The Back Story monthly interview features ADAPTOVATE employees from around the world. Each month we ask them 10 questions. Our team is the greatest asset we have, and it’s a privilege to share just a little bit more about who they are.
This month we are featuring our project lead in Singapore Andy Koh.
First up – how long have you worked with us?
It has been a little over two years since I joined ADAPTOVATE.
Why did you join us? Were you in the industry previously, or looking for a new career direction?
I joined because of the unique proposition of ADAPTOVATE. The blend of Agile values and behaviours with application of consulting know-how appealed to me. At that point in time, I was looking for a change in my career direction towards a better way of working and ADAPTOVATE was it.
How has your previous experience and career helped define where you are now? Would you have done things differently?
I was a consultant with another global consulting firm before I joined, and before that a programme and project manager with global financial corporations. As a programme and project manager, I emphasised the need to follow processes and use tools to complete projects on time and within budget. However, I kept thinking that there had to be a better way of working to both show results and stay happy. As a consultant, I wanted to be relied on for providing valuable insights. Both experiences helped build up to who I am today. The Agile values brought it all together nicely for me. I believe in looking forward so I would not want to change anything in the past.
How do you balance your work life with your ‘real’ life – Do you have a good balance and how important is it to you?
While I do not differentiate between ‘work’ life and ‘real’ life, because there is really only one, I do believe in the benefits of that mental shift that happens when transitioning from the working environment into the non-working environment and vice-versa. If this is the balance we are talking about, then it is important to me. I want a suitable amount of pressure in the work environment to spur me on and a suitable amount of ‘I don’t care’ time to recharge. There have been times in my life where I experienced the extreme