Digital SHEro Rosa: Reimagining Leadership in Tech

“If you assume you make an ass out of you and me”

Rosa’s slogan as digital SHEro says it all: never assume anything and don’t be afraid to ask! At valantic she embodies the seamless fusion of pedagogy and leadership. With a career that first pointed towards nurturing young minds, she is now successfully leading tech professionals. As a Business Unit Director at Inspari – a valantic company, Rosa is in her element: Taking on new challenges and pushing her limits.

Hi Rosa, usually you are the one hosting the podcast. What does it feel like to be on the other side?

I’ve really been looking forward to this. Yes usually, I’m the one, hosting a podcast. So, it’s a new situation for me to be interviewed. That’s really exciting!

You have been with the company for quite a while. What is your current role within valantic?

In May this year I have taken on the new role of business unit director at Inspari – a valantic company in Copenhagen. That means that I’m responsible for our all our consultants. I joined the company 12 years ago and have had several different roles: from consultant to project manager, to team lead and team director. And I am part of our commercial department as well.

How did you start your career in IT?

After High School I initially worked in a kindergarten for two years, because I’ve always been very attracted to working with kids. But then I changed my mind because I was looking for a career where I could earn more money. I know it sounds cynical, but I’m actually quite motivated by looking into having a good career. I then chose my field of study based on my grades from high school, and that’s how I ended up studying Business Administration and Computer Science at Copenhagen Business School.

Do your pedagogical skills come into play in your work today?

Being a pedagogue means you have to have a lot of people skills, a lot of warmth and be good at caring for other people. I think that is really something that I bring to work every day. I like to be seen as a person who is present and caring for my colleagues and who is interested in their personal lives as well as in the business context.

What do you like about working as a consultant?

Consulting really resonates with who I am as a person and how I want to be motivated every day. No day is the same because there are a lot of different clients you are working with. I really like that we don’t get stuck in one situation or one way of working, and it just goes on for years. I love that I get to talk to different people almost every day. I personally think that it is very unique that as a consultant you get insights into different companies, different industries and different cultures all the time. That really keeps me motivated. And I also like the energy and speed of the industry. When we deliver projects to clients, there is a certain level of speed and progress behind it. And for me, I like that kind of energy when I do my work.

Have there ever been moments where you felt very outside of your comfort zone?

I’ve been in such situations quite a few times. But in general, I tend to be put in situations that are out of my comfort zone because I really like to be challenged. And I’m a person who is very good at dealing with complex situations. So, in the past, when I was working as a project manager and we had projects that were not going so smoothly, it was like “Ok, put Rosa in the place and then things will be fixed”.

What advice would you give women in such situations?

It’s important to listen to yourself and not push the boundaries of what you feel comfortable with. There are certain levels of feeling that are scary or uncomfortable. You have to listen to your inner voice and understand where your limits are. And then you can always ask for help and reach out to colleagues to talk through the situation. My mother also used to tell me, “You can do your best and then you can do no more. That is something that really reassures me.

As a woman in the tech industry how do you think companies can better support career advancement for women?

IT and consulting is something that might take a little more courage to go into as a woman because of different working hours or changing availability. For me personally, it is important that you are motivated and passionate about your work. I completely acknowledge that there is room for improvement to create an environment where women can grow.

I think we need to fold out what IT is all about. Because it’s so much more than just opening a computer and programming something very complex. For example, I have a master’s degree in computer science, but today I do not program. I understand the technical terms, but what I mainly do is communicating. As consultants, we go to customers, and we understand their situation and we help them navigate through it. Communication really is one of the key skills I go to work with every day.

How do you prepare for a leadership role and what is your perspective on it?

I think it’s important to ask yourself whether it’s something that will motivate you or just drain your energy. For me, the best way to practice responsibility was to take on a project manager role. It’s a way to train the skills you need to manage other people and help them be more successful in their roles.

I see my position as a leader as being there for my team when they have a problem and making their lives easier. It doesn’t matter if it’s a client meeting, a scope crisis, if they’ve completely overallocated their time, or if they’ve got a personal problem. They can really always dump shit on my desk, and I’ll sort it out. I like to be involved, and I like to be the one to lead the way so they can just do what they’re good at.

You have three kids. How do you balance work and private life?

To be honest, it’s not easy. I really do put my children and my family first. And luckily we have a lot of flexibility in our company. It really helps me in my day-to-day life to be able to pick up my kids early, be home with them, cook dinner, put them to bed. I organise my working hours around that, which means I sometimes work in the evenings. But what I can see for myself is that if I’m in a good place at work, I’m in a good place at home. If I’m a balanced mother, I’m a balanced manager. Flexibility is the key to putting the pieces together.

We talked about your podcast earlier. What is your motivation for it?

Our podcast at Inspari – a valantic company is called “Dataklubben” and we are exploring the digital transformation of businesses. For me and Heino, the co-host, it has become a safe space, where we can have deep conversations with our guests and be curious about what they are doing.

I’m always very interested in people and the tipping point when technology hits the business. I always want to know how it affects them and what we expect them to do. And we get a lot of positive feedback that we’re good at creating a situation and where the guests feel comfortable. I think that really is one of the strengths that I bring into it.

What is your slogan as a digital SHEro?

My slogan is “if you assume, you make an ass out of you and me”. Because if you write “assume” and you divide it into three elements, you get “ass”, “you” and “me”. My interpretation is that when you set expectations never assume anything. Ask if you’re in doubt and ask twice if you don’t understand the answer. That is something that has helped me along the way.

Thank you, Rosa, for the conversation and the valuable insights!