supporting and developing our own people. From the start I’ve had the chance to face challenges, leave my comfort zone and grow quickly as a professional. This was always paired with a strong support network of mentors or other consultants around me, so that I never felt overwhelmed or left alone but actually like I can overcome all obstacles ahead of me.
What surprised you the most, hopefully in a positive way, when you started working at atrain?
I was actually most surprised by how quickly I felt like I was a proper part of atrain and my team specifically despite working remotely. The time everyone took just to get to know each other was actually fantastic and helped me a lot in settling in properly and build true connections.
"I was most surprised by how quickly
I felt like I was a proper part of train
and my team, despite working remotely."
We strongly believe in the onboarding process, what has been your experience with it?
Honestly, I had doubts about starting remotely but even before I officially started atrain put in a lot of effort to help me settle in. From sending a welcome package to setting aside dedicated time to just talk and meet people from across the various parts of the organisation was a great way to get a good sense of atrain as a whole. Within my team I was also glad to quickly get involved in challenging tasks that helped me develop straight away and get settled within our team and at our various clients.
What are your specific skills, areas of expertise and which aspects of our business do you like to focus on most?
I think it’s easier to answer this question in reverse. I like focusing on the people development aspect of our work the most. So basically, I do Assessment/Development Centres and workshops. Here I get to help people identify both potential blind spots but also strengths that they might not have been aware of. Through feedback, coaching and reflection sessions I have the great privilege to support others in their personal growth journey. In terms of actual skills, I guess it would be creating an open and safe environment, guiding others through the diagnostic process whilst also keeping things on the more light-hearted side if possible.
At atrain we are structured according to the Self Organized Teams and Mission-Based Teams model, can you tell us something about your specific experience and how this type of organisation reflects on your work?
Working in a Self-Organised Team is like working within a constantly changing environment. It demands a high level of flexibility but also personal responsibility, which isn’t always easy. However, when you have a motivated team around you, you can have a very empowering experience in which you get to shape the business and actually feel like (beware, typical consultant-speak ahead) you add value.
"When you have a motivated team
around you, you can have a very empowering experience
in which you get to shape the business
and feel like you add value."
"When you have a motivated team
around you, you can have a very empowering experience
in which you get to shape the business
and feel like you add value."
Sometimes working life can be challenging, if you are in a difficult moment how do you find the support you need?
By asking for help. Atrain has a very supportive culture which allows you to just pose a question to the whole organisation if you are unsure or approach a specific person. For me personally my mentor and specific sparring partners, both new atrainers and older ones, have been invaluable in helping me deal with difficult moments or challenges by providing ideas, support or simply listening to stupid mistakes I’ve made without pressure or judgement.
What makes your daily work-life special?
Pretty easy one: The people. Both colleagues and clients are great. In the best moments it’s a very symbiotic way of working together, trying to find solutions together, building on each other’s’ ideas and celebrating success together.
What makes working at atrain amazing?
That feeling of empowerment from working with great people paired with the freedom to structure your work in a way so you can be at your best.
Is there anything else you would like to add to this interview? 🙂
10/10 would apply again
We want to give importance
to individual perspectives
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We want to give importance
to individual perspectives
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