The last few times I reported that I am becoming more and more relaxed about my outfits and make-up when it comes to video calls and office days. For people who don't deal with me regularly, this is certainly confusing (perhaps for the others too). In any case, I have recently been consistently addressed as Ms. Behrend in a few meetings by external people. I admit, it felt really good and I was pleased that my colleague, who was also at the meeting, simply ignored it.
I am now so self-confident that I can just be happy about it. Just like the fact that I went to the Night of the Proms for the first time this year. I would never have dreamed that I would go to this event, which we attend every year with my boss and his wife, among others. I have certainly written the start of a sentence "I never dreamed..." many times. In fact, so much has happened in the last few years that I did not expect and that I did not plan.
Sometimes I don't even know how to deal with certain things. Recently I've been asked a few times how I want to be addressed. Usually it's about Mr. or Ms. and not about my first name. In my professional Outlook and Teams it says Christian, of course, and I've always given that as a reason why it's better to stick with Mr. or Christian. But somehow that's strange and doesn't really match the picture.
A female colleague brought up a completely different aspect yesterday. I replied with my usual reference to the name that is displayed in Teams and she said very clearly and resolutely that she didn't care what is written there. The decisive factor for her was how I would find it more comfortable for myself. With this clear statement made by her, I asked her to address me as Ms. Behrend in the future. I realize that this can probably lead to confusion at one point or another, but I have to admit that I'm looking forward to receiving the first professional email in which I'm addressed as Ms. Behrend.
I'm sure that next year there will be one or two exciting situations that I will definitely report on.
Until then, stay tuned
Your Nicole
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