In this episode of Behind the Growth, host Imran Mian chats with Matt Collins, Chief Commercial Operations Officer at Calix, a company that transitioned from a traditional networking equipment provider to a cloud services leader. Matt shares insights into how Calix shifted from hardware to software, detailing the strategic vision, challenges, and the importance of meeting customer needs.

As the episode progresses, Matt talks about the leadership and collaboration strategies at Calix. He highlights the necessity of reskilling the workforce, hiring new talent with software and cloud expertise, and building a culture of transparency, dynamic tension, and collaborative decision-making. The conversation also touches on the challenges and advantages of remote work, highlighting the importance of technological and cultural enablement to ensure productivity and inclusivity in a virtual environment.

Matt then discusses Calix's impact on broadband service providers, emphasizing net promoter scores as a key metric of customer satisfaction and loyalty. Looking to the future, he explores the role of AI in transforming customer interactions and operational efficiency, and how broadband expansion is shaping industry economics and competition. He underscores the necessity for service providers to deliver compelling experiences to stay relevant.

Finally, Collins offers advice for aspiring leaders, encouraging boldness, resilience in the face of failure, and a focus on understanding the "why" behind actions to drive meaningful change. This episode provides valuable insights into navigating industry shifts, fostering customer partnerships, and driving impactful transformations.

Key Highlights

- Transformations require customer trust, Ops agility, and peer references.
- Foster a culture of dynamic tension and collaborative decision-making.
- Remote work thrives on technology enablement and cultural alignment.
- AI will transform customer interactions, operations, and industry competition.
- Embrace boldness, learn from failure, and focus on the “why”.

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