Borderless Executive Live: The Podcast
Candid conversations with business leaders on their respective industries, including Life Sciences, Chemical Value Chain, and Food & Drink. Hosted by Andrew Kris, Founding Partner of Borderless.
Borderless Executive Live: The Podcast
Borderless Partner: Agnieszka Ogonowska on Redefining Meaningful Careers
What if your dream job isn't a job at all, but a calling you've yet to uncover? Meet Agnieszka Ogonowska, an extraordinary executive search consultant with over 15 years of experience, who peels back the layers of traditional career paths to reveal the hidden motivations that truly drive us. With stories of executives trading boardrooms for bakeries, Agnieszka's insights will transform how you view professional fulfillment. She doesn’t just match people with jobs; she guides them to careers that resonate with their core selves. Through her global journey from Poland to the UK and beyond, Agnieszka has developed a keen understanding of how different cultures and life stages affect our professional desires, offering a fresh perspective on what success means.
Join us as we explore Agnieszka's unique approach to recruiting and learn how to break free from autopilot career choices. Through her warm and curious questioning, discover the importance of autonomy and how it shapes work satisfaction. Get ready to rethink the traditional success metrics and start crafting a career path that aligns with who you are at your core. Whether you're in your 20s or 40s, Agnieszka's experiences and observations will inspire you to stop spinning the wheel of career choices and start following a path driven by true passion and personal fulfillment.
Ever get that feeling, you know, like you're playing career roulette, spinning through job postings, hoping you land on something that doesn't just pay the bills but actually lights you up. Today we're exploring that feeling, that hunt for work that isn't just a job, it's a calling. And to guide us, we're diving into the career of Agnieszka Ogonowska. She's a recruiter, but not your average resume swiper. She's a recruiter, but not your average resume swiper.
Speaker 2:What's fascinating about Agnieszka is that she's spent over 15 years going beyond the bullet points, trying to crack the code of what truly motivates people in their work.
Speaker 1:OK, hold up, Crack. The code is intriguing, but what does that actually mean? I mean, did she create an algorithm or something?
Speaker 2:Not quite an algorithm, but she's definitely identified some recurring motivational principles. For example, she once told me about a high-level executive who, after years of climbing the corporate ladder, decided to leave a cushy, high-paying job to open a bakery.
Speaker 1:Wait, what Seriously okay? Now we need to hear more about these motivational principles.
Speaker 2:In that particular case, it turned out that this executive, despite external signs of success, was deeply driven by a need for creative expression. The corporate world wasn't fulfilling that need. Agnieszka helped him realize that his passion for baking wasn't just a hobby. It was a key motivational driver he'd been neglecting.
Speaker 1:Wow, okay. So it's like she's uncovering these hidden factors that make us tick yeah and then using them to find career paths that really fit.
Speaker 2:Exactly, and it's fascinating how those motivators can vary. Agnieszka's own journey speaks volumes about this. Born and raised in Poland, she's lived and worked in the UK, Italy, Spain and now she calls Germany home.
Speaker 1:Hold on. So she speaks like five languages or something.
Speaker 2:At least English, polish, german, spanish. She's a true citizen of the world, and I think that global perspective is crucial to her understanding of what motivates people from different backgrounds.
Speaker 1:That makes a lot of sense. It's like the more exposure you have to different cultures and perspectives, the more you realize there's no one size fits all approach to a fulfilling career.
Speaker 2:Precisely, and with her background in social sciences, agnieszka brings this incredible blend of cultural understanding and human psychology to her work, and it's not just about cultural differences, though. That plays a huge role. She's found that these motivational principles can shift within a single person's life.
Speaker 1:You mean, like, what gets us jazzed about work in our 20s might not be the same thing that lights our fire in our 40s?
Speaker 2:Exactly. Agnieszka has seen firsthand how major life events, changing responsibilities, even simply gaining more experience, can lead to these aha moments where people realize their old motivations no longer apply.
Speaker 1:Okay. So how does she actually tease this out of people? I'm imagining those conversations must go pretty deep, pretty fast.
Speaker 2:They do, but she does it with this incredible warmth and genuine curiosity. It's not about judging someone's career goals. It's about understanding the why behind them.
Speaker 1:So it's less about tell me about your dream job and more about why is that your dream job?
Speaker 2:Yes, and she's found that often people haven't really stopped to ask themselves that. Second question we get so caught up in what we're supposed to want the corner office, the big title that we forget to check in with ourselves about what truly brings us satisfaction.
Speaker 1:It's like we're all on autopilot following this pre-programmed definition of success instead of defining it for ourselves.
Speaker 2:And that's where things get interesting, because Agnieszka has observed some pretty consistent patterns in what truly motivates people, regardless of their background or career stage.
Speaker 1:Okay, spill the tea. What are these magical motivational principles?
Speaker 2:Well, one big one is autonomy. It's about having the freedom and flexibility to make decisions, to structure your work in a way that feels good to you, and to feel a sense of ownership over your contributions.
Speaker 1:Okay, autonomy got it. That makes sense, Especially in today's world, where so many people are craving more work-life balance and control over their schedules.
Speaker 2:Exactly, and this doesn't necessarily mean everyone wants to be their own boss, but it does mean finding roles and work environments that allow for a degree of independence and decision-making.
Speaker 1:So for someone driven by autonomy, a highly structured, micromanaged job would be a nightmare, even if it ticked all the other boxes on paper.
Speaker 2:Precisely. And then, of course, there's the big one purpose.
Speaker 1:Ah yes, that ever elusive sense of purpose. What's Agnieszka's take on that Purpose? It's like the holy grail of career satisfaction, isn't it? But what does that even look like in practice?
Speaker 2:That's the million-dollar question, right, but here's the interesting thing Agnieszka has found it's less about finding a job that saves the world and more about feeling like your work has meaning and contributes to something bigger than yourself.
Speaker 1:So it's about finding that sweet spot where your skills and interests intersect with something that makes a positive impact, even in a small way.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and sometimes that impact is directly tied to the company's mission. All way Absolutely, and sometimes that impact is directly tied to the company's mission. Aguizca's noticed that people are increasingly seeking out companies that align with their personal values, whether it's sustainability, social justice or something else entirely.
Speaker 1:So it's not just about what you do for a living, but who you do it for and why this whole conversation is making me think differently about my own career path. It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and lose sight of those bigger questions.
Speaker 2:It really is, but Agnieszka's work reminds us that it's never too late to hit the pause button and reassess. She actually encourages people to have regular career conversations with themselves and with others.
Speaker 1:Career conversations, huh. So like what should we be asking ourselves in these conversations?
Speaker 2:It can be as simple as what am I truly good at, what do I enjoy doing, even when no one is watching, or even what kind of impact do I want to make in the world?
Speaker 1:Those are great questions, and they're not just for people who are unhappy in their jobs, are they?
Speaker 2:Absolutely not. It's about proactively checking in with yourself, even if you're content in your current role, to ensure you're still on a path that feels fulfilling and aligned with your evolving values and goals.
Speaker 1:So it's like a regular tune-up for your career, making sure everything is still running smoothly. This has been such an insightful, deep dive into Agnieszka's work. Her focus on those motivational principles feels like a breath of fresh air in a world that often feels obsessed with titles and paychecks.
Speaker 2:I agree, and what I find most inspiring about Agnieszka is that she doesn't offer a quick fix or a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, she empowers individuals to become more self-aware, to ask those tough questions and, ultimately, to take ownership of their career journeys.
Speaker 1:And sometimes that's the most valuable guidance of all. Well, as we wrap up our exploration into Agnieszka's unique approach to finding fulfilling work, here's a parting thought for you to ponder. What one small step could you take today to reconnect with your own motivational principles, whether it's revisiting your resume, having a conversation with a mentor or simply taking five minutes to reflect on what truly brings you joy in your work? Remember, even the smallest actions can have a ripple effect and lead you towards a more fulfilling and meaningful career path.