#13: Embracing challenges as opportunities

Embracing challenges as opportunities: Episode Notes

During his whole career Xavier has always strived to look at challenges as opportunities. As a business leader with about 15 years of experience in the digital advertising industry, Xavier leads a very hectic life, which saw him operating across different cities including Paris, San Francisco, Berlin and Barcelona. While this was never easy, it proved to be a developmental experience over and over again.

In this episode of the Stepsero Podcast, we discuss the importance of stepping out of our comfort zone and keeping a positive attitude during the process.
In today’s work environment, many professionals are called to adapt to new situations all the time, as their businesses operate in a fast-paced world where what is relevant today might lose its value very quickly. For the exact same reason however, individuals might be drawn to overwork themselves and strive to be at the top of their game day in and day out, which is clearly detrimental for their mental well-being.

So, how can leaders look at challenges as opportunities, while preserving a healthy mental balance? How can professional step up their game without exceeding their stress limits?
Over the course of the discussion, Xavier shares a few actionable tips that worked for him:

  • Give more room to people in your team and steer away from trying to be in control all the time. 
  • Proactively look for feedback and open yourself up for growth.
  • Communicate transparently, whether it is about good news or not. Sometimes leaders might want to avoid specific conversations in order to protect their colleagues, but this is not a sound approach in the long term. 
  • Make enough space to take care of your life outside of work.
  • Listen to both your rational and emotional inner voices. While it is in our nature to rationalize at all costs, sometimes it is ok to follow your gut.
  • Seek inspiration from the people around you rather than focusing on celebrities only.

Our Guest: Xavier Bourlard

Xavier Bourlard Profile Picture

Xavier is an entrepreneur and an international business leader, with more than 15 years of experience in the digital advertising industry, and most particularly the last 8 years with mobile ad-tech companies. 

Over the past 5 years Xavier worked at Headway, a business unit of Entravision Communications Corporation (NYSE: EVC) since March 2017, where he built an international team of business development managers, account and ad-operation managers with a strong focus on coaching teammates and growing the international Revenue.
More recently, with the acquisition of the mobile DSP, Smadex, his core focus is on the global growth of our programmatic initiatives by educating the market and coaching business development teams over 6 international offices: Barcelona, London, Bangalore, Seoul, Los Angeles and St Petersburg. 

In the past 10 years, he has been living between Paris, San Francisco, Berlin and more recently, Barcelona.

References:

Xavier Bourlard Linkedin profile

Start with Why by Simon Sinek

The Culture Map by Erin Meyer