Leading From The C-Suite: trivago’s Johannes Thomas On Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective C-Suite Executive
An Interview With Doug Noll
Demonstrate self-awareness: Effective leaders must demonstrate self-awareness by understanding their strengths, weaknesses and emotional responses. This self-awareness helps to reflect on behaviors and foster a resilient and balanced team environment. At trivago, we encourage leaders to model self-awareness and foster a culture of growth, resilience and energy balance, creating a powerful and cohesive team.
As part of our series called “Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective C-Suite Executive,” we had the pleasure of interviewing Johannes Thomas.
Johannes Thomas currently serves as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of trivago. Prior to joining trivago in 2023, Mr. Thomas was Managing Director of CoIQ. an investment fund that leverages collective intelligence to make investment decisions. Prior to joining CoIQ, he was Managing Director and Chief Revenue Officer at trivago. Mr. Thomas joined the trivago in 2011 to build up its Performance Marketing Department and then steered the path of the advertiser relations unit. Mr. Thomas also headed up the Business Operations and Strategy Department for several years, which was responsible for running strategic projects and acquisitions within trivago.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
All my life I have been fascinated by traveling the world and experiencing different cultures. My father ran a travel company where I helped out during my vacations. This probably influenced my decision to study economics and tourism. As part of my studies, I had to do an internship. Big companies like Thomas Cook and Tui turned me down. But a travel start-up in London gave me a chance. I loved the responsibility and the steep learning curve that came with it. I decided to put my studies on hold and stayed with the company for over a year. Then, at the age of 21, I decided to start my own company in the travel industry with a group of friends. At the same time, I continued my studies. I again had to do another internship for my studies, which brought me to trivago.
Back then, trivago was also a small start-up. There were about 50 people working there, and I think half of them were interns. The founders had created a unique space where young and hungry talents were given a playing field where they could experiment and prove themselves. The knowledge in the online space was emerging and there were no experts to lead the field. trivago created an environment where fast learning and bold execution were essential. We tried things and when things worked, we scaled the hell out of them across the globe.
After my six-month internship at trivago, I decided to quit my studies and stop working on my startup. trivago gave me the opportunity to build a global performance marketing team. We became one of Google’s fastest growing and later largest global clients. We managed campaigns in over 40 markets. We achieved scale by learning everything we could about the space, leveraging technology wherever we could, and empowering talent with the ambition to move mountains. I stayed at trivago for a decade, during which I had the opportunity to build and lead teams across multiple disciplines. After marketing, I built engineering and product teams, and later led enterprise and SMA sales teams, as well as HR functions. Getting to understand the needs and characteristics of different teams was truly unique. Today, I have a more holistic view of leadership and a strong sense of how to run an effective business in the digital space.
I left trivago at the end of 2020. I had faced challenging times as a leader before, but Corona was a devastating experience. In 2020, we had periods where we lost 99% of our revenue. The playing field changed drastically in a matter of weeks. We went from being a thriving company to having to survive. It was unclear when or even if travel would ever return to where it was. Today, fortunately, we know that people want to experience the world more than ever and that the industry has surpassed pre-pandemic levels. It is very exciting to watch. And in early 2023, one of the founders of trivago called me. He asked me if I would consider returning to trivago as CEO. He expressed the possibility of assembling a team of former trivago executives to form an entirely new leadership team. I understood the importance of returning institutional knowledge to the company, as it was very difficult to carry that strength through the pandemic. It was equally important to bring back a culture of trust and learning. A culture with an entrepreneurial DNA and a scientific approach to decision-making. The fact that we had the opportunity to do this convinced me to take on the challenge. Andrej (new CPO), Jasmine (new CMO), Robin (new CFO) and I are now fully committed to returning the company to growth. We have one of the strongest travel brands in the world, and travel remains a thriving industry. We are thrilled to be at the helm of this unique company and to be shaping the way people travel.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
I like to think back to the beginning of my career. When I was rejected by big companies and decided to join a startup. Although I did not expect it, it was one of the best things that happened to me. From my point of view, too many young talents join big companies because it’s the least risky path with less friction. I think this can be a big trap that puts you on a path that is increasingly difficult to change and that will define your evolution as a person. You rise through the ranks, get a good salary, and become comfortable with the status quo. In a stable world, this is a strategy that has worked for many. I challenge this model by being in an environment that is increasingly unpredictable and where change is even more the norm. Learning new skills and constantly evolving is key.
When young people ask me how they should start their careers, I tell them to join a promising startup or put themselves in a dynamic environment with curious people who want to learn and evolve quickly. Avoid rigid structures that promise stability and security, in most cases it’s a lie and will leave you frustrated.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?
“Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish” — Steve Jobs.
“Stay Hungry” implies a relentless pursuit of knowledge, ambition, and self-improvement.
It encourages a constant quest for growth and the desire to achieve more, to always have an appetite for learning and new experiences. “Stay Foolish” suggests maintaining a willingness to take risks and think outside the box, disregarding the naysayers or the typical norms that might limit creative thinking. It embraces the idea of approaching life with the open-mindedness and curiosity of a beginner, regardless of one’s level of success or expertise
I regularly remind myself of this quote. Settling into comfort and accepting the status quo feels good in the short term because you have less friction and experience mental coherence. However, from my perspective, it comes with less excitement, reduces your ability to adapt to new situations, and science shows that you are likely to age faster. After 10 years of scaling trivago, I decided to take a break and try something new. After about a year, I realized how much I missed engaging in challenging and exciting discussions. I also missed working with curious people who want to build something meaningful and make the world a better place.
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on your leadership style? Can you share a story or an example of that?
A book that has had a profound impact on my leadership style is Simon Sinek’s Leaders Eat Last. This book emphasizes the importance of creating a work environment where team members feel safe, valued, and empowered to perform at their best.
I see the relevance and importance of this every day. We operate in a highly complex and rapidly changing environment. Empowering teams to make decisions and drive execution is critical to moving quickly. But it takes patience to create such an environment.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
At trivago we are a unique blend of passionate people from different walks of life, our talent base is made up of over 75 nationalities. What really sets us apart is our culture, which is rooted in our values. I would like to highlight three of our core values that are part of our DNA. We encourage “entrepreneurial passion,” which means challenging the status quo and experimenting with new ways to tackle our challenges. We mitigate bias and power structures through the power of evidence. We want the best ideas to win, regardless of seniority and experience. We have “unwavering focus” when we see something working. We scale boldly and execute quickly.
You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Growth Mindset: I have always followed my curiosity. I didn’t follow the norms or a master plan with grand goals. I have tried a lot to understand what excites me. I have learned quickly through this process and when I have mastered something, I teach it to others. As
I built and led teams, I tried to make myself obsolete. In doing so, I was empowering people, creating value for the company, and giving myself a chance to focus on something new. This has given me the opportunity to lead teams across disciplines and to continue to be challenged.
Determination: When I signed up for a challenge, I was fully committed to the task and the team. When you start a business or a new project with your team, there is usually a lot of enthusiasm at the beginning. Then the team is likely to experience setbacks.
Maintaining a constructive and positive attitude in difficult circumstances is extremely important. I like to tell people that it took trivago about five years to find a strong market fit and be able to scale. Most people don’t have the courage to start something new, and most of those who do give up too early.
Entrepreneurial: Being a driver and not a passenger has always been important to me. I could not stand by and watch as we stood still or failed to seize an opportunity with the courage it required. I challenged the status quo when it seemed important. Raising the awareness and relevance of AI for everyone, individually and for the company as a whole, was one of the first things I took on when I returned to Trivago. It’s critical for us to stay on top of it, and as a company, we can create great value for our users. Today, almost every team is using AI, we are innovating in marketing and skilled AI capabilities on a global scale.
Leadership often entails making difficult decisions or hard choices between two apparently good paths. Can you share a story with us about a hard decision or choice you had to make as a leader?
I struggle less with making difficult choices. I find that you can usually aggregate perspectives and come to a rational conclusion. When in doubt, we run tests to gather data that either validates or disproves our hypothesis. Depending on the results, we invest more or less in an avenue we believe in.
For me, it’s more challenging to navigate dilemmas. A dilemma is a situation where you have a difficult choice between several options, each of which has both positive and negative aspects, or where each option leads to an undesirable outcome.
A classic example is setting expectations and ambitious goals with our teams. On the one hand, a team needs to feel challenged to be the best version of themselves. On the other hand, a team can lose confidence if it is overwhelmed, creating a negative mood. Striking a healthy balance to give the team a sense of winning is an art for me.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Most of our readers — in fact, most people — think they have a pretty good idea of what a C-Suite executive does. But in just a few words can you explain what a C-Level executive does that is different from the responsibilities of other leaders?
Once you’re a C-Level executive, you’re no longer leading a specific department or product within a company, you are now tasked with making decisions that impact the entire organization. These decisions can impact long-term company growth, market performance and even profitability so it’s crucial to ensure departmental teams are aligned on the company vision as well as the strategy to get there.
What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a C-Suite executive? Can you explain what you mean?
Being a C-Suite executive can come with a slew of myths and misconceptions whether it be from the public or even your own employees. Most often, the biggest myth I hear is that C-Suite leaders have all the answers. While executives are highly knowledgeable and well experienced, I often rely on my team of experts to collaborate, continue learning and make informed decisions. The best leaders acknowledge their strengths and weaknesses and seek advice from trusted internal and external counsel.
What are the most common leadership mistakes you have seen C-Suite leaders make when they start leading a new team? What can be done to avoid those errors?
When leading a new team, it’s important for leaders to effectively communicate with team members to clearly outline expectations, goals and their work style. Today’s hybrid work environment can make communication more challenging, so it is crucial for those in the C- Suite to convey clear goals whether that is in-person or virtually. Having weekly or monthly check-ins that allow team members to share frequent updates, questions or challenges they’re facing can create a more cohesive, productive team and can really go a long way towards building trust and rapport.
Another mistake I’ve seen made by executive leaders is not being open to change. It is important to be flexible and evolve with time by adopting a growth mindset. This is crucial for success. We can clearly see the need to adapt when it comes to technology.
Over the past decade there has been an influx of new tools and devices to improve workflow, communication and productivity. By embracing these tools rather than fearing or ignoring them, leaders will be able to stay competitive, attract strong talent and advance a business that’s agile in their industry.
In your experience, which aspect of running a company tends to be most underestimated? Can you explain or give an example?
In my experience, the most underestimated aspect of running a business is the importance of effective communication. Many people assume that as long as the business strategy and vision are sound, the rest will fall into place. Effective communication is critical to aligning team efforts, fostering a positive work culture, and ensuring the smooth execution of business strategies.
Most of the conflicts I see between teams are the result of little or no verbal communication. In this age of remote work, I think this is important to be aware of. If teams are going to work seamlessly together to accomplish something highly complex, they need strong interpersonal relationships that allow them to openly share perspectives, confront conflicts, and solve challenges together.
Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective C-Suite Executive”? If you can, please share a story or an example for each.
1 . Focus on clarity and execution: It’s essential to create a mission-driven team with a clear understanding of the company’s goals. Align priorities across teams to ensure everyone is on the same page about key challenges and opportunities. Define high-level goals and metrics for success and provide the necessary resources to empower the team.
At trivago, we make sure our teams have the clarity and tools they need to perform at their best and drive overall business success.
2 . Optimize value and productivity: Implementing a streamlined infrastructure focused on delivering customer value is key. This includes building end-to-end team accountability and leveraging technology for automation. Building a winning, proactive team and ensuring clarity in decision making further maximizes productivity. At trivago, we prioritize clear communication and goal setting to improve interactions and keep teams aligned with our goals.
3 . Foster a collaborative culture: Fostering an open environment with honest and transparent actions encourages diverse perspectives and innovative ideas. Emphasizing teamwork and shared responsibility ensures that everyone’s contributions are valued.
Recognizing and celebrating successes reinforces commitment to goals and motivates continued achievement. At trivago, we cultivate collaboration and trust, empowering team members to take ownership and excel
4 . Cultivate a growth mindset: Encouraging continuous learning and viewing challenges as opportunities helps cultivate a growth mindset. Encouraging experimentation and allowing room for productive failure can lead to important insights and improvements.
Setting ambitious goals pushes the team to push their limits and fosters a culture of excellence. At trivago, we emphasize the importance of a growth mindset, supporting team members in their professional development and staying ahead of the technology curve.
5 . Demonstrate self-awareness: Effective leaders must demonstrate self-awareness by understanding their strengths, weaknesses and emotional responses. This self-awareness helps to reflect on behaviors and foster a resilient and balanced team environment. At trivago, we encourage leaders to model self-awareness and foster a culture of growth, resilience and energy balance, creating a powerful and cohesive team.
In your opinion, what are a few ways that executives can help to create a fantastic work culture? Can you share a story or an example?
Creating an exceptional work environment is about uplifting and supporting employees through targeted efforts. Prioritizing employee growth and development not only enhances the skillset of each employee, but also demonstrates the C-Suite’s commitment to employee personal and professional advancement. Investing in training opportunities sets a standard of continuous innovation throughout the organization.
Encouraging collaboration is another way to create a fantastic work culture. By breaking down barriers and encouraging teamwork across departments, C-Level executives can create an environment where diverse perspectives thrive and employees feel empowered to share ideas openly. Now as leaders, it’s essential to lead by example. Executives must also uphold the values and behaviors they want to see in their employees. By demonstrating a commitment to learning, growth, and collaboration themselves, executives can set a positive tone for the entire organization and shape the culture that defines it.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
I support a movement to rethink our education system. I believe that a lot of potential is lost when children stop following their curiosity. Our education system teaches norms and knowledge that is outdated and does not prepare children for a rapidly changing future.
In the process, too many children lose their excitement for learning and often their confidence in their own abilities. As a result, they follow what they are told instead of following their inner calling. I hope that the paradigms of education will evolve rapidly. It will be exciting to see how personal AI tutors will disrupt this space. I remember when the calculator was not allowed in my exams, now it is widely accepted and has made everyone much more effective.
How can our readers further follow you online?
You can connect with me on LinkedIn.
Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
About the Interviewer: Douglas E. Noll, JD, MA was born nearly blind, crippled with club feet, partially deaf, and left-handed. He overcame all of these obstacles to become a successful civil trial lawyer. In 2000, he abandoned his law practice to become a peacemaker. His calling is to serve humanity, and he executes his calling at many levels. He is an award-winning author, teacher, and trainer. He is a highly experienced mediator. Doug’s work carries him from international work to helping people resolve deep interpersonal and ideological conflicts. Doug teaches his innovative de-escalation skill that calms any angry person in 90 seconds or less. With Laurel Kaufer, Doug founded Prison of Peace in 2009. The Prison of Peace project trains life and long terms incarcerated people to be powerful peacemakers and mediators. He has been deeply moved by inmates who have learned and applied deep, empathic listening skills, leadership skills, and problem-solving skills to reduce violence in their prison communities. Their dedication to learning, improving, and serving their communities motivates him to expand the principles of Prison of Peace so that every human wanting to learn the skills of peace may do so. Doug’s awards include California Lawyer Magazine Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers in America Lawyer of the Year, Purpose Prize Fellow, International Academy of Mediators Syd Leezak Award of Excellence, National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals Neutral of the Year. His four books have won a number of awards and commendations. Doug’s podcast, Listen With Leaders, is now accepting guests. Click on this link to learn more and apply.
