With respect about Silviu Hotaran

In: Companies / 8 comments

10 Apr 2014

When he left Microsoft I had an opinion which I wrote about here (2008, Ro only).

I argued that those who leave multinational companies aren’t as successful as they expected. What happened to Silviu after some time? And, BTW, what happened to MS Romania after Silviu?

First of all, I found that his goals were different than usual – and not just different, but fundamentally and consistently so. He loves what he does and he does it with passion. And NOT because the sales rates require him to declare he does it with passion, but because he really feels that. It would have been revealed eventually, after all this time, if this wasn’t the case ;-). With this in mind, we are already looking from a different perspective at his achievements in the training company (let’s call it like this, although he speaks about this self-knowledge activity in completely different terms). The major achievement is that he smiles more. He is doing what he likes most and it shows. The immediate effect is that his deliverables are of impeccable quality. He helps you build a company, a team, just as you like it. He helps you enjoy doing what you like, too. Just as he was when he built MS Romania. Unlike the vast majority of employees in multinational companies that feed off their business card, we can now definitely say that, in Silviu’s case, MS fed from his leadership.

Maybe also because, on the other side, since he left, MS Romania has taken a nosedive. First it dropped slowly; then it plummeted. Then it became a tragedy. A completely new team, devoid of any emotion. A team led by a man who when asked “why WP7 isn’t good”, answers “Because you’re stupid and don’t know how to use it”… Ouch! I wondered what Silviu would have said… Probably something like “Yeah, you’re right. It’s version 1, launched in haste. We know this and we’re working at the new version which is going to be better. But look, maybe it has some good parts too, among all the bad…”; a more honest answer anyway. And it’s as if, when you listen to him, you feel like following him. (Now it seems like MS Ro has licked some of its wounds and found the right path).

In any case, now – after all this time – I’ve got it clear: Silviu made MS Ro what it was, not the other way around. And he is still (just like he has always been) a man to look up to, a model and a mentor that can teach you many things. Now that he is less visible and I don’t risk being called a bootlicker, I wanted to say this: Respect.

What he is doing these days: http://www.gustavkaeser.com.

(English version by Teodora Popescu)

Original Romanian Version

Cu respect despre Silviu Hotaran

Cand a plecat din MS am avut o parere, scrisa aici .

Sustineam ca cei care pleaca din companiile multinationale nu au succesul scontat dupa. Ce s-a intamplat cu Silviu dupa ceva timp? Si, ca intrebare ajutatoare, ce s-a intamplat cu MS Romania dupa Silviu?

In primul rand constat ca obiectivele lui au fost altele decat de obicei, anume in mod fundamental si consecvent altele. El iubeste ceea ce face si o face din pasiune. NU pentru ca cursul de vanzari ii cere sa declare ca face cu pasiune ceea ce face, ci pentru ca asa simte el pe bune. S-ar fi vazut in atata timp daca nu era asa ;-). Avand asta in minte, deja ne uitam altfel la realizarile lui de la compania de training (sa o numim asa, desi el povesteste in cu totul alti termeni despre aceasta activitate de cunoastere de sine). Realizarea majora este ca zambeste mai mult. Face ceea ce ii place si asta se vede. Efectul imediat este ca livrabilele sale sunt de o calitate ireprosabila. Te ajuta sa construiesti o companie, o echipa, asa cum ti-ar place. Te ajuta sa faci cu placere ce faci la randul tau. Asa cum a construit tot el si MS Romania. Spre deosebire de marea majoritate a angajatilor din multinationale, care se hranesc ei din cartea de vizita, abea acum putem spune cu siguranta ca in cazul lui Silviu, MS s-a hranit din “leadership-ul” sau.

Poate si pentru ca, pe partea cealalta, de cand el nu mai este acolo, MS Romania a luat-o in jos. Mai intai incet, mai apoi tare de tot. Apoi – jale. Echipa noua complet, fara nici o emotie. Echipa condusa de un om care la intrebarea “de ce WP7 nu e bun?” imi raspunde “Esti tu prost, nu stii sa-l folosesti”… Ouch! M-am intrebat ce mi-ar fi spus Silviu… Probabli ceva de genul “Da, ai dreptate. Este versiunea 1, lansata in graba. Stim asta si lucram la versiunea urmatoare, care o sa fie mai buna. Dar uita-te, poate are si ceva bun printre toate relele..” ma rog, mult mai onest. Si parca, atunci cand il asculti, iti vine sa mergi dupa el. (Acum parca si MS Ro s-a mai destupat, si-a mai lins ranile)

In tot cazul, acum – dupa atata timp – imi este clar: Silviu a facut MS Ro ceea ce a fost, nu invers. Si este in continuare (asa cum a fost mereu) un om la care sa te uiti in sus (scuzati licenta englezeasca) ca la un model si un mentor de la care ai multe de invatat. Acum, cand este mai putin vizibil si nu risc sa fiu catalogat de “pupator“, am vrut sa spun asta. Respect.

Ce face acum: http://www.gustavkaeser.com

Comments

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Bogdan

April 10th, 2014 at 9:21 am

Radu, respect pentru ce ai scris si respect pentru Dl Hotaran. Am avut ocazia sa il cunosc – fugitiv, nu mult timp- dar mi-a lasat o impresie extrem de faina. Mai rar oameni ca voi doi.

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Marius

April 10th, 2014 at 10:09 am

I dont agree with the idea of people leaving multinationals arent successful. Best example is Silviu.

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Paula Apreutesei

April 11th, 2014 at 8:02 am

Radu,

This is so nice of you to take time and put the things in the right perspective. Beautiful. In the sense that only the truth is beautiful.
It is a priviledge for me to know both of you. We had a chance to write a page of history in the Romanian IT white book. I thank you both for giving me the opportunity to be part of it.
Congratulations to both of you for your achievements and for being true leaders!

Paula

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Ciprian Jichici

April 12th, 2014 at 2:28 pm

I’ve always thought that true passion and dedication are utterly incompatible with global corporations, simply because their internal rules leave no room for such things. Silviu was the first one to teach me that you can be happy and passionate about what you do, even if you’re moving inside the corporate environment. I believe this is the key to his success. As for Microsoft, I believe they are slowly waking up from what must have been some very dark years.

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Silviu Hotaran

April 13th, 2014 at 6:55 pm

Thank you all for the kind words, I was impressed by Radu’s post on his blog. Of course it triggered a lot of memories. The twelve years at Microsoft were a privilege, a unique opportunity to meet, work and grow with so many great people, in Romania and abroad.
For all of us, the journey continues. The perspectives may change, but we are each responsible for the quality of our journey. Let’s enjoy it by learning and achieving together with other people!

Silviu

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tzup

April 16th, 2014 at 8:48 am

Eu as separa continutul blogului in functie de limba, adica o varianta pentru engleza, alta pentru romana.

Gasesc traducerea in engleza de foarte buna calitate, dar esenta, tonul, omul se regaseste in textul din limba romana.

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    Radu

    April 16th, 2014 at 12:15 pm

    Sincer simt si eu asta, dar nu am forta sa sustin doua bloguri separate. Tot ce pot spera este ca incet incet sa pot exprima in engleza la fel de bine ca in Romana. Este un bun exercitiu si pentru mine :-).
    Multumesc mult pentru observatie.

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dominic

April 28th, 2014 at 10:56 am

Imi pare bine sa aud despre oameni ca si Silviu care au lasat o amprenta clara
pe ceea ce au facut chiar daca contururile amprentei s-au denaturat in timp.
Este si acest Remember o forma de apreciere !
Si nu o apreciere oarecare daca vine de la Radu Georgescu.
Faina treaba ati facut amindoi !

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