HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE AND PROGRESSIVE CEO
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Contents
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO OPEN YOUR OWN IT COMPANY?
It all started when I was still a student. I began to understand that I wanted to work in IT. But I was personally interested in business development, in contractual relations, and client relations. I didn’t really like programming After developing some relationships in the business, I had an opportunity to start something of my own. I began a training business, I eventually got in contact with an Austrian customer, who, after some negotiations, agreed to start letting us develop products for them in Ukraine. Read the interview about this partnership?
WHAT IN YOUR WORK DO YOU LIKE THE MOST?
In general, I really like my job and cannot single out a specific thing that I like the most about it. Of course, I really enjoy doing sales, especially negotiating with customers. It gives me pleasure to achieve the goals that I set for myself. I enjoy working on a team because this business relies on it. If you are on your own in this area, you will not succeed.
WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU THINK A CEO SHOULD HAVE?
A CEO is a person with fantastic leadership qualities, ready to take on responsibility. He or she must be able to analyze, anticipate the vector of market development, and develop an effective strategy for the future. It is important to be able to bring people together. Close-knit teamwork is the key to good results.
WHAT PROSPECTS DO YOU SEE FOR THE COMPANY IN THE NEXT YEAR?
Every year, I see more and more opportunities for our company. I believe that we have good and loyal customers. Next year, I am expecting substantial growth for us. The plan is to finish 2021 with a staff of at least 160 specialists. There is a goal to establish cooperation with customers from Europe. It is important for me that every employee in our company enjoys his or her work and the team with which he or she interacts. To do this, we all need to work well together next year.
BEING A CEO FORCES A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY ON YOU. WHAT ALLOWS YOU TO BE EFFECTIVE AND PROGRESSIVE?
Indeed, at CEO carries a tremendously high workload – first of all, it is a moral and psychological load, it is mental and stressful work, because things don’t always go smoothly in a company. Therefore, for many years I have learned treat every problem, no matter how small, as a problem that needs to be solved.
What allows me to be effective is reading a large amount of literature, attending training, communicating with colleagues and planning competently. Another important aspect is prioritization – knowing what I need to do first in order to achieve maximum effectiveness.
IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT SKILLS ARE NECESSARY TO DEVELOP IN YOURSELF TO KEEP UP WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (IN THE LABOR MARKET)?
In my opinion, artificial intelligence is a bit overrated. Of course, artificial intelligence is important, but it cannot replace humans. Our main advantage over artificial intelligence is communication and analysis. Artificial intelligence will not be able to work in a team – it is a loner, and the future of any company, in my opinion, relies on teamwork.
I believe that it is important to actively work on the development of personal soft skills. We see now, in any part of a business, how crucial soft skills are compared to hard skills.
CONTINUE THE PHRASE: “FOR ME ACADEMY SMART IS …..”
For me, Academy Smart is my life. I am ready to take the company to the next level and strive for continuous growth.
HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR FREE TIME? DO YOU HAVE ANY HOBBIES?
I am noticing that I have less and less free time. However, I always make time for sports. I play tennis at least once a week and also enjoy boxing as it keeps me in good physical shape. Last year I also became an avid runner, running 10 kilometers every week.
WHAT LIFE PRINCIPLES DO YOU IMPLEMENT INTO WORK?
Life principles are very important and must always be adhered to, especially in our work. When you work with partners, you sometimes have disagreements, conflicts and differences. In such situations, a very clear balance or compromise must be found. In my opinion, the most important thing is having trust and reliability. You should never resort to betrayal.
WHAT ARE THREE BOOKS THAT YOU THINK EVERY ENTREPRENEUR SHOULD READ?
The first book that I advise everyone to read is Vadim Zeland “Reality Transurfing”.
Another suggestion is a noteworthy book by Phil Knight “The Shoe Seller”. It tells the story of Nike from the point of view of the company’s founder. I have read it countless times. I really like the literature of this genre, with elements of psychology and behavioral management. My final recommendation – the book “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill.