GET TO KNOW...
On the lighter side of things, we ask the
industry experts what makes them tick. . . .
Chris Huff,
CSO at Kofax
wWhat would you describe as your
most memorable achievement?
I lived a very fortunate upbringing. Not in a
monetary sense but in a loving sense. I was
raised the oldest of five siblings in a small
Indiana town by a single mom who worked
two and three jobs at a time and relied on
welfare as a backstop to provide the essentials
we needed to remain safe and healthy.
My mother taught me the value of hard
work, honesty and respect. She taught
me that the world was challenging and
beautifully rewarding for those willing to put
in the work and forever be curious. I’ve tried
to do my best to apply these principles as my
‘true north’ as I navigate the world.
My most memorable achievement remains
the moment I attained a level of financial
stability where I was able to take care of
my mom who had worked so many years in
an amazingly selfless manner. Seeing her
smile, laugh and live without stress is my
greatest achievement.
What first made you think of a
career in technology?
As I look back on my life, I really cannot
point to a single moment that led me into
a technology career. Rather, it’s been a
journey where I’ve met amazing people
that have inspired me to seek challenging
roles that helped me grow as a person and
professional. My journey started when I
joined the Marine Corps. While serving, I
completed my MBA and founded a B2C
e-commerce company.
After exiting my company after seven years
through a successful private sell and retiring
from the Marine Corps after 20 years, I joined
Deloitte Consulting where I was able to build
and lead an automation practice focused on
Robotic Process Automation (RPA).
After a rewarding five-year run, I joined
Kofax as the Chief Strategy Officer. It’s
been a wild ride that I try to never take
for granted by always remaining focused
on achieving team goals, taking care
of those around me and remaining
intellectually curious.
What style of management
philosophy do you employ with
your current position?
I’ve always tried to take a servant leader
approach to managing. Providing people
with autonomy and trusting them to do
the right thing typically results in mutual
respect and over-achievement of individual
and organizational goals. At the same time,
underperformance must be addressed head
on, but in a constructive way.
Accountability that includes active
and open communication, mentorship
programs and remedial efforts for blindspots
is generally appreciated and works
for the mentee, mentor and inevitably
the organization. Knowing that people
working with me are taken care of allows
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