“Try not to become a wo/man of success, but rather try to become a wo/man of value.“

I am often asked what success means to me. I enjoy working with some of the most brilliant clients and colleagues (yes, with you 😁); solving some of the trickiest legal matters in challenging economic and political environments is what I love doing; never thinking in silos, but assessing queries holistically. I always wanted to be the best lawyer and businesswoman I could be while contributing to political and social debates. Success came with hard work and dedication. A long time ago I read the above quote by Albert Einstein. Ever since I can put it better in words what I aim for myself and teach my mentees: I try to become a person of value. I sometimes succeed, I often struggle, but I always try. Success is great, awards are fun, value is different. When this crisis is over, we will hopefully all see clearer. More than ever we will understand what is important and what is not. We will acknowledge that the leaders of today and particularly the leaders of tomorrow are only worth of this title if they show empathy and solidarity, transparency and candor, have communication skills and creativity, incorporate human ethics into the workplace and drive value. What are fancy deals and awards worth when you do not show character when your community needs you? People care for you when you care for them, act responsibly and stand by your principles. Thank you for all your messages and calls these days! Your comments on the portrait published by the leading daily German newspaper FAZ show me that I am on the right track:

“[...] As head of Baker McKenzie's foreign trade practice, Thoms has to manage the balancing act between politics and business and pay attention to the diplomatic tones on the world's stages. And the top lawyer, born in 1981 in Tehran, succeeds in this brilliantly. This is why she is in greater demand as a discussion partner in English-speaking media, such as the BBC, than any other lawyer from Germany.“

I cannot wait to collaborate with all the Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum to make a difference and try to add value.

#WEF #YGL #FAZ #leadership #value #sdgs