Visualise what you want to achieve and then go for it!
Nicole Beissler
Visualise what you want to achieve and then go for it
By Fati Gorezi
Nicole Beissler is an educated ‘Strategic Coach’ and ‘Head of Continuous Improvement’ at “DS Smith Recycling Division”. She has an extensive knowledge of Business Strategy, Management and Marketing with years of experience in the corporate world. She became a Coach to bring more humanity and heart centred focus into the corporate world. Her mission is to help and support people to achieve all their goals.
How do you remember your early life? What is your educational background?
When I was a child, I was very shy and introverted and always tried to please everyone. From early on, I was told that I was ‘an accident’ and that the life of my parents would have been much better without me. Not only that, but both physical and mental abuse was part of my daily life. But by reading books, I learned to live a different life. I would read book after book and dived completely into the role of the characters in the books. I imagined a life full of joy and happiness. I often was called a ‘dreamer’. Since my school marks weren´t the best and I had to leave the ‘German Gymnasium,’ I only graduated from middle school. I loved Physics and Chemistry and decided to make a career in a Chemistry laboratory.
Why did you become a Strategist coach?
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In the past, a lot of people came to me to ask for advice with different questions. Whether it was business advice or life questions, people always came to get my opinion and left with solutions and were happy. Years ago, my former boss asked me if I would like to do some further education and if I had a particular heart’s desire. Since I have always wondered why I am so good with people and helping with advice, I wanted to know more about it. I wanted to get some sound education for my gut feelings regarding giving advice to others. That’s how I became a Strategic Coach.
What is your primary career goal?
Career, what is that? Rather than talking about career, I would say people have ‘drivers’ that start many careers. In the past my driver really was the money. As a single mother, I never had enough of that, and I wanted to make sure that my son could enjoy a good education and have an easier start in his work life. That’s why I was constantly looking for ways to get higher and higher up the career ladder. Because the higher you climb, the more salary you earn. Today my son is a grown up, having a great career himself and living his own life. Now it is much more important to me that I can support people to achieve their goals. My original goal, why I became a Coach, is to bring more humanity and heart centred-ness into the corporate world.
Is there one accomplishment (in your career or otherwise) of which you are most proud?
Well, I can´t really split this question into career or otherwise, since life is always a shade of everything. I would say my biggest achievement is that I overcame the sufferings of a poor 18-year-old girl, who moved out with nothing but her clothes. Now I am a successful business woman living partly in Germany and Spain. I was asked lately by a young boy during my volunteer work with refugees, if I was an extremely rich person. I knew, that he was referring to money – but still I answered with ‘yes’. Because I am wealthier than the richest. I am grateful for all the challenges I got from life and I am happy for everything I now have, especially my house in Spain. But if you ask me, what I am most proud of, this will always be my beloved son.
You sound passionate about your work. Why is that?
Yeah, I am ☺ Everything I am doing, I do it with passion. Living, working or loving without passion, for me, is empty and pointless. We are here to live our life to the fullest extent. And work is such a huge part of our day, that you should have fun, joy and passion at work as well. So, I always try to make my days full and enjoyable and passion helps to drive that goal. Also, I am lucky to serve people with my work – this is the best work you can have, getting paid for making people happy, help them finding their purpose in life and developing their dreams. How can you not be passionate about it?
What challenges have you run into on your journey so far? And how have you handled them?
Uhhh, there are so many, that I could easily fill a book about it. How do I handle it? There is only one real answer to it and that is: always rise up one time more than you fall down! Keep smiling and move on. Life is not always easy, but if you believe that everything happens for a reason, your stress levels will be less.
How do you achieve work-life balance?
Hmm, for a long time that was my Achilles heel! I tended to burn out because I was so passionate about my work and wanted to get everything perfect. But not only being perfect at work. I wanted to be the perfect mother too, the perfect wife, the perfect friend, the perfect everything. It took me a long time to find out, that I can´t be perfect everywhere and that no one – except me – expected me to be perfect! That was a relief, but I also changed my life style. I try to get enough sleep (a minimum of 7.5 hours), have a healthy diet, drink enough water, work out regularly and meditate every morning and evening, no matter where I am or what day it is.
What are some strategies that can help women achieve a more prominent role in business?
First of all, don´t be shy. Most women in business are too shy to ask for a pay raise or for the open position or for the next career step. And then what happens is, that a man usually comes forward to get it. So, learn to speak up and trust yourself. This is what I have usually done – and I really made it from working in a chemistry laboratory to be in a FTSE100 company as a ‘Head of Continuous Improvement’. Another tip is – don´t try to be perfect. I lost so much time trying to be perfect. You get things done far quicker if you don’t aim for total perfection. The crucial point, I believe, is to be a good listener and be a good leader. Then the rest falls into place.
What are your top 5 top keys to business (and or life) success?
- When you can dream it, you can achieve it – so visualise what you want to achieve and then go for it
- Stand up for yourself without being overly aggressive
- Always be honest, first with yourself and then with others
- If you fall, it’s not a problem, just stand up again and move on
- If you made a mistake, take responsibility for it, see it as an opportunity to grow and improve
