I’ve always been a big fan of the concept of emotional intelligence, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that I began to understand what it really meant and how it applied to me. Developing emotional intelligence challenges a person to monitor their own and other people’s emotions, and to use that information to guide thinking and behavior. In order to better understand my own emotions, I used a book entitled Strengths Finder 2.0 to help me identify the major feelings that guide my favorite activities and give me the energy that I have for life. My hope is that by explaining my strengths in this post, you’ll not only learn a little bit about me, but you’ll see how I plan to leverage those strengths to help KaiNexus become the best organization possible.

Being strong in Woo tells me that I derive satisfaction from meeting someone new and making a genuine connection with that person. I’ve always known I was social, but understanding my affinity for Woo has allowed my natural curiosity to come through even more. I use this curiosity every day when meeting our customers, and I also think it helps me connect with the KaiNexus mission of building a culture of continuous improvement. Being a lean thinker is nothing more than having a nonstop curiosity to always eliminate waste and make any situation better. I get energy from meeting people who think this way, and luckily, KaiNexus allows me that luxury almost every day. By the way, not everyone from Louisiana shares my passion to meet others, but the percentage is higher than most other places I’ve been. Perhaps there really is something in the water there.

Natural Includers are accepting of others and make an effort to include outsiders into conversations. To that end, I’ve learned that I get a burst of energy whenever I can make a connection that has a positive impact. As the VP of Sales for KaiNexus, I work hard everyday to make sure as many people as possible are included in the conversation about continuous improvement. Whether you are a lean practitioner, a six-sigma master, or a manager who just wants her team to get better, I hope to be able to connect you with the right people and resources to help you improve your organization.

I’m definitely a glass half full guy, which is an absolute requirement in any startup environment, and KaiNexus is no different.  We’re on a mission to help organizations that truly believe their employees are their best assets and will have the best ideas on how to improve the work they do. It’s a new concept for many, but I am committed to helping companies get the most out of their people, to the benefit of everyone.  I’m more positive than ever that we are on the right path to help companies everywhere get better everyday, and I can’t wait to make it happen.

Strength Finders defines the Learner theme as “People who have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them.” From my time in school at Louisiana State University, through my time as a software developer, through my MBA at St. Edwards University, to my current role as a sales leader, I have always maintained an unquenchable desire to learn something new every day. I think KaiNexus also exhibits this desire as an organization, as we’re constantly on a quest to learn new ways to help our customers improve. It’s my goal to make sure we prioritize this part of our culture as we grow KaiNexus.

Being strong in the Communication theme is one of the reasons I’m so energized after a full day talking about and presenting KaiNexus to our customers. Before I got into sales, I spent a number of years as a sales engineer at companies like Postini and Google, which allowed me to hone my presentation skills. It’s a topic I still enjoy studying and practicing to this day. I’m able to use this talent to help customers, too. Often, our customers are tasked with discussing the benefits of continuous improvement to their leaders and colleagues, and I’m able to offer ideas to make their presentations pop. That when work is really fun for me.

I’m extremely grateful to have found an organization like KaiNexus that aligns so closely to my natural personality strengths.  I’ve worked in technology for almost 20 years, and I’ve seen time and again how well designed software can improve the results of an entire organization.  What’s neat is that we haven’t begun to scratch the surface on unlocking the improvement potential that is locked away in employees everywhere. Just about everyone I know wants to get better at whatever they do, and I couldn’t be happier helping make that a reality for so many people.