The agency’s 25-year milestone also marks 12 years that the current management team has been working together, following Birgit Albrecht-Klein and members of her team joining Leinhäuser Language Services in the wake of a carve-out.
This move provided further impetus for the company’s ongoing expansion, and has proved to be ideal on a personal level.
That Birgit and Heike Leinhäuser would partner in business isn’t surprising as they’ve known each other for many years; first as colleagues at Siemens and then via a client-contractor relationship. Right from the beginning they had good chemistry and as managing directors of the agency, they perfectly complement each other.
Birgit began her career in commercial management at Siemens and uses her financial acumen to lead the agency’s controlling, reporting and planning. Heike is a creative thinker who generates a font of ideas and can rely upon her industry knowledge and proven intuition to guide her.
With their fortuitous balance of a disciplined focus on numbers and many soft skills, Birgit and Heike make joint decisions, together with Claudia Link-Beier.
As a three-person management team, they’ve positioned the agency as trusted provider of a full range of premium language services for international DAX, MDAX and Fortune 500 corporations, the SME enterprises comprising the “Mittelstand” of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, and more than 500 creative and design companies and publishing houses across Europe.
A business that is greater than the sum of its parts
Of course, it’s not just the management team’s leadership that has enabled Leinhäuser Language Services to become a language partner of choice for esteemed companies and organizations.
It’s the skill, passion, and commitment of every single member of the Leinhäuser team. Our translators, copywriters, editors, proofreaders, and A/V specialists — both in-house and freelancers who are part of our selective global network — have developed their expertise through years of training and professional experience.
Whether our professionals are contributing individually or as part of a cross-disciplinary team, ultimately, they enable us to consistently deliver flawless services and end products to our clients.
Working in a fast-paced industry
The global reality, however, is that financial management and people management have become increasingly complex for all companies. And, concurrent with that, our agency has continued to grow, changing dynamics and work styles.
From 20 employees 12 years ago, Leinhäuser now has more than 60 in-house professionals and maintains a network of several hundred freelance language and communications experts.
Our business is made up of many small components and teams, working in a fast-paced industry, making financial planning a challenge,
says Birgit. Managing the business’ finances, of course, requires financial know-how, and sound market insight. But, equally important is empathy and valuing people. The agency’s flat hierarchy enables clear communication channels and enables agile, effective teamwork.
Focus on the numbers without losing sight of the people at the heart of our business.
There’s never a dull moment at our Unterhaching headquarters, or in the home offices of our colleagues and network members. Though the company recently underwent a major restructuring following its expansion, leadership and colleagues steadfastly focused on delivering excellent work for clients. The agency was able to smoothly navigate through the changes by adhering to its core values of respect for colleagues’ ideas and contributions, and achieving excellence by enabling individuals to align their passions with their work.
To continue to grow and improve – for ourselves and for our clients – we maintain open communication among colleagues and, of course, within the management team. In fact, communication is paramount in the agency. Because a culture of trust has been fostered for years, we can quickly and creatively implement new ideas and leaner processes.
Birgit’s work with hard numbers and finances is never done in a bubble. Birgit makes sure that the company’s finances are accessible to all colleagues so they can apply their knowledge of the business to their day-to-day work. As Birgit notes, “You see the figures differently when you know the people behind them.” Having people at the heart of our business has been a key to our success.
Digitalization: a challenge and a win.
In Birgit’s words,
To be successful, we must work well as a team, come up with creative solutions, and partner with our clients.
One of Leinhäuser’s greatest strengths is the agile cooperation across the agency. By preventing silos, we enable creativity to flow. Of course, our colleagues and freelancers aren’t all located in our Unterhaching offices; the majority work remotely from homes across Germany and around the world. That’s why for years, we’ve worked to ensure all team members, especially recent joiners, feel the Leinhäuser spirit, understand what makes our agency tick, and are fully able to collaborate via digital platforms.
Recently, we’ve started Leinhäuser Lunchtime Lounge Beats sessions, which are powered by one of our senior group account managers for financial reporting who moonlights as an e-deejay. Colleagues working in the office have an opportunity to come together and colleagues working remotely can join in on the fun via a live stream. The management team values the “sense of togetherness” and so supports a range of additional events from informal after-work get-togethers, such as hybrid in-person and virtual Stammtisches (relaxed drinks to end the work day), weekly office yoga sessions, to an after-work running club.
“The people of Leinhäuser — team members and network freelancers — have a true passion and appreciation for the power and beauty of words,” says Birgit. “It’s their passion and expertise, coupled with collegiality and pursuit of excellence, that enable us to deliver both traditional and innovative language services.” Birgit continues,
I can’t wait to see what the people of Leinhäuser achieve in the agency’s next quarter century!
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Leinhäuser Language Services GmbH
Erlenhofpark
Inselkammerstr. 8
82008 Unterhaching
T:+49 89 – 480581 00
F:+49 89 – 480581 01