Thank you to the 1,400 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 questions!
I hope reading
7 Questions with Steeve Huin
helps you in your leadership.
Cheers,
Jonno White
7 Questions with Steeve Huin
Name: Steeve Huin
Current title: Chief Marketing Officer
Current organisation: Irdeto
Steeve is Chief Marketing Officer, responsible for Business Development, Marketing and Strategic Partnerships, at Irdeto. He is a seasoned cybersecurity executive with nearly 20 years of experience in building products, driving engagement and revenue within the cybersecurity domain. Steeve has a wealth of market knowledge and experience in the video entertainment, mobile gaming and connected industries such as healthcare and transport.
Steeve holds a Master’s degree in Software Engineering and is well-versed in the international business landscape, having held key strategic positions in the Netherlands, Canada and China throughout his career. Prior to his current leadership role at Irdeto, Steeve was Co-Chief Executive Officer at International Datacasting Corporation (IDC), a technology provider to the world’s premiere broadcasters in Canada.
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1. What have you found most challenging as a CEO or executive of a large enterprise?
We live in a world where there is still a strong stereotype of leaders that everybody is expected to model - it is the strong and decisive leader. I am unquestionably built that way - however, the challenge of course is to also be human and vulnerable at times.
Being vulnerable and honest about challenges is what builds trust but can also be mis-construed as a sign of weakness and incompetence. So, for me and perhaps many others, a big challenge is to find the time and place to be vulnerable.
2. How did you become a CEO or executive of a large enterprise? Can you please briefly tell the story?
I joined Irdeto (for the first time) around 20 years ago and have been very passionate about the technology, the company and the awesome people ever since. My story is the one of luck to have been able to live my passion every day, and having been able to grow into a variety of roles in and around Irdeto with an infectious excitement for it. In these 20 years, Irdeto has grown from being a security provider in the PayTV space back in 2001, to a world leader in cybersecurity in many industries including automotive, industrial/manufacturing, health to make the world a safer place.
3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?
We are obviously living unprecedented times and with that comes a lot of flexibility. Pre Covid, I would have to wake up very early to ensure I can work out, and would only have time for the family in the evenings (before sometimes working again once everyone is in bed). Now every day looks a bit of the same and yet different – I adapt what I want to do around my planned meetings, and occupy the small times here and there to workout, take a break or spend time with the family. Key point is right now we have unprecedented flexibility and more time available (as we are not commuting or traveling)!
4. What's the most recent significant leadership lesson you've learned?
I would say it is a combination of a few things - first and foremost, allowing oneself to be vulnerable with your peers and your team (there is obviously a time and place for it).
And linked to it is the need to have no shortage of empathy as a leader.
It all comes together in these COVID times, where it is okay to tell your team that you are not having a great day; and it is also important to recognize, have empathy and support your team - we are all struggling having been grounded for over a year and being socially isolated.
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?
No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention is fascinating in many ways and highly recommended on how to foster innovation and how to manage performance.
6. How do you build leadership capacity in a large enterprise?
I suspect that the key is to build a pool of successors that are well identified, and ensure that they are well mentored to be ready when the company needs additional leadership capacity? When doing so, it is particularly critical to also use this as a way of building a pipeline to enable further diversity into the leadership team - and I mean that in the widest sense.
Diversity has many dimensions, and each company needs to assess on which dimensions they are good, and where improvements could lead to a greater diversity of thoughts and thus building a stronger company.
7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a CEO or executive of a large enterprise so far?
It may be obvious but is often forgotten when in the heat - but you learn most in challenging situations.
At some point in my career, I was the Co-CEO of a publicly traded company - a company that was struggling to be profitable or even to make payroll every two weeks, and with a demanding board and set of investors. That's probably when I learned the most in my career!