Agata Fischer - 在舒适区域外舒适

We all know the danger (and draw) of comfort zones. There are plenty of quotes from brilliant people all over the world encouraging us to “step outside your comfort zone” or “growth only happens when you’re uncomfortable.” When you learn to like being outside of your comfort zone, that’s when you have proven to yourself you’re growing.

这就是Leica Geosystems的检测和服务业务总监Agata Fischer描述了她的成功和职业生涯的一致前进轨迹。通过组织结构升起，她最近被公认为xyHt’s 40 Under 40 for 2020.

赞扬是：“While her academic background was in business process and marketing, Agata has gained an exemplary understanding of geomatics and geospatial theory, practice, and especially emerging technologies. Her steady rise, first within Hilti and since within Leica Geosystems, is impressive, but what brought Agata to our attention was her presentations and writings. Being both tech- and business-savvy and an excellent presenter is a potent combination; the multi-lingual Ms. Fischer is all of the above.”

Impressive indeed, but it took a strong work ethic and that ever-burning desire to prove to herself she could rise beyond even her own expectations to realise she actually enjoys challenges and consistently being outside of her comfort zone.

Making a change

Fischer受过商业管理和市场营销的教育，首先接触了产品管理，因为实习生开始了她的职业生涯。她首先将头扔进了未经宪章的水域，她发现自己只提供几天学习材料的产品培训。她很好地管理任务，并以强大的导师的角色管理，她渴望自己成为产品经理。

“With a great mentor who was a product manager, I always had a clear idea where I wanted to be,”菲舍尔说。“As a product manager, I could be very much like an entrepreneur being in the driver’s seat. I could be close to the customers, understand the workflows and their needs, and deliver solutions that bring value.”

With this experience, Fischer also wanted to better understand the marketing side of business, so her first role after her internship was as a marketing manager. Here she learned the process of features, benefits and values, and conducting market research.

Her sights, though, remained on her goal of becoming a product manager. Putting her networking skills to the test, Fischer was able to work on projects in other departments. Once again stepping outside of her comfort zone, she travelled alone to the UK to meet customers onsite and learn their needs firsthand. With her desire to learn and her willingness to work hard on full display, she pushed herself to prove she had what it took to succeed in the role.

“Though I prepared myself to fully succeed in this role, I was also willing to take a risk, really push myself into new territory,”叙述Fischer。“我有机会真正思考和表现像企业家，对一个复杂项目的成功负责。”

While transitioning from a marketing to product manager, Fischer took on the complex work of turning a services line into a profitable part of the business. First, using skills built in her marketing role, she conducted market research to better understand the customers she was now working with on a closer level. She then created a network of stakeholders who she turned into supporters.

“There was a learning curve to overcome here, and I identified the people who I knew were key to making this line successful and gathering their input,”菲舍尔说。“My transition pivoted on before relying on others to now becoming responsible and having complete ownership of the project.”

当服务线变成了业务的成功部分时，菲舍尔知道她终于证明了自己。除了决心实现目标之外，她还将自己的成功归因于强烈的好奇心。

“I’m a really curious person, especially when it comes to customers. I want to know what they are doing, what drives them, what pains them,”解释说Fischer。“This genuine curiosity helps me to build trust with the customer and enables them to open up to me so I can help build better solutions for their problems.

I’m also always open to learning, which is what I believe keeps driving me to the next level.”

今天，菲舍尔（Fischer）领导了Leica Geosystems建筑工具部门的产品经理和培训师团队，再次从产品经理晋升为业务总监。她现在负责开发和指导Leica Geosystems检测解决方案的产品路线图，进入市场和销售策略。她从自己的职业旅程中学到的知识中汲取了目标，旨在通过对他们的强烈信念和信任他们的能力来增强自己的团队能力。

“Working in my role and within this company and with the leaders I’ve had plus always learning willing to grow while being uncomfortable, I’ve built a sense of strong confidence and pride in myself. I want to give that back now to those I have the privilege of leading,”菲舍尔说。“我专注于向他们展示我相信他们的团队，使他们能够以新的责任成长；从本质上讲，即使他们认为自己不能做某事，也可以将它们推到自己的舒适区域之外，以尝试新事物。当他们证明自己可以，这不仅是他们的庆祝活动，而且是整个团队。”

Building confident women in the workplace

Someone in the organisation Fischer says empowered her to take on challenging opportunities is Construction Tools President Katherine Broder. Fischer says Broder’s leadership skills inspired her to pursue her goals and model her own leadership style.

“Katy encouraged me from the beginning to pursue becoming a product manager,”解释说Fischer。“她曾经并且仍然对我所有的问题开放，她授权我设计自己的工作计划和风格，隐含地相信我。”

这种感觉是相互的，因为布罗德解释了两者之间的指导关系实际上是双向的。

“Drive, dedication and the willingness to go beyond, that’s what makes Agata successful and a strong leader. It’s inspiring to me to see her grow and continue to unfold her talents,” said Broder. “Agata has truly become an asset to our business and organization. Meanwhile she has become my sounding board and mentor – a perfect development not only for me personally but also for the company.”

Seeing a minority of women leaders in the workplace, Fischer advocates for more opportunities for women to prove themselves in the boardroom. She points to the unique problem-solving and social skill set women possess to build strong results and more diverse work environments.

“女人,不幸的是,最初并不知名ent in business as men even though they possess skill sets that are sorely needed to make business thrive,”解释说Fischer。“但是，当我们腾出空间来建立这种信心，就像我在公司中所做的那样，他们不仅让自己而且周围的人感到惊讶，他们实际上可以完成多少工作。”

Fischer is currently working with the company’s Human Resources department to chair a working group to further review how the company can better support women in the workplace, such as reducing hinderances due to childcare concerns. As an up-and-coming woman leader in the company, she’s now also mentors to other women, paying back the mentorship she received earlier in her career.

What does she recommend to women and others looking to prove themselves?

“Try. That’s the key. Always be willing to try and open to learning new things. Pick roles where you can continue to learn and be challenged,”Fischer encourages.“Growth doesn’t happen unless you leave your comfort zone. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable because that’s where we truly prove what we’re capable of and succeed.”