Kunka Kuncheva is a Senior R&D Manager at the “VMware Cloud Provider Program” Business Unit
and manages a team of 15 engineers. Her team enables partners to consume VMware products on a
pay-as-you-go, pay-as-you-grow monthly subscription model.
Kunka, what is the key to building a successful team?
There are many aspects to building a great team. If I need to focus on one, it will be effective communication – both within the team and with our stakeholders. For me, as a manager and a leader, the success of our team and respectively the product we are building, depends on how well we are able to articulate our goals, maintain open and positive communication during challenging situations, and create a safe environment where everyone can speak their mind. How we communicate has a direct impact on the understanding, collaboration, and productivity of the team.
Let me give you a few examples from our day-to-day life, which I think many people will relate.
We, as engineers, have it in our veins when we see something in the code that doesn’t seem right to us to jump on it and fix it. And we usually do it with a ton of other changes that may remain unnoticed during code review. And boom, a product or service is broken. We usually revert the change, and the system is back to normal. If we are lucky, engineer X steps in and explains why this code must not be touched. If not, after a few days of debugging, we find the root cause and fix it. In addition to solving the issue, however, we make sure that it would not appear again by communicating it clearly in the code comments and review description.
There are situations in which the team comes together to solve a problem – whether it is about adding a new functionality to the product, fixing a partner’s pain point, or something else. Sometimes we quickly get into a problem-solving state of mind, forgetting that not everyone from the party has the entire picture of what and why we are trying to achieve. I personally do it unintentionally while switching the context between different topics. We start discussing, debating, or even arguing until somebody steps in and gives the background and the bigger picture. Finding a solution after that is fast and at the end of the day we manage to succeed as a team.
Giving these examples from my experience, which I believe many of you can relate, is to show the great power of communication and how finding solutions to complex problems becomes easy when we are able to listen and communicate properly. This is key as it helps us grow, become better professionals, and build trust within the team and with our stakeholders.
Do you have a secret weapon that improves communication in the team you manage?
First and foremost is the safe environment we built. The environment in which everyone can speak up openly. I also block time in my calendar, so I can be available for my team whenever they need me. I have regular one-to-one and team meetings, but I make sure I have time for emergencies, and I find this very useful.
What is your team like?
“Nobody is bigger than the team.”
Besides focusing on great execution, we invest our time bringing value back to our communities. We believe in young talents and in the positive influence role models have on them. That’s why we are actively participating in all kinds of initiatives boosting the knowledge and the interest of students and kids in STEM, as well as inspiring women to excel in technology careers. We are organizers, mentors and speakers at the VMware Talent Boost Academy, CoderDojo, Women Who Code Sofia, various conferences and meetups. These initiatives not only help grow the entire IT community in Bulgaria but they are also a way to further develop the professional and personal skills of the team. For us, diversity is key and we foster an inclusive culture in our team and in the whole company.
As a manager, I encourage my team to use the dedicated 40 paid working hours per year for volunteering and find a social cause to support with their time and professional skills. Volunteering (or “Service Learning” as we call it in VMware) gives you a broader perspective on life beyond your daily job and empowers creativity and personal growth.
What does it take for a woman to succeed in the tech business?
The short answer would be – continuous learning and hard work.
My journey started with a lot of doubt. It took me almost a year to decide to apply for VMware. I wasn’t sure if I was qualified enough and then it turned out that it wasn’t scary at all. It happened superfast – in less than a week I went from submitting my application to getting an offer.
I joined VMware in 2016 as a software engineer, changing completely the technical and product stack. It was a fresh restart that pushed me to never stop learning. Since joining VMware, I was able to work on the whole solution we provide to our partners – starting with an on-prem product that collects usage data and has strict release cycles; going through the SaaS transformation and building one of the first services in our business group from scratch, changing the mentality from on-prem core development to SaaS mindset; to working with big data and deep understanding of distributed system.
While going through this journey, I had my share of doubts on my career path. It took me some time to decide whether I should pursue a management role. I often felt that I might not have the right amount of skills and knowledge to move forward. I recognized the responsibility that comes along with the managerial role as well – you are navigating not just your own career path, but also the ones of your team members.
What skills do you need to possess or develop in order to lead a team?
I learned to go deep in the issues I’m dealing with, putting emotions aside. I also learned to be more accepting, especially in situations where circumstances are out of my control.
I already mentioned how important communication is. I often talk with my team about the importance of being aware of whether the other side has the information we have. It is crucial to always check whether you are giving them enough context, as well as how openly you are receiving feedback.
I’m striving for maximum transparency – I’m always trying to involve my team in the decision-making process.
How do you manage the different personalities in your team?
We acknowledge our differences and take advantage of them. We had a fun team activity – we all took a personality test, so that we know better where everyone stands. I keep in mind that some people are less vocal, and I make sure to create space and give opportunities to these people to speak up.
I’m half extrovert and half introvert, with 2-3% of extroversion advantage and sometimes after a long day with meetings I go home, keep the lights off and I just sit there with myself taking a breath.
Could you share your favorite resources for personal and professional development?
As I said earlier, to be successful and effective, you should never stop learning. It doesn’t matter if this means improving your English, mastering a new technology, a new technique for more effective communication or prioritization, or learning to swim or dance. These are all activities that help you to develop and grow.
I put a goal for myself to read at least one book and take one training per quarter. It might be as easy as 30 min beginner course for Git in LinkedIn Learning, or a 2-weeks class to improve your knowledge with the latest amazon services updates, but the point is that with small steps, you make progress and advance your skills and knowledge.
Though working in the tech industry, my favorite resource of relaxation, personal development and gaining knowledge are books. I cannot list all of them here, but I will highlight a few of them I find as must-read below.
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
- Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek
- Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
- Principles by Ray Dalio
- The Culture Map by Erin Meyer
- Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter by Liz Wiseman and Greg McKeown
- Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, et al.
While preparing for work in the morning, if not in a rush, or while driving to the office, I often listen to podcasts. One of my favorites is Радиоточка 2 с Васи Гошева.
