GET TO KNOW in particular is virtual communication technologies . Video has been around for a long time , but with people being pushed to use it during the pandemic , they ’ ve discovered that video meetings are very effective for collaboration and productivity .
How do you deal with stress and unwind outside the office ?
I never really get stressed because I think it ’ s a choice . There ’ s a politician in Norway who said something along the lines of : ‘ There are very few things in life worth getting irritated about ’. I think that ’ s a great approach . I try to avoid getting stressed in the first place . If you worry about something you can control , that ’ s easy .
Take care of it and you shouldn ’ t have to worry anymore . If it ’ s outside of your control , there ’ s nothing you can do about it anyway , so stop worrying . Of course , that ’ s easier said than done sometimes .
People used to talk about work-life balance and now they talk about work-life harmony . What resonates with me is to manage my energy balance . It ’ s not about the hours , it ’ s not about the stress , it ’ s about having fun , it ’ s about having energy and getting energy . When I ’ m not working , I don ’ t work . I really disconnect when I ’ m off .
If you could go back and change one career decision , what would it be ?
Nothing . I feel very fortunate to have been given lots of opportunities . One thing I ’ ve learned in life is that when doors open , go through them . When you do , new opportunities come up . You need to look forward and I always try to do that .
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry ?
In general , the video industry is booming . With services like Zoom and Microsoft Teams , it was easy to start using video on your laptop . But I think after doing that for a while during the pandemic , people now realise that isn ’ t an ideal way to experience video . People get tired of sitting hunched over a laptop , so they ’ re looking for a better video experience .
That ’ s driven growth in the importance of the device , and that ’ s Neat . Between new players like Neat and established companies , there is a lot of investment in this area . Innovation from companies like Neat also extends to growth in other areas , such as the channel , who recognise the opportunity for additional services and offerings around these video device deployments .
What changes to your job role have you seen in the last year and how do you see these developing in the next 12 months ?
My job role changes a lot because a year ago my company was a fourth of the size it is today . My role has changed in terms of how involved I can be in the details . I need to trust our ‘ Neaters ’ and empower them to take the business to the next level . Our growth has been five-times year over year so next year we ’ re going to be a lot bigger than we are now and my role will continue to evolve .
What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain C-level position in your industry ?
Focus on the job and responsibility you have and do your best in that role . Always be supportive of people around you . Always be helpful and have a focus on how you can make the team or the business successful . Never focus on the role that you want to go after . I ’ ve seen that create the wrong incentive , the wrong focus . I believe if you do a great job , show yourself as a team player , show yourself as someone who really cares about the mission of the team , you will naturally evolve into a leader or a more senior role . Opportunities will arise . p
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