Antonella Mei-Pochtler has combined parenthood with an incredibly successful career – a linear trajectory first, taking her to the top management level at Boston Consulting Group – and then branching out into advisory boards and politics, as well as social engagement in the field of education.

„For me the question was always, how to live a rich life?” she tells me in this podcast. For her, a big part of that was managing expectations. „We always have to strike a balance of, how do I deal with these expectations, and how do I do the life in a way that I feel is most appropriate for what I feel comfortable with?“

Women (and men!) returning from parental leave today have the option of achieving that balance by working more flexibility than ever before. But Antonella cautions that anyone returning part-time and flexibly needs to ensure that not all of those part-time hours are spent working remotely. 

“If you want to get to the really interesting jobs that motivate you, that you are burning for, then you have to have a certain interaction with other people – and particularly also with the people who make career decisions,” she says.

Having said that, you’ll also be coming back from parental leave with valuable skills. „Leadership demands have become significantly more human- and team-centric,” she says. “To become an excellent leader you have to have the capability of empathy and understanding others. And this you definitely learn!” 

Speaker: Antonella Mei-Pochtler, Strategist, Supervisory Board Member @TUM Venture Labs, iSi Automotive & Plenitude, Head of @KofiAnnanAward for Innovation in Africa

Interviewer: Dr. Ricarda Engelmeier – Founder @MyCollective

Photo: Antonella Mei-Pochtler

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