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A Story for People in Transition
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She loved English and French and eventually found a job as a secretary in a well-known industrial company. At first, she was not particularly interested in the product — it was very industrial, very technical. It felt foreign to her. But that changed quickly. She became increasingly comfortable in her new field and developed a passion for her international customers, the fascinating business, and the product itself. She became more and more engaged in this environment — with joy and enthusiasm. As time went on, she was gradually entrusted with greater responsibility. Her managers at the time supported and encouraged her. After several years, she became Head of Customer Service. Once she had become highly skilled in that role and was actively supporting her boss, the Sales Director, both professionally and in leadership responsibilities, the company’s management team proposed that she succeed him as International Sales Director of a company generating €100 million in revenue. She was shocked. “Me, Sales Director? Taking on so much responsibility? Could I handle that much pressure? Would my colleagues still like me if I became their superior? Would customers take me seriously as a woman in a male-dominated industry? Do I fit the image of a Sales Director?” Her answers were: “No, probably not.” She felt too small and not capable of carrying such great responsibility. So, she declined. Besides, she was content with her life and felt comfortable where she was.The management team believed she had the potential to help lead the company forward, but mentally she was not ready yet. They gave her time — a lot of time. During the six months they waited for her decision, she felt deeply ambivalent. From yes to no. From no to yes. Her thoughts swung back and forth between doubt and opportunity, and everything in between.
And how could such a demanding and time-consuming job be balanced with raising her daughter? By then, her daughter had grown into a teenager, but that did not mean she no longer needed her mother. How could everything possibly work together successfully?
After much hesitation, she gathered all her courage, decided to trust herself enough to step into leadership, and accepted the challenge. In the end, one inner voice became stronger than all the others: “What could I possibly lose, other than gaining valuable experience?” And so she took the leap into the icy water — splash. At first, some of her male colleagues challenged her heavily and were skeptical. The first two years were tough. She had sleepless nights and put enormous pressure on herself — as if the pressure of the job itself were not already enough. Most of that pressure came from her inner dialogue, which sometimes stood in her own way. Her self-image at the time still did not align with the image she had in mind of a Sales Director. But over time, she became increasingly comfortable in her role. She grew into it and gradually realized: “Yes — I can do this.” She did, in fact, possess all the necessary competencies — both professionally and in leading her international sales team. Her perception of herself improved. She finally allowed herself to simply be who she was. She realized that she did not need to compare herself with the people and role models she had originally associated with that position. She only needed to be herself and give her best. And so she grew into her leadership role and learned how to handle many difficult situations and the experiences that came with them. She became more confident. She also came to understand that the role models she once admired were also only human beings — with their own flaws and weaknesses. Gradually, she began to feel equally valuable — eventually at least equally valuable. Because she knew what she contributed to the company. Looking back after 30 years, she was deeply grateful that she had made that decision back then. She would not have become the same woman otherwise. She would have lived a different life and would never have gathered the same experiences. So many experiences she could never have imagined even in her wildest dreams. So many journeys around the world where she met wonderful customers. Many difficult and important negotiations where the future of the company was sometimes at stake. Achieving full production capacity at the highest possible price, maximizing margins in a highly competitive market, securing jobs. Her task was to act as the gatekeeper — deciding which orders should be accepted for the good of the company and which needed to be turned away. This did not always make her popular within her team because she often had to confront them with difficult discussions in order to achieve higher-level goals. She fought like a lioness for the company’s success. She gave everything she had. In the end, she became one of the company’s key pillars — the business itself. She was not sure if all the effort she was taking was as recognized by her male colleagues. Throughout all those years, she could always look herself in the mirror knowing that she had invested all her strength and done her very best — conscientiously, not out of ego or self-promotion. She felt she had led her team well through both good and difficult times because she understood what leadership truly meant. Team leadership became second nature to her — part of her DNA.
Her daughter grew up alongside her, shaped by her values and mindset, observing what her mother demonstrated through her actions. This often happens unconsciously. In time, her daughter became the very best version of herself. She was incredibly proud of her and could hardly believe what an extraordinary person she had become. It exceeded all her expectations. Her daughter is a person with a big heart and a sharp mind. In many ways, she became even stronger than her mother — more self-confident, dynamic, committed, courageous, open-minded, and versatile. And what both of them value deeply: completely independent and firmly grounded in life. What indescribable happiness she feels to have her daughter in her life. She knows this cannot be taken for granted, even when parents try their very best. She is profoundly grateful for this gift her daughter has given her.
Allmählich kam die Zeit, wo sie die Arbeit nicht mehr so erfüllte. Die Umstände hatten sich geändert. Sie selbst war auch gereift und konnte keine neue Herausforderung mehr sehen und fühlen. Auch gab es keinen Rückenwind mehr. Persönlicher Stillstand. Es rief nach Veränderung. Was sollte sie mit mittlerweile 50+ jetzt angehen? Was konnte sie gut? Wofür brannte sie? Wem könnte sie einen Mehrwert bieten? Nach 30 Jahren ging sie schließlich einen neuen Weg. Alles hat seine Zeit. Sie wusste nach einem intensiven Coaching während ihrer Life & Business Coach Ausbildung mit geführten Selbstreflexionen, wer sie nun sein wolle, wie sie in Zukunft leben wolle, wie ihr Leben in 5 Jahren aussehen sollte. Sie sprang ins neue Leben, das sich richtig für sie anfühlte. Die Zeit für Reflexionen war dabei sehr hilfreich. Am Ende hat ihr Vertrauen auf ihren Weg in der Phase des starken Wandels gegenüber der Zweiflerin gesiegt. Sie war so dankbar, dass sie sich damit auseinandersetzte. Es fühlte sich nun stimmig für die neue Lebensphase an. Und das ist genau, was das Leben so erfüllend macht. Nicht nur Erfolg im Sinne von höchstmöglichem Einkommen. Das mag eine angenehme Begleiterscheinung sein.
New education and training expanded her horizons and opened up new perspectives. She wanted to pass on her experiences and decided to pursue a career as a management consultant and business coach — a role in which she could apply and share her decades of leadership experience while following her inner drive to help other people facing similar professional and personal challenges. From then on, she wanted to help other leaders learn how to deal well with challenges and grow through them — ultimately improving both their quality of life and their leadership skills. That became her new mission.
That woman is me. My name is Gabi Zeilerbauer.
f I had known as a young person that I was allowed to trust myself more, life would have been easier for me. If there is one thing I would like to pass on to others, it is this: stepping out of your comfort zone and trusting yourself and your own inner system is worth it. Nothing terrible can happen. The worst-case scenario is that you gain new experiences and continue to grow. Would that really be so terrible? 😊 No — quite the opposite. Every step leads us to the next one.
What else does this teach us?
• Allow change. There is always a reason for it, even if it is not immediately visible. When you are young, life offers limitless possibilities. Do not waste your life. No one is more worthy than you of living life according to your own vision and making it successful for yourself. Even if you belong to the older generation, as I do, change and growth are still possible.
• Leaving your comfort zone pays off many times over in the future.
• Perfection is not what matters — growth and progress do. Who is truly perfect, anyway?
• Focus on the things in life that genuinely matter to you and feel right for your inner self.
• Focus is the currency of personal success.
Take the time to consciously reflect on who you want to be and how you want to live — and then walk your path. Step by step. Trust your journey. You know more than you think.
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