Values and teamwork in international teams at Boldare

Although Boldare was founded in Poland, for years it has been successfully functioning as a European company. We provide diverse clients from many parts of the world with European standard technological solutions. What makes this possible? Naturally, our great specialists from all over Europe.

Recently, to meet our clients’ needs and hire more experienced specialists from various European countries, we decided to expand our offices across the region. We not only want to be accessible to our current and future partners, but also provide our employees with possibilities for self-development and working in an international and creative environment.

So, where can you find our new offices? In Germany and the Netherlands! We have been developing our expansion into the Dutch and German markets because we’ve identified huge potential in supporting their industries with digital development and transformation.

Alongside our new offices, we also have irreplaceable people there. In Hamburg, you can meet our Head of Sales Germany, Michael Pachter. In Amsterdam, our Relationship Builder and Advocacy Specialist, Matt Hallmann. If you are curious about working at Boldare in international teams, you can read an interview with Matt and Michael, who revealed some insider secrets.

Hi guys! Please tell our readers, what exactly do you do at Boldare? And how long have you worked here?

Matt: Hello, everyone! I’ve been responsible for advocacy and expanding relationships with international clients for almost one year at Boldare.

Michael: Hi! I’m Head of Sales in Germany, and my mission is to boost the company’s presence in the German, Luxembourg and Swiss markets. One of my duties is to take care of communications and promotions - I act like a brand ambassador. I have been working with Boldare for seven months now.

Why did you decide to join a company founded on the other side of Europe?

Matt: Some time ago I had a chance to talk to the co-CEO of Boldare, Anna Zarudzka. We discussed holacracy and this holacratic idea appealed to me very much. Boldare, compared to most German companies, is very modern and open, which has a great attraction for me. In addition, my parents are both Poles, so working for a company established in Poland has become an opportunity for me to return to my roots in a way.

Michael: What convinced me to join Boldare is the “hands-on” ideology. After the recruitment process, I knew that it is a very active place, where the decision-making process is simple and fast and people act instead of talk. I also appreciated the freedom of action and the high degree of trust the company gave me.

What does your daily communication with the team look like?

Matt: I don’t have any language proxies, we communicate in English most of the time. We use Slack to do this, and also use regular online meetings, like dailies, weekly plannings, holacratic events, and other special meetings when necessary. An interesting type of appointment is the focus meeting. We organize one when we have to discuss a specific topic. During such an event, people can share their perspective and give and take honest feedback. We often use screen-sharing and notes, which can be more efficient than simple talking.

Michael: What has always been my goal is to make real use of my knowledge of the Polish language, and now I’m able to do this thanks to Boldare. Generally I communicate with my team in English, because we have about six people from different locations (Warsaw, Katowice, Gliwice, Hamburg, and Portugal). But there is always an opportunity to practice my written Polish on Slack (which turns out to be a funny experience because I don’t have Polish letters on my keyboard).

How often do you meet face-to-face with your team?

Matt: Due to my role, I’m constantly on the move. I might work one week in the USA, and then the next few days from Berlin. This way of working is great fun! I love the work-life integration and often merge work with tasting the local cuisine and checking out the city. What is essential, wherever I work from, is to always have a good connection with my Boldare team. I meet with them face-to-face about once or twice a year, and this frequency is okay for me. When we meet, we always make time to socialize and do some fun stuff like go-karting or bike trips. I believe these meetings are important. They are not only an opportunity to work together, but also get to know each other better and strengthen our connections.

Michael: I’ve had the chance to visit the Boldare offices in Warsaw and Gliwice a few times. Lately, because of the Covid-19 situation, we’ve had less opportunities to meet face-to-face, but now we are compensating and plan to spend some time together next week in Hamburg. I try to meet with my teammates once per month, because I really appreciate the possibility of meeting other people in real life and understanding each other better. Communication is my hobby, so I prefer to meet people face to face as much as possible.

What are the crucial values your team follows?

Matt: Definitely, giving honest feedback to each other about our performance. Also, wide-ranging transparency about our tasks and duties or working hours – when you work remotely, it is very important to communicate transparently. And last, but not least – trying new things. My team is quite a fresh crew, and we adore finding new ways of working together and conducting experiments.

Michael: The pillars of my team’s work are transparency in communication and action, as well as mutual trust. We also rely on support – I know that if I ask someone for help, I will definitely get it. We value openness and honesty. Furthermore, we share honest feedback and give tips to others on how to develop specific skills or areas.

What do you think are the best ways for effective and high quality work in international teams?

Matt: In my opinion, what Boldare does is the appropriate way. The company hires smart people who share similar values, and that is the simple answer. The crucial elements that allow us to maintain a European standard for technological solutions are honest feedback and transparency. People at Boldare are direct and open. We take feedback very seriously and it works.

Michael: Communication is extremely important here. An effective way of using Slack, daily meetings and regular updates is essential. While people work from various parts of the world, these daily meetings replace normal office work, and they give a huge value to the team. Open calendars allow everyone in the company to join your meetings, creating a culture of openness and possibility. I believe that cultural diversity itself is motivating and allows us to see different perspectives.

What are your ideas for good communication with international clients?

Matt: At Boldare, we have great connections with our clients. We ensure this by personal contact, spending time together, and sending thank you gifts after our meetings. There is a lot of common flow, talk, and a great understanding of each other. Our clients often share Boldare values and focus on being direct, transparent, and honest. I try to do some regular notes and share them with other teammates and different teams in the organization, so they can also learn from my experience.

Michael: I love to meet new people and broaden my horizons. I could not work based on accepted standards of how to sell, because I approach each client individually (I learn about their needs and offer a specific solution). Every day is different, and every client is different.

How do you feel about the new offices in Amsterdam and Hamburg?

Matt: Boldare is a European organization, and we have clients from all over the world, so it’s a natural next step. Of course, there is a good opportunity to try new Dutch markets. In my view, Boldare is modern the same as the Netherlands are – so I believe that our values and modernity can work alongside each other.

Michael: Honestly, this was one of the arguments that convinced me to work here. I am happy to carry the flag of Boldare in Germany. International cooperation and expansion of the company into new parts of Europe shows our agile character and readiness for change. First, we gather experience by forming small teams, which will then grow in the new market. This is positive and gives people continuous development opportunities and broadens their horizons. Scattered offices all over Europe are also an opportunity to recruit top talent from all over the world. Moreover, it is a chance to broaden the perspectives of current employees (if you move to another country, you can have a Boldare office there too).

Thank you very much for your answers and good conversation!