To learn more about the daily lives of our Team8s working in different parts of the business, we created this blog series featuring some special guests. Today, we sat down with Ștefania Cardoș, Technical Program Manager at 8x8. Ștefania is based in Cluj, Romania.

8x8: Ștefania, thanks for accepting our invitation. To start us off, would you mind sharing a few things about yourself with our readers?

Ștefania Cardoș (ȘC): I would start by saying that I am a big coffee and tiramisu lover! I enjoy gardening, spending time out in nature, and reading. That said, I see myself as a people person and team player, always ready for new challenges and happy to help. I believe in pursuing my dreams and am constantly working on becoming the best version of myself. I am also a mother—I have a two-year-old daughter named Carina. In fact, I’ve only recently returned back to work from maternity leave and am thrilled to see just how much our products have evolved.

“Once I found myself in the Scrum Master role, I realized just how pivotal this role is in software delivery. For me, it’s a role where I feel I can make a difference.”

8x8: What about work? What do you do in your role as Technical Program Manager at 8x8?

ȘC: I work with two development teams who are responsible for building and further enhancing 8x8’s Contact Center solution. Essentially, my role is to ensure the successful delivery of the program, which means overseeing the entire product delivery cycle, from inception to customer-facing.

8x8: That sounds complex. Can you go into a bit more detail into what that looks like for you and the teams you work with?

ȘC: Sure. We work in an Agile mindset using the Scrum framework to deliver value incrementally to our customers. My role is to help the teams continuously improve their ways of working, with an eye on happiness and team morale. I am the person who works closely with the Product and Engineering teams, keeps stakeholders informed, raises concerns, removes impediments, organizes and plans what’s needed for the successful delivery of our projects.

I also drive the Agile community of practice to promote the best Agile practices across the organization. I am the one who usually challenges the status quo, as my intention is to help the team discover improvements in way of working and thinking.

8x8: Did you always know you wanted to pursue a career in this area?

ȘC: It was a journey. I started my career as a .NET developer and the company where I was working at the time was transitioning to Agile development. It was their first time implementing the Scrum framework and my manager said to me, “I think the Scrum Master role would suit you perfectly. Here is the opportunity, would you take it?” I did, and for a while I continued to work as a developer and Scrum Master. Then, in the years that followed, I transitioned to being a fully-dedicated person focused on optimizing the software delivery process.

As someone who’s always had a keen eye for continuous improvement, once I found myself in the Scrum Master role I realized just how pivotal this role is in software delivery. For me, it’s a role where I feel I can make a difference, so here I am—excited to be part of the Contact Center family and 8x8’s journey.

8x8: What are your thoughts on hybrid work?

ȘC: For me, hybrid work is the perfect combo. I enjoy the days in the office because I have missed so much the interactions with my colleagues during the pandemic. I appreciate each day in the office where I can network and reconnect with my teams.

But there are also days when I need to be extremely well organized, especially since I became a mother.

8x8: What do you appreciate the most about working from home?

ȘC: The flexibility to start my day earlier and work on top priorities first thing in the morning. This is time that I would otherwise spend commuting, which would take away my focus and also reduce my family time. Time is precious, and I need to spend it cautiously.

8x8: What methods or tools do you rely on to stay on top of your work?

ȘC: I am a person who organizes and plans everything, my daily agenda included. Each day I make a plan: I create a to-do list and set priorities so that I can keep focus on what I want to achieve. I use a paper agenda and a colored marker to track the items on my list and mark them as completed once resolved. I find this approach motivating—when I look at the list at the end of the day and see how many things I‘ve done I get a great sense of accomplishment. And yes, I have a list for weekends as well.

8x8: What do you find most challenging about working from home?

ȘC: One thing that is rather challenging in my role, since I work with a lot of people and need to schedule many meetings, is finding a time that suits everyone. But the more challenging thing for me is when I cannot see my colleagues' reactions and emotions in our virtual meetings.

8x8: What is your morning routine for a good day?

ȘC: I am a morning person and usually wake up between 5am and 6am so that I can quietly drink my coffee before my two-year-old daughter wakes up. Once she is up, we spend some time playing together before preparing for daycare. After that, I drink my second cup of coffee while reading my emails and getting ready for the workday.

8x8: What about after work, how do you recharge?

ȘC: Whenever I feel the need to introspect, I take a walk outside. Regardless of the season, a good walk and doing breathing exercises always helps me put things into a different perspective. On the weekends, I also get a lot out of spending quality time with my family and friends.

8x8: What’s something surprising that not many people know about you?

ȘC: I am very interested in coaching people and spend a good chunk of my spare time listening to podcasts about what drives people, their motivations, and about asking the right problem-solving questions.

But the one thing that very few people know about me is that every year I cut my hair short and donate it to a cancer foundation. The initiative is called Brave Cut and next year will be my fourth time doing it.

8x8: What would be one piece of advice you would give to anyone interested in joining our team?

ȘC: If you want to challenge yourself and are ready to take things to the next level, come and join us—we are waiting for you!

8x8 is made up of a diverse bunch of more than 2,000 highly driven Team8s determined to shape how businesses communicate and work in today's rapidly changing world.

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Read more in 8x8’s A Day in the Life series: