Mazino: My background is not typical. After leaving school, I did a year of voluntary social work in a closed psychiatric ward because I was fascinated by psychology. It was a formative experience, but I also realised: Clinical psychology was not for me.
I trained as an industrial clerk and then studied business administration in Cologne and Münster. At the end of my studies, I focused on consulting and was part of a student consultancy. One of the biggest takeaways from that time was that you have to take people with you when you implement change. You don’t just have to bring them along rationally, but also emotionally – that has a lot to do with psychology as well. Change management has become one of my favorite subjects.
At the time, I was on the board of the student consultancy move and met grosse-hornke at a joint event. I was impressed by the fact that the partner and four other team members participated, presenting cases from practice. This gave me a real insight into the work.
Even the most faithful Münsterite has to get out sometimes: Mazino likes to go on short trips and city breaks, like here to the island Norderney.
The fact that I don’t just work for clients, but with them. From the beginning, I have not only planned measures, but also helped our clients to implement them. In large consultancies, you often only do the groundwork. In our team, the balance is right: you can get started yourself, but you also get support when you need it.
The current project is all about artificial intelligence and how the customer can use it productively in their business areas. To this end, we are working closely with network partners, such as start-ups. The aim is to benefit from the latest AI solutions without having to develop them themselves. Our task is to identify use-case-based AI solutions with the customer and support pilot projects – from the initial idea through to implementation in the business units.
Flexibility is incredibly important. Plans and tasks change all the time, and new requests often come in unexpectedly. Sometimes you have to take over part of a presentation on the spur of the moment. Sometimes this means jumping over your shadow, but it also means a steep learning curve.
I didn’t know before that “consulting” is not just “consulting”. There are many types of consulting: strategy consulting, management consulting, process development, systems integration and so on. My tip would be to do several internships, even in a smaller consultancy, to find out if I want to work in a large or small team, if I want to start out as a runner or if I want to take on responsibility straight away.
I really enjoy doing sport, especially going to the gym at the moment. But you can always get me excited about soccer or basketball. I used to play American football and I’m still a big fan. As a couch potato, I watch almost every NFL game.
A whole holiday “cool by the pool” is not Mazino’s idea of a good time, rather a mix of exploring and relaxing – here on the island of Symi, near Rhodes.
“Atomic Habits” by James Clear. The book has helped me establish good routines. For example, when I work from home, fixed structures are particularly important. The only way I don’t procrastinate is to set aside time for myself – including breaks. Whether it’s raining or snowing, I always go out for 15 to 30 minutes at lunchtime. It helps me clear my head and focus on my work.
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