Upwork's CEO on How an Introverted Engineer Learned to Lead

Kasriel grew up around computers and started writing programs when he was 12. In a way, he says, he was like one of today's typical Silicon Valley kids, but for him it was Paris in the 1980s. He recognized in high school that he prefers to be with small numbers of people or to be alone. Getting by in a crowd doesn't come naturally--but as a CEO he now has to mingle at huge networking events or conferences. To manage that, he sets goals: Talk to at least 30 people, get 10 business cards, arrange five follow-up meetings. For 10 years Kasriel has worked to overcome the perception that engineers don't make great leaders. He sought projects and talked his way into jobs that were outside his comfort zone. He read widely to burnish his skills in strategy, leadership, and managing people. (The article includes a list of titles the author deems most influential.) He spent hundreds of hours taking online courses. He got an MBA at INSEAD not because he wanted to make a career change or expand his network but so that he could avoid the mistakes he'd seen other entrepreneurs make. Since assuming his role, in April 2015, he's learned that a lot of the job comes down to helping employees feel excited about their work, empowering them, and giving them the resources they require. When people come to him with difficulties, he must listen first and not see every situation the way an engineer would: as a problem that needs a solution.