Ada Hlebowicz is a Greentech Process Engineer who studied in Szczecin (Poland) and Delft (Netherlands). We interviewed her about her first few weeks working with us at TransitionHERO.
Hi Ada! You joined TransitionHERO in January this year. What were your first couple of weeks like?
I think it was exciting, dynamic, and fun! I felt that everybody from the team was very friendly from the start. Even though there was a lot happening at once, it did not feel overwhelming, because of the great spirit of the team. Thanks to this, it made me think that my colleagues are the real heroes! They (and now together with me) tackle all the difficult challenges of sustainable transition without losing motivation and without losing the smiles on their faces.
Was what your initial impression of the work we do here?
Let me think back to my first day… I got welcomed with confetti! So that was a big surprise, because no place before welcomed me like that. It’s a good metaphor for the work we are doing here… because the confetti was as impressive as our work itself 😉. A few days after joining I was added to project teams and immediately got on board to create impact.
What does a normal day look like for you?
When I come to the office, I first grab a cup of coffee and chat with my colleagues on how everybody is doing. After that I see what is on the agenda and make a plan for myself for the day. As the day goes on, there are meetings where we brainstorm, design processes together, or just update each other. In the meantime, I am busy with calculations, evaluation of different solutions and just being creative, while doing engineering.
After 3 months in TransitionHERO, I have been able to wear several hats already. I am a process engineer, but besides that I contribute to different areas. For example, I participated in a HAZOP review, where I was a scribe – someone who has to write up the whole session! I am also managing a small internal project, as I would like to develop in this direction in the future. And I help the team with coaching, since this is my other passion besides engineering. It is never boring, I really get to try many different things, and that is what I like the most.
You’re in training to become a coach. Are your coaching skills appreciated in TransitionHERO?
Definitely. One of the things I learned in coaching was the art of asking good questions. I have already seen and heard from my teammates that I ask the right questions to get clarity on the projects. This can be very important when discussing scope and expectations, and to understand technology or a process.
Another very important skill related to coaching is to give effective feedback. I really love the fact that TransitionHERO is focused on making every effort to help the team in getting better at giving and receiving feedback. It is something that we practise with each other on regular basis. Thanks to that we can improve our teamwork, but also gain trust. It feels very safe to express your constructive opinion in an environment where everyone is skilled to do that!
What’s your favourite thing about TransitionHERO so far?
My favourite thing at TransitionHERO is that we are all equally important. Of course, everybody has a different role – there are directors, there are project managers and engineers. But the old-fashioned hierarchy ladder does not exist here. Because of that, I do not feel any distance between me and my other co-workers. That makes the work much more enjoyable and fun.
How do you see yourself growing within TransitionHERO?
I definitely would like to try all the different opportunities that TransitionHERO provides me with. I will allow myself to explore a bit in the coming months. Eventually my focus is to become more skilled in the domain of green chemicals and green energy and find my expertise. In parallel to this, I would like to develop my strategic and leadership skills, and use the tools I have learned from practising coaching.
What would you say to someone who’s thinking of applying for a job with us?
I would encourage to apply anyone who can thrive in creative and dynamic environment and who is green-minded. This is what we are doing – making green impactful ideas happen. As there is no time to waste, we are also moving quickly within our projects. Future employees can expect that in this company they will have power to influence and change the industry for the better. If anyone who is reading this would like to join our team, I can assure them that they will also have a lot of fun along the way. And don’t forget… we are located in an amazing office surrounded by other inventors, so inspiration is always sky-high!
Thank you so much! Any last words?
If anyone has any questions about working at TransitionHERO, you can always contact me on LinkedIn!
(Interview conducted by Niki Haringsma)