Team profile — Wim Kana
In this month’s CRM Dynamics employee profile, we are featuring our PM Director Wim Kana.
First off how are you holding up in this difficult time of Social Distancing?
“It’s challenging because we do enjoy going out and, especially, staying active. I play normally play soccer once a week and, of course, that’s off the table. However, I found the key to coping has been to maintain a schedule. In the morning I do some exercise. That allows to me ease into my thoughts for the day and start my workday energized. I’ve also been limiting the amount of news I’m exposed – most of it is on the same issue so too much can be distracting.
“Ultimately, I try to be positive and to pass that on to other people.”
And you’re doing this while also supporting your wife, who works in the Health System.
“Yes, she works at the hospital close to us. Although she is in administration, like all others in the hospital, her primary duty (has been shifted) to assist the pandemic response. She is working long days as a result. It’s challenging with two small kids, so I am responsible for them while she is working and often working long hours. Although this is tough, I’m happy to do it knowing that she is contributing in some way to the healthcare industry which as a whole is doing an amazing job in such a difficult situation.”
It must be scary?
“It is a little scary. You never know. We’ve been extra careful just in case. As parents, it’s our duty to keep the kids distracted and take the scariness out of the situation and one of the best ways to do that is to keep them on a schedule. We schedule my oldest to do creative stuff when the little one is napping. The great thing is that (work) colleagues been very supportive (of me having to take care of the kids). Sometimes, I have the youngest on my lap during meeting and everyone understands. However, this does mean each day can start earlier and finish earlier so I can accommodate the needs of the kids. I do the same amount of work, but it is stretched out over a longer amount of time. Clients have also been very understanding as well which has been helpful. Everyone understands this is a difficult time.”
Turning back to your work, what led you into this field?
“Like many, I went into a software engineering degree in the late 90s. It had good career options, but more importantly, it interested me. I’ve always been drawn to technology. I built my own PC in high school, but I quickly realized I wanted to be in the business interface side of things. I’ve always been able to effectively manage resources and I am strong at both the interpersonal side of things as well as with understanding technology. A lot of people in the industry like to focus on either the technology or the business side but I prefer to be the bridge between the two. I believe that is one of the key ways for Project Management to be effective and show value and that is a natural fit for me.”
What led you to CRMD?
“I was actually working for a client of CRMD and I came away very impressed with the work that they were doing. I find it to be a place where I can grow. Every year we always have something new and if fulfils my desire for continuous learning.”
How does CRMD meet the unique challenges of today’s business environment?
“Now more than ever it’s the ability to be engaged with the customer. It’s especially important to be engaged and supportive in a disruptive situation. CRMD has the opportunities now to fast track projects and to get clients to market faster.”
Does the partnership with Microsoft assist there?
Microsoft has a number of different products and its Office Suite integrates well with Dynamics 365. By choosing a single provider, you have a lot of advantages such as seamless integration and simplified licencing to name a few. The strength and power of the platform drive success.”
Finally, beyond work what makes you passionate?
“I am passionate about being healthy and fit – I played the sport as long as I can remember. My objective is to live a high quality of life and to not fall victim to many of the common health problems that other, less active people do. To that end, I stay active every day and play soccer every Thursday – It’s more than a physical release. It’s also social and an outlet for stress relief and for mental health – that’s important.“