Football vs. insurance - two worlds, one mindset

What do a football club and an insurance company have in common? At first glance: not much. But on closer inspection, the two worlds have more in common than you might think – especially when it comes to structure, team spirit and passion. Two stages of my professional career show this: Courage pays off. And people connect through similarities and through genuine interest.

I was 24, brand new to my job at Alemannia Aachen. Two weeks after I started, I was asked to accompany a sponsor trip to Alkmaar on my own. There were managing directors of big companies on the bus and I didn't know anyone, no faces, no names. The excitement was huge.

My spontaneous idea was to check attendance, just like at school. I called out the names, the sponsors came forward, laughed and the ice was broken. The mood was relaxed. At that moment, I learnt that authenticity beats perfection. Closeness is created through simple gestures and through courage.

A few years later, I now work at HDI. I needed feedback from a different area and asked the manager directly - without realising that this was supposedly not done back then. The appointment had already been made, so I stuck with it. Fortunately!

The dialogue was open and pleasant. When I jokingly said: "Please don't make jokes about skittles or Bielefeld", the response was prompt: "Hit me up, I'm from Bielefeld too!" A moment that shows: Commonalities unite - whether on the football bus or in the office.

Whether in the world of sport or in the company: it pays to be courageous. To get involved. To ask questions. To show humour. Because connections are often made where you least expect them and that's exactly what makes culture tangible.