Sport can be tough. It can push you to your limit — both physically and mentally — but it can also teach you so much more than just the rules of the game.
In the weeks after Siemens won a gold award for its activities to support disabled employees, three Siemens colleagues explain how their sports — football, athletics, and rowing — have not only helped them in their jobs, but also shaped them as people.
1. What inspired you to take up your sport and what do you love about it?
Christina: When I was a kid, I loved playing football with my little brother. When he joined a club and got his first football boots, I wanted to do the same. At the time, I was 11 years old and I have been playing football in a club ever since.
What I enjoy most about the sport is the team spirit. You win together, you lose together. It always motivated me to go to practice and sometimes to bear up against pain — no matter the weather, my mood, or if I didn’t have much time to spare because of school or work.
Georgina: I’m 27, and have been deaf from birth. Since I was seven, I’ve been passionately involved in athletics, and I was appointed to the National Squad for the Deaf in 2005.
I have a record that I can be proud of, and have won various medals including four world junior records, four medals at the European Championship for Deaf People, and a silver at the World Championship for Deaf People. I won the award for the Best Deaf Sportswoman of the Year in Germany in 2010, and was able to meet the former Federal President Horst Köhler as part of the German Sports Aid Foundation to promote young talents.
My favorite part of playing the sport is heptathlon, as you can battle from start to finish with the support of sports enthusiasts.
Leopold: I’ve been rowing since 2014 and on the national team since 2015. Rowing is about coordination, strength, and endurance, and is one of the most versatile sports in the world. I compete in many national and international competitions, but the most beautiful thing is really the international regattas.
It’s nice to eat good food, meet new people, and measure your performance internationally. At the same time, it’s great to be with your home team and share common experiences at national regattas.
2. How has your sport shaped you as a person?
Georgina: It’s quite hard to answer the question, but sport has definitely shaped my personality. I’ve collected so many experiences during my 20 years of athletics. It’s so special to experience very intense emotions and to be in the lively world of sport. It’s also nice that I have met many wonderful people there.
Christina: As I have been hearing-impaired since birth, it was always a challenge for me to integrate in a group with well-hearing people. My sport enabled me to develop as a team member and as a person, and I learned to communicate without difficulties with well-hearing people. Due to this, I have gained self-confidence and have been highly motivated to pursue my favorite sport for more than 20 years.
I was a member of the female German National Team for the Deaf, and participated in a couple of European and World Cup Championships and the so-called Deaflympics, which is the Olympic Games for the deaf. This experience gave me the opportunity to travel around the world, gain new insights into other cultures, and create new international contacts.
Leopold: I have been playing sports since I was six years old. I have tried everything possible, but since I started rowing I feel very fit. It’s sometimes hard, but if you know what you are doing it’s good! I have also developed more awareness, as you meet many people with different disabilities, which is very interesting.
3. How has playing the sport helped you in your professional life?
Georgina: It’s given me ambition, discipline, fun, and a sense of wellbeing. And being part of a diverse team at work means we perform better and are more innovative and creative. I like the quote from my role model Oliver Kahn, a former German goalkeeper. He said: “The will moves mountains, but only if the passion is right.”
At Siemens, I know I am with a company that supports me. I also have independence at work despite my deafness, as well as the opportunity to work flexible hours.
Christina: Integrating with well-hearing people is very important for the hard of hearing in everyday life. The same applies for the working environment, where communicating with colleagues is crucial to a successful career. Due to my favorite sport, I have built a lot of relationships with well-hearing people, which increased my ability to communicate and to work in a team.
Leopold: Because you are often abroad, you learn languages quickly, and you also have the opportunity to expand your network. Just like competing, it’s simply great to work with a diverse team. It makes it all the more fun and of course better results can be achieved if everyone brings their experience.
It’s very exciting to be able to work in many departments as I get a good overview of what Siemens actually stands for. Of course, I also enjoy working with the people who support and enrich me in my daily work.
Georgina is an Industrial Clerk working in the Accounting, Reporting, and Controlling department. Leopold is also being trained as an Industrial Clerk and has worked in various departments since he joined the company, including purchasing and logistics. Christina is a Business Analyst, her responsibilities include reporting key figures, organizing the department, and recruiting students and interns. Find out more about working at Siemens.
Photography: Anton Schneid
