[0.0s -> 2.4s] I'm going to have to need a son.
[2.4s -> 6.6s] Thank you so much for joining me for today's discussion in my props testimonials.
[6.6s -> 11.1s] It's my pleasure to have this chance to get to know you better and to find out more about
[11.1s -> 16.4s] your career, about what you think for rewards and recognition, and of course as my props
[16.4s -> 20.2s] sponsor of the well-being squad, your thoughts on well-being.
[20.2s -> 25.1s] So before we jump into the meeting into the discussion in depth, I'd actually like to know
[25.1s -> 26.1s] from you.
[26.1s -> 28.1s] Do you prefer espresso or cappuccino?
[28.1s -> 35.7s] Well, first of all, thank you, Katherine, for inviting me, Christine, and the rest of
[35.7s -> 36.7s] the gang.
[36.7s -> 40.3s] It's my pleasure to be here on this testimonial.
[40.3s -> 45.0s] I think it's a pretty good way and innovative way for us to get to know about each other
[45.0s -> 46.0s] more.
[46.0s -> 49.5s] I really enjoyed the previous edition, so I'm really excited that you've invited me
[49.5s -> 50.5s] finally, right?
[50.5s -> 56.0s] To answer your question, cappuccino all the time, and even in the afternoon, the evenings.
[56.0s -> 61.2s] Oh, don't tell that to the Italians, there'll be quite upset about that one.
[61.2s -> 62.8s] So yes, I'm also curious.
[62.8s -> 68.7s] If you'd like to share with us a little bit about your path here at PMI, and even if possible,
[68.7s -> 70.7s] what you did before you joined PMI.
[70.7s -> 78.1s] So a very, very long story, but for the brief, very brief terms, before PMI, I was working
[78.1s -> 83.6s] as a consultant and mostly in the data mining business intelligence space, being at PMI
[83.6s -> 89.4s] since 2006, joined in the Middle East, in the commercial system side of things, then
[89.4s -> 94.8s] had a pretty typical PMI journey in different positions, different countries.
[94.8s -> 99.6s] Last position I was at Canada, I was at a VIT there, I had a digital, and came back to
[99.6s -> 105.4s] Lausanne in 2002, a little stint and IT corporate, and I've been in this manufacturing role since
[105.4s -> 112.3s] the last two and a half years, and really enjoying the journey so far.
[112.3s -> 116.7s] And certainly flies, it feels like just the other day you joined us in ITObs.
[116.7s -> 123.2s] It does, just FY, this March was my 20th year in PMI.
[123.2s -> 131.2s] Congratulations, great milestone, tell me, when inspires you to come to work every day?
[131.2s -> 141.3s] Well, honestly, it's fun, I know it's probably maybe a cliché thing to say, I think it can
[141.3s -> 144.7s] sound like I'm being glib about it, but it's not, it's, you know, it really is fun,
[144.7s -> 149.9s] there's challenges every day, so it's not, it's not easy all the time, but there's challenges
[149.9s -> 155.2s] and there's, there's highs and there's lows, definitely more highs than those I would say,
[155.2s -> 156.9s] so that's what makes it fun, right?
[156.9s -> 161.7s] And obviously, your mind always needs stimulation, you're, you're, you're working with people
[161.7s -> 166.6s] that stimulates you, that's what keeps me, you know, let's say, waking up every day saying
[166.7s -> 168.4s] that's, that's going to work.
[168.4s -> 174.3s] Okay, going in is, I mean, the physical sense to coming to work, but also, you know, remotely,
[174.3s -> 178.2s] you know, you, you connected people from all over the world here, all sorts of different
[178.2s -> 184.0s] things, situations, challenges ahead of you, and that's what just keeps it, keeps it
[184.0s -> 187.6s] interesting for everybody, I think, particularly for me.
[187.6s -> 192.4s] Yeah, I think that's really important topics, and I think you're very, very career, as you
[192.4s -> 197.2s] said, you know, across the Middle East, Canada, now here in LaZanne, that also contributes
[197.2s -> 202.1s] to, to the fun environment, there's all the different cultural experiences, and I think
[202.1s -> 203.8s] you're good at resolving challenges.
[203.8s -> 209.2s] I know this from past experience working with you, based on all of that, and looking back
[209.2s -> 215.0s] if you think over your 20 years at PMI, is there a memory or a story that made a specific
[215.0s -> 217.7s] impact on you that you'd like to share with us?
[218.5s -> 225.4s] I mean, there's many, many, I would say PMI as a company has been great to work for, and
[225.4s -> 229.9s] really, you know, it's been so long now, 20 years, I don't know if I can speak with authority
[229.9s -> 233.0s] on what it's like in the outside world, but I have lots of friends and colleagues in
[233.0s -> 237.9s] the outside world, and from what I, you know, we share war stories, I would say PMI definitely
[237.9s -> 242.1s] in terms of taking care of its people is really outstanding, right?
[242.1s -> 246.3s] But leaving the company aside, I mean, if I talk about the people who have worked
[246.3s -> 252.3s] at, I mean, there's amazing stories about many of my bosses, my peers, my direct reports,
[252.3s -> 253.3s] everybody.
[253.3s -> 257.0s] I mean, there's so many stories I could name, but maybe two or three that I'll talk about,
[257.0s -> 262.4s] first of all, I think a big one, which we all recognize as our company's reaction to
[262.4s -> 263.4s] COVID, right?
[263.4s -> 265.4s] It was amazing, right?
[265.4s -> 271.2s] And it seems like a lifetime ago, almost like a bad dream now, but it was only five years
[271.2s -> 277.3s] ago, six now, but how PMI reacted to it, how strong stances we took on, you know, taking
[277.3s -> 280.1s] care of our employees, that was amazing for me.
[280.1s -> 284.8s] Recently, with the situation in the Gulf, right, how we managed to get our people out,
[284.8s -> 287.9s] et cetera, that's another example, but that's at a company level, right?
[287.9s -> 292.9s] If you look at from person to person, you know, I don't want to break confidentiality, but
[292.9s -> 298.0s] there's so many of our colleagues who take step, you know, go above and beyond to help
[298.0s -> 302.7s] out both on a personal basis, but also on a work basis, right?
[302.7s -> 307.6s] So yeah, there's many, many memories, and I hope I've made some of those memories for
[307.6s -> 311.7s] people too, so I think it's a give and take, right?
[311.7s -> 313.3s] We all have a part to play.
[313.3s -> 314.3s] Absolutely.
[314.3s -> 318.2s] And the company culture is so important, and then it gives us the spaces, individuals
[318.2s -> 322.0s] to bring our best as well.
[322.0s -> 328.0s] So I'd like to move on to one of our key topics around the rewards and recognition.
[328.0s -> 334.5s] And again, I'm asking you to share a memory, a memorable moment, when I think yourself,
[334.5s -> 339.5s] or somebody in your team was recognized for their work, could you perhaps tell us more
[339.5s -> 345.2s] about a context around an occasion like that, what made it meaningful, and what the impact
[345.2s -> 347.3s] was on the person who was recognized?
[347.3s -> 352.5s] Well, again, it's one of those questions where there's so many examples.
[352.5s -> 360.6s] Yesterday, I got a note of somebody who delivered a job in a specific activity, probably too
[360.6s -> 365.3s] low to deserve an award, or something like that, but it's every moment counts, everything
[365.3s -> 366.6s] you do counts.
[366.6s -> 372.2s] But maybe if I just take the most recent big, big activity is one of our service managers,
[372.2s -> 377.2s] a gentleman called Patrick Rebelas in Appalachem, one of the service managers of the year award.
[377.2s -> 380.5s] And along with a bunch of other people in Appalachem, I think we had eight or nine people in
[380.5s -> 382.7s] Appalachem, who won in that CDI award.
[382.7s -> 386.1s] So I mean, it's an amazing recognition for our people.
[386.1s -> 387.1s] How does it make you feel?
[387.1s -> 393.1s] Well, when you see things like this, maybe if I speak about myself as a supervisor, first
[393.1s -> 400.8s] of all, very proud that I'm part of a team that has people like this, like going above
[400.8s -> 406.6s] and beyond, obviously enjoy playing a part sometimes and helping to nominate people like
[406.6s -> 411.1s] this and make sure that their achievements are visible, because that can be a challenge
[411.1s -> 415.3s] in our platform, which is very globally dispersed, and you know, factory by factory we have
[415.3s -> 416.3s] not that many people.
[416.3s -> 421.3s] So it can be very easy to feel sometimes isolated or in an island, if you have a, let's say
[421.3s -> 425.9s] you're in a factory with five or six people in a country far away from another factory,
[425.9s -> 427.2s] you could feel quite isolated.
[427.2s -> 431.4s] So you know, rewarding and recognizing people is a very important way for us to make sure
[431.4s -> 433.7s] people are seen and heard, right?
[433.7s -> 438.5s] The monetary aspect of the recognition aspect is great as well, I think, as humans, most
[438.5s -> 441.3s] of us just firstly want to be seen and heard, right?
[441.3s -> 447.1s] And that's, that's, I think, the most important part behind our awards and recognition schemes
[447.1s -> 448.1s] that we have here.
[448.1s -> 449.1s] Yeah.
[449.1s -> 453.1s] Absolutely, and I think it's undeniable the importance of recognition from management
[453.1s -> 459.2s] level and a great achievement of our platform to have so many winners from the CDI award.
[459.2s -> 463.2s] What message would you like to share with people about recognition from peer-to-peer
[463.2s -> 464.2s] level?
[464.2s -> 467.6s] To it every day, right?
[467.6s -> 470.1s] We all come in to work for purpose.
[470.1s -> 475.1s] Our purpose is my differ, but I believe we all come in with good intentions, right?
[475.1s -> 481.7s] And everybody who comes in and wants to deliver something, work on something, help somebody,
[481.7s -> 487.0s] ultimately would appreciate being, like I said before, seen and heard by this.
[487.0s -> 492.6s] So you know, sometimes we fall into the trap of waiting for like a DNA award or a TLC award
[492.6s -> 493.6s] or whatever, right?
[493.6s -> 500.9s] Different awards or I think just a simple thank you, sometimes goes a long way, a little
[500.9s -> 506.4s] email saying, you know, in our platform, we have the Scoodle space, which is amazing, criminally
[506.4s -> 507.4s] underutilized.
[507.4s -> 508.7s] I don't choose it enough and I should.
[508.7s -> 514.1s] I set reminders to myself to go in there, but you know, any recognition is always appreciated
[514.1s -> 516.6s] by everybody, you know, what we call the pat on the back, right?
[516.6s -> 522.5s] Even as simple as that can go a long way to keeping a morale up, especially it's a very
[523.0s -> 528.6s] as we, as I mentioned earlier, it's a challenging environment right now from a business perspective,
[528.6s -> 532.4s] from a geopolitical perspective, lots of things happening.
[532.4s -> 534.1s] So yeah, every little bit counts, right?
[534.1s -> 536.7s] So do it every day, guys.
[536.7s -> 539.4s] I try and do it myself.
[539.4s -> 545.0s] I forget sometimes, but then I always have a little reminder going off somewhere that reminds
[545.0s -> 549.1s] me that it's time for my kudos of the day at least, yeah?
[549.1s -> 550.9s] Excellent, sounds good.
[550.9s -> 554.4s] I haven't still a last question around rewards and recognition.
[554.4s -> 558.8s] During your career, do you have any specific, or do you recall any specific moment when
[558.8s -> 562.7s] you received recognition and how it made you feel?
[562.7s -> 567.6s] Yeah, I mean, hello, we don't make it promoted, that's a good one, right?
[567.6s -> 571.6s] We don't love our own time, those are the big moments, right?
[571.6s -> 572.6s] Correct.
[572.6s -> 574.1s] But yeah, I mean, many different projects.
[574.2s -> 582.7s] I think maybe one that I would really remember was, and I really stand out for me, it's
[582.7s -> 589.6s] fairly old now, but it was when we deployed the product teams in Canada and the commercial
[589.6s -> 590.6s] organization there.
[590.6s -> 595.3s] And that was very challenging exercise, because it was relatively new in PMI in those days,
[595.3s -> 598.3s] not many affiliates had done something like that, so there wasn't a playbook to work
[598.3s -> 599.3s] from.
[599.3s -> 604.5s] You know, we were a bit behind considering the rest of the industry or the rest other companies,
[604.5s -> 605.5s] right?
[605.5s -> 610.2s] So PMI was a bit of a laggard in that space, so we had sort of external things to catch
[610.2s -> 613.9s] up on, lack of internal support on it.
[613.9s -> 617.2s] So there was a bit of green fields stuff that we were exploring.
[617.2s -> 621.7s] So I would say emotionally and intellectually very draining, but at the end, when we got
[621.7s -> 626.5s] it all going, the outcome was really amazing, right?
[626.5s -> 629.6s] And being recognized for that, not just me, by the way, because it's a team that did
[629.6s -> 634.7s] all this, but for us to be recognized, well, firstly, our recognizing ourselves was great,
[634.7s -> 635.7s] right?
[635.7s -> 637.1s] That we did this, right?
[637.1s -> 640.7s] That you start from there, start from yourself, right?
[640.7s -> 646.8s] But then of course, everybody else sees it and steps up and recognizes it too.
[646.8s -> 652.1s] And the ultimate recognition came for us when, you know, there's some other different changes
[652.1s -> 654.4s] and people were like, oh, maybe we should change the model.
[654.4s -> 659.6s] And our business team said, no way, this works so well that there's no way we will let
[659.6s -> 660.6s] this die, right?
[660.6s -> 663.0s] So that really validates you ultimately, right?
[663.0s -> 666.8s] Okay, we did the right thing, the right intentions.
[666.8s -> 669.6s] That is very well done indeed, yes.
[669.6s -> 673.9s] Because org change and changing the way people work, it's fundamental, and it's one of
[673.9s -> 676.0s] the hardest changes to do.
[676.0s -> 681.2s] And I'm proud to say just that on 10 years later, because there's started in 16, the
[681.2s -> 685.1s] teams are still active, and many of the leaders of those teams have gone on to bigger and
[685.1s -> 686.6s] better careers in the company.
[686.6s -> 692.8s] So I reflect very fondly on those that time.
[692.8s -> 697.3s] I can hear that from the way you explain and share the story with us.
[697.3s -> 702.2s] So in fact, along the same road, I mean, there you were discussing about the recognition
[702.2s -> 708.6s] that came and how satisfying it was that business really adopted the changes you brought,
[708.6s -> 713.2s] giving on to a more personal way with careers and performance.
[713.2s -> 717.6s] I'd like to know your thoughts about what role individuals, employees should play when
[717.6s -> 721.5s] they drive their own development conversations with their management.
[721.5s -> 726.1s] I think, I mean, our P&T colleagues tell us that you know, your career is in your hands.
[726.1s -> 727.2s] I second them on that.
[727.2s -> 731.2s] I think, you know, I'm a boss, I'm a boss, but I'm a boss as to.
[731.2s -> 736.0s] Of course, as a boss, you have a lot of responsibility to help people drive their careers, drive their
[736.0s -> 737.0s] development.
[737.2s -> 741.1s] Ultimately, it's a career and you're doing this for your career.
[741.1s -> 745.7s] So I think every employee should really take ownership, right?
[745.7s -> 750.6s] First of all, find out what's out there, what tools are there from P&T side, from the
[750.6s -> 755.9s] IT side, from PMI tech to support you, but rather than that, you know, look outside, you
[755.9s -> 761.1s] know, our CIO always tells us, I'm sure he wants us all to stay in this company, but he
[761.1s -> 764.8s] tells us always to have our skillsets ready for job outside, right?
[764.8s -> 767.0s] Because that's the only way you'll stay relevant.
[767.0s -> 771.7s] So look outside as well, attend conferences, look at what's happening in the space nowadays,
[771.7s -> 772.7s] it's all AI, right?
[772.7s -> 776.2s] But there's still many other tech things out there that we can learn.
[776.2s -> 781.3s] But I think every employee really needs to take their charge of their own development.
[781.3s -> 787.9s] I think, again, it's my opinion, if you don't, you earn away hostage to somebody else,
[787.9s -> 788.9s] right?
[788.9s -> 791.8s] And that's never a good way to achieve strong results.
[791.8s -> 795.5s] You may get lucky and your boss may be amazing and really push for you, but whatever
[795.5s -> 796.5s] they aren't, right?
[796.5s -> 802.4s] I'm not saying boss is a bad, but let's say, I mean, I have a few people reporting to me,
[802.4s -> 803.4s] right?
[803.4s -> 807.0s] How am I going to pay that attention to every individual, right?
[807.0s -> 811.3s] I try, of course, with my direct reports, etc., but as you get into the organization, it's
[811.3s -> 812.3s] hard.
[812.3s -> 817.4s] So everybody should manage their own career in a much, very proactive fashion.
[817.4s -> 821.9s] And I think if you do that, then you also see a corresponding, it's a law of nature, right?
[821.9s -> 824.7s] That positive energy will attract energy from the other side.
[824.7s -> 829.9s] So if you get out there and if you proactively try and draw your career, you will see a
[829.9s -> 835.3s] good response coming from the other side, whether it's a future bosses, a future organizations
[835.3s -> 837.7s] or your PNC partners, right?
[837.7s -> 844.1s] They will prioritize what you're doing, above somebody who's not so active on it, yeah?
[844.1s -> 848.0s] Again, I hope I don't get in trouble with PNC for saying that, but it's just the way
[848.0s -> 849.0s] it is, right?
[849.0s -> 850.4s] I think it's natural.
[850.8s -> 851.8s] Correct.
[851.8s -> 855.2s] And I think it's really important that people drive their own career.
[855.2s -> 858.1s] And I was wondering, I mean, as you said, you've got a very large team.
[858.1s -> 861.8s] You've actually got the largest sub platform on IT ops.
[861.8s -> 865.7s] And do you see enough people driving their career?
[865.7s -> 869.9s] What do you think people are missing or not doing enough of to drive their career?
[869.9s -> 878.6s] I think the tough question, I think it's, I mean, it's a 50-50, right?
[878.6s -> 885.3s] There's some people I know who are quite, quite forward in what they want and how they want
[885.3s -> 886.3s] to grow.
[886.3s -> 888.3s] I think that's an amazing thing.
[888.3s -> 893.8s] There's some who are very, I don't want to say laid back, but maybe a bit more take
[893.8s -> 898.0s] it as it comes approach and I strongly encourage everybody that I at least get in touch with
[898.0s -> 903.8s] that, you know, it's okay because everybody has their, their desire.
[903.8s -> 910.8s] So if you do want to have a more, let's say, different approach, you don't want to go as
[910.8s -> 914.0s] faster as somebody else may, yeah, you can take it differently.
[914.0s -> 916.6s] So yeah, it's a very bespoke thing, right?
[916.6s -> 918.6s] That's a tough question to answer.
[918.6s -> 921.3s] There's very different ways to this, right?
[921.3s -> 928.9s] I have seen people who are not so vocal, verbal, but they speak through their actions, right?
[928.9s -> 930.8s] And people see that and recognize it, right?
[930.8s -> 936.1s] There are those who will shout from the rooftops and you're like, I don't know if the output
[936.1s -> 937.4s] is matching that, right?
[937.4s -> 942.9s] So there's no one answer to this, I would say it's kind of 50-50.
[942.9s -> 948.0s] What I would say is everybody, back to the previous question, everybody just needs to take
[948.0s -> 949.5s] charge of their career.
[949.5s -> 952.0s] It's a very important thing to do.
[952.0s -> 953.0s] Exactly.
[953.0s -> 956.0s] And as you said, really leverage the tools available, the opportunities available.
[956.0s -> 957.0s] Yeah, interesting.
[957.0s -> 958.0s] Join my props code.
[958.0s -> 959.0s] Join my props, yeah.
[959.0s -> 962.6s] Thank you, Hassan, for raising that.
[962.6s -> 968.2s] I'm very happy to recruit more people any time, no, but it's important and it's really,
[968.2s -> 973.4s] it's great that PMI offers us these opportunities to have career conversations and to be able to
[973.4s -> 977.2s] share our vision and our requirements with our management and with the colleagues we work
[977.2s -> 982.8s] with so people can be more aware of what we would like and where we'd like to go.
[982.8s -> 987.7s] Now linked to development conversations and rewards and recognitions, I mean a reward
[987.7s -> 992.9s] and recognition is for what you do, career conversation is where you'd like to go.
[992.9s -> 998.5s] Now another element that comes in with both of them is how you keep motivation and commitment
[998.5s -> 1003.4s] of people, especially because as we all know with career development, there are no promises,
[1003.4s -> 1008.7s] there are no guarantees, a lot resides on opportunities from organization, from how
[1008.7s -> 1010.3s] the company grows and evolves.
[1010.3s -> 1011.3s] Yeah.
[1011.3s -> 1016.6s] So how do you keep people's motivation and commitment high during all these uncertain times?
[1016.6s -> 1020.6s] You know, trust comes from experience primarily, right?
[1020.6s -> 1027.1s] And I think people are motivated when they are in this context specifically right around
[1027.1s -> 1031.6s] career, they're motivated when they see that firstly what they're doing as an impact and
[1031.6s -> 1035.3s] second, that that impact eventually leads to growth for them, right?
[1035.3s -> 1038.0s] How do you show this, especially in the challenging time, right?
[1038.0s -> 1043.3s] Well, it's a core strong, it's a managerial ambition and courage on the parts of me and
[1043.3s -> 1049.1s] my leadership, my peers and our bosses and the ITLT to still provide the opportunities
[1049.1s -> 1051.0s] for growth for people.
[1051.0s -> 1057.0s] And I believe, again, 20 years in the company now, I've yet to see a scenario, including
[1057.0s -> 1063.4s] cases like COVID, etc., or 2008 crisis, even where PMI failed to do that somehow, right?
[1063.4s -> 1068.1s] And again, I talk about PMI as a company, but there's the people behind PMI, right?
[1068.1s -> 1071.2s] Our management teams, which we are part of it as well.
[1071.2s -> 1075.4s] I believe there's always a silver lining to the clouds, there's always ways for us to
[1075.4s -> 1080.0s] recognize people, there's always room for growth, there's always, let's be honest, there's
[1080.0s -> 1083.1s] always somebody leaving the company, this turnover, right?
[1083.1s -> 1088.0s] There's always opportunities being created, new projects, new categories, new acquisitions,
[1088.0s -> 1091.3s] I can't think of a time when PMI was so active, actually.
[1091.3s -> 1095.8s] In spite of maybe potential budget pressures, this and that, I still see a lot of people
[1095.8s -> 1098.5s] moving, trying new things.
[1098.5s -> 1102.8s] I hesitate to say getting promoted, because that always, people think that growth is always
[1102.8s -> 1107.4s] linked to promotions, but sometimes growth, many times growth is very much linked to learning
[1107.4s -> 1108.4s] new things, right?
[1108.4s -> 1112.8s] And that will lead to growth, from a promotions perspective or a monetary perspective
[1112.8s -> 1113.8s] down the road.
[1113.8s -> 1121.5s] But I think it starts with the learning, right, which is, again, common sense.
[1121.5s -> 1125.7s] Why would you be promoted or do something new if you don't have something new to offer?
[1125.7s -> 1130.3s] Right, we expect that of everybody else around us, we should expect that of ourselves as
[1130.3s -> 1131.3s] well.
[1131.3s -> 1134.6s] So role modeling is also important to keep learning.
[1134.6s -> 1135.6s] Absolutely.
[1135.6s -> 1140.5s] Everybody, you know, we do it at home with our kids, we have kids, but all we need to do
[1140.5s -> 1146.2s] it, it worked with our peers and with ourselves and everybody else around us, everyone
[1146.2s -> 1151.0s] of us, that's why the DNA behaviors, the really high end is what's called, it's modeling,
[1151.0s -> 1155.3s] role modeling those DNA behaviors, that's the perfect choice of words.
[1155.7s -> 1159.3s] Now, fantastic, and I think that's really important to keep the motivation.
[1159.3s -> 1165.2s] As you said in the introduction, that through your 20 years at PMI, you've always had opportunities
[1165.2s -> 1170.9s] not only of fun, but of challenges, of places to grow, of opportunities to learn new things,
[1170.9s -> 1175.4s] and all this contributes to make you a richer, more experienced, professional, delivering
[1175.4s -> 1177.6s] high quality work at PMI.
[1177.6s -> 1184.2s] And if everybody approaches their work and embraces challenges the same way, we all grow.
[1184.5s -> 1190.8s] Absolutely, curiosity, adaptability, I mean, the bunch of adjectives, copilot can help
[1190.8s -> 1191.8s] us with those.
[1191.8s -> 1195.7s] I think everybody watching this will get the message, right, that's a stake, you're
[1195.7s -> 1198.0s] still, and trying new things.
[1198.0s -> 1199.0s] Exactly.
[1199.0s -> 1204.0s] I'd like to turn now a bit to a topic I know, which is very important for you, because
[1204.0s -> 1208.3s] you are the sponsor of our squad on my props for wellbeing.
[1208.3s -> 1213.8s] And I wondered for you, I mean, as a director of a big team, you've got a lot of responsibilities,
[1213.8s -> 1217.7s] you've got an enormous amount of pressure, and a very high workload.
[1217.7s -> 1221.4s] And what are your thoughts about work-life balance?
[1221.4s -> 1226.8s] And what changes do you think people could make to maintain a balance that works for
[1226.8s -> 1227.8s] them?
[1227.8s -> 1230.0s] Can I start with a joke?
[1230.0s -> 1232.0s] What is work-life balance?
[1232.0s -> 1239.0s] I think, well, it's an age-old discussion, right, I mean, I sometimes we think it may
[1239.0s -> 1243.5s] have been better in the old days, but I remember my father in the 80s as a banker.
[1243.5s -> 1247.1s] I think they've faced those challenges back then too, so I think it's a challenge for
[1247.1s -> 1251.0s] every era just with different nuances around it.
[1251.0s -> 1255.3s] I guess our nuances that we're so connected, right, so our phones, our laptops keep us
[1255.3s -> 1256.3s] always busy.
[1256.3s -> 1260.6s] We're a globalized company, so as you said, look at my role, right, to have people in all
[1260.6s -> 1265.1s] time zones, so there's any given time that something happening somewhere, I mean, you could
[1265.1s -> 1270.2s] just go crazy if you try and stay on top of all of this, right, so, I mean, this obviously
[1270.2s -> 1276.8s] mitigating techniques, coping strategies that we can use, right, against start-to-team
[1276.8s -> 1281.4s] work, I think, so yes, it's a challenge that I have a very big team, it's also a great
[1281.4s -> 1288.5s] asset, right, with that big team, I can actually delegate a lot of the responsibilities, right,
[1288.5s -> 1292.2s] so I think we all share it, we're all in this together, right, so I think that helps a
[1292.2s -> 1293.2s] lot.
[1293.2s -> 1300.1s] Now that's from the work side now, okay, life, yeah, so there's been, I think, the big sort
[1300.1s -> 1304.4s] of turning point for me was the COVID time, like it was for a lot of people, right, when
[1304.4s -> 1308.7s] I was able to start working from home, I was not a big believer of working home in the
[1308.7s -> 1312.7s] past, I thought it was a lazy people who would just, they're not going to really be working,
[1312.7s -> 1317.0s] that was just me, right, then I realized, oh no, actually, you can be quite productive
[1317.0s -> 1322.0s] at home, right, so I think, first of all, I didn't encourage everybody who can because
[1322.0s -> 1327.5s] some jobs it's hard to do that, work from home as much as possible, as for the guidelines,
[1327.5s -> 1332.9s] I think that helps immediately balance a lot of things and the other thing is, you know,
[1332.9s -> 1338.8s] this is again my personal opinion, I am flexible with my work balance, work life balance a
[1338.8s -> 1343.5s] little bit, not everybody can do that, different commitments, but I don't mind taking calls
[1343.5s -> 1348.1s] late in the evenings, right, for example, if it means that late in the afternoon, I have
[1348.1s -> 1351.9s] time to myself instead of attending meetings at five o'clock and then getting out of here
[1351.9s -> 1358.2s] and being stuck in traffic R, right, so I think the flexibility that we have with our
[1358.2s -> 1364.0s] different, let's say, balance it or like the smart work policy, etc, we should understand
[1364.0s -> 1368.0s] them and we should take advantage of them, there's lots of room for us to, I don't want
[1368.0s -> 1374.2s] to say work with the system, but, you know, we can together as a team find ways to bring
[1374.2s -> 1381.9s] the balance into our lives, right, it's quite important, of course, self-evident, right
[1382.9s -> 1388.9s] correct, now I think flexibility and delegation are definitely very powerful tools, is there
[1388.9s -> 1393.8s] anything, any other tool you use that you find particularly effective, I mean, with the
[1393.8s -> 1399.0s] risk of going a bit off-topping into more personal things, but like meditation or sport
[1399.0s -> 1404.9s] or any other activity that you do that helps you make a switch, I tried meditating, I've
[1404.9s -> 1409.2s] got really bored of it after a while, it didn't work on me obviously, I think on one of
[1409.2s -> 1415.5s] those x percent, you just can't do it, no, a little bit of sports, nothing much, to
[1415.5s -> 1426.4s] be honest, my main stress reliever is spending time with the kids and I actually like spending
[1426.4s -> 1433.1s] time in the kitchen, so that relieves me a lot, I don't know, just fun, cooking up new
[1433.1s -> 1438.1s] things, so I do that as a part-time thing, but one thing, I'm just coming back, it's
[1438.1s -> 1443.2s] a bit work-related, I've really realized that co-pilot is amazing for helping you sort
[1443.2s -> 1447.4s] out and plan things, not just at work, but also in your personal life, and there's so
[1447.4s -> 1452.7s] much that co-pilot can do for your AI, right, so yeah, it's helping me a lot with a few
[1452.7s -> 1455.8s] things, you know, all those prompts you see about it can help you with travel bookings
[1455.8s -> 1460.4s] and all, I thought it was not really true, but actually does, there's many ways you can
[1460.4s -> 1466.1s] use even new technologies which you would think are going to take a toll on you, but actually
[1466.1s -> 1472.7s] you can really use them as a tool to help free of valuable time, the time is the one thing
[1472.7s -> 1478.6s] none of us can create or buy, right, it's, again, an evident thing, and I think whatever
[1478.6s -> 1485.1s] I can do to make time somehow is helpful, and in my opinion meditation doesn't help me
[1485.1s -> 1486.1s] make time.
[1486.1s -> 1491.0s] Your answer is so wrong, it takes an hour out of my time that I don't know what I'm
[1491.0s -> 1492.0s] doing with it.
[1492.0s -> 1496.5s] I'm sure that many people listening to your interview who are going, well, this is
[1496.5s -> 1503.1s] just like me, no major sports, no meditation, or any of these other new age type things,
[1503.1s -> 1506.9s] but very much like down to earth, practical, as you said, time with your family, time
[1506.9s -> 1511.8s] in the kitchen, leverage in co-pilot to help, but I know I've got a friend who uses it
[1511.8s -> 1517.2s] to help her prepare recipes for balanced meals with specific nutritional requirements, so
[1517.2s -> 1522.8s] it really isn't an accelerate turn, a great time saver, so that's very good.
[1522.8s -> 1529.5s] So yeah, I think you've given us some really good pointers about how to recognize the
[1529.5s -> 1534.7s] work that our colleagues do every day, how to work ourselves on identifying what we need
[1534.7s -> 1538.6s] and having the right career conversations with our management and where we'd like to go
[1538.6s -> 1543.8s] for career development, and I love your well-being, it's very much spot on what we experience
[1543.8s -> 1549.3s] every day, trying to juggle work and life and making the most of what we have in 24 hours
[1549.3s -> 1551.0s] each day.
[1551.0s -> 1555.7s] I was wondering for conclusion, concluding remarks, if there's anything else you'd like
[1555.7s -> 1556.7s] to share today?
[1556.7s -> 1563.1s] Well, those are no me, no, I can talk for hours about things, maybe a bit too much, but I
[1563.1s -> 1569.1s] don't want to take up too much time, I think what I would maybe do three things, we already
[1569.1s -> 1577.1s] touched upon some of them right, I think one is take every day as it comes with no preconceived
[1577.1s -> 1582.2s] assumptions about things, I think sometimes we get too serious about things and sometimes
[1582.2s -> 1589.5s] even more emotionally attached to certain positions etc, so just relax, there was a very famous
[1589.5s -> 1593.4s] book back in the day my father used to read it and some are sort of in his library, it's
[1593.4s -> 1598.9s] from the 80s and 90s, it's called Don't Sweat the Small Stuff.
[1598.9s -> 1603.4s] It's in small letters and everything is small stuff right, so not to undermine the importance
[1603.4s -> 1610.1s] of things, but let's get a group guys, we do a job and it's a great job, we do fantastic,
[1610.1s -> 1615.8s] we work for a very big company which is very successful, I think there's a lot positive,
[1615.8s -> 1619.4s] a lot of positives in our career wise at least, I cannot speak for everybody's personal
[1619.4s -> 1623.0s] lives, but definitely on the career side I think there's a lot of positives our way, so
[1623.0s -> 1626.0s] every day I would encourage coming into the positive attitude, assume good intentions
[1626.0s -> 1631.0s] from everybody and that's a fantastic way to start every day, every week and every month
[1631.0s -> 1636.8s] right, and that positive energy carries just throughout, so now having said that I also
[1636.8s -> 1642.2s] am a very big realist, you know this from me, there are those ups and downs and many, many
[1642.2s -> 1646.5s] downs come right and the only thing again I would say to that is let's stay in good intentions
[1646.5s -> 1654.0s] right, everybody is here, like I said to do the best they can, so if we hold polarized
[1654.0s -> 1661.6s] positions, then things don't go as well as they could, I think what we can do in terms
[1661.6s -> 1664.8s] of moving forward all the time, continuously moving forward, it'll always help all of
[1664.8s -> 1668.6s] us as a group, not just in our platform, but within the broader IT platforms and with our
[1668.6s -> 1672.4s] business partners, everybody we work with right, and it goes back to a lot of what you guys
[1672.4s -> 1680.5s] are doing with my props, right, is trying to look at these things and use focus groups
[1680.5s -> 1685.3s] to really drive impact on them, so I've been a big supporter of my props initiatives
[1685.3s -> 1689.7s] and stay one, because I benefited from it and other platforms in the past, so I think
[1689.7s -> 1694.7s] it's a great work, so one message I'd like to take here is to everybody, if I can look
[1694.7s -> 1699.1s] directly at a camera, if I do this, is sign up for one of my props initiatives, and
[1699.1s -> 1705.0s] I think you will really enjoy and be able to contribute much more than you would individually
[1705.0s -> 1710.5s] right, when you're part of this amazing team, and also thank you for the invite
[1710.5s -> 1712.5s] to this testimonial.
[1712.5s -> 1718.5s] Super, thank you very much, Asan, very inspirational, I leave here motivated and ready to keep going.
[1718.5s -> 1719.5s] Thank you.
[1719.5s -> 1720.5s] Thank you.