As with many people, I have a history of auto-immune disease, so my risk tolerance for COVID-19 is quite low. More importantly, I have really enjoyed working from home (with my relative privilege of no kids and a nice house) and find it gives me the space and context to do my very best work. Always happy to come in if it’s necessary or for workshops, drinks, etc, but primarily I love working from my home office.
I live in Melboune so anywhere in Australia, New Zealand or even Singapore could work, and even some parts of the US can work if that’s feasible for the organization.
After a lot of different experiments I have found working “standard hours” is best for me, or at least a regular schedule. It allows me to continue with a regular routine of exercise which is critical for my mental health, and carves out time for my life outside of work (including sleep!).
I am quite happy working five days a week. Coming in to 2022 I am considering four, as it’s been a pretty rough pandemic so far and an extra day to read a book and sit in the sun might be good for my mental health.
As a colleague, manager and direct report, I believe in the power of feedback and give it regularly, even when it’s a little tricky. I have found feedback to be the most powerful tool available at work and find it is the fastest way to innovate, learn and grow,.
Strong views, loosely held. I am always open to a more practical route, and always open to putting aside my personal opinion in service of the larger goal. I absolutely do not take this personally and pride myself in my ability to help others adopt a similarly practical mindset.
"Agree and commit, disagree and commit, or get out of the way” - I have taken this very seriously and as an addendum to pragmatism, I am 100% happy to disagree and commit as long as it’s clear who is accountable.
Having worked with various norming, forming and storming startups, as well as in an executive leadership position for the first two years of the pandemic, I have battle scars and experience in leading through some very challenging periods. As a result I’m resilient, cool under pressure and sensitive to the broader emotional landscape, with an arsenal of tactics at my disposal.