1. What have you found most challenging as a CEO or executive of a large enterprise?

Cohesion. Getting a group of executives, users or team members to pull in the same direction is the most challenging part of my job duties. It, however, is the most critical and the most rewarding when accomplished.

2. How did you become a CEO or executive of a large enterprise? Can you please briefly tell the story?

9 interviews and 9 months of pursuing this position was the culmination of over 20 years in the technology sector. I have moved 5 states and 7 jobs to get here but I believe my true growth into executive management came with my focus on the soft skills related to organizational teams and leadership. This area of focus is something that I believe should be the bedrock of any executive leader today.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

Right now, we are in a long sprint, so my days start at 4am and last until 11pm, filled with a couple hours of workout, and the rest is a structured work schedule that allows big decisions and big work to be done early and little items to follow the rest of the day. I'm a time-box individual and think that you give yourself the tools and the opportunity to succeed by allotting time for each thing you want to accomplish throughout your day, week, month and year.

4. What's the most recent significant leadership lesson you've learned?

That "adoption" is a user's choice, not a forced mandate that anyone directs. Even if it's good for the user, group, team or entire network...doesn't mean they will like it or adopt it. You still have to sell, even internally.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene. It allows you to work on a specific, tailored experience to each and every one of your fellow teammates, co-workers and even your boss.

6. How do you build leadership capacity in a large enterprise?

Slowly and with empathy. You have to show others that you are practicing what you preach and really start to understand the way they perceive it. Doing good things for the right reasons will always make you successful.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a CEO or executive of a large enterprise so far?

I think this would traditionally be the part with a large, drawn out story of how I was successfully in rolling out a large platform or my team owned a huge sprint (both have happened) but it's not...the most impactful story comes recently when a coworker called me during the height of the pandemic and simply asked "are you alright?". I am here to tell you that the small things you do and don't do with and to your coworkers...your fellow humans, provide the greatest impact, whether you ever realize it or not.