Boris has been in Endava for over three years and is one of the first people to join our team in Skopje. During this time he experienced a challenging career path, which taught him to embrace change and growth, stay enthusiastic and always connect with the team, in order to be able to go that extra-mile. Find out how work-life balance and travelling contributed to his positive mindset.

What can you tell us about your career path within Endava?

I started in Endava as a Senior Developer more than 3 years ago. Currently my role is that of a Development Discipline Lead, and an Agile Coach. I have had the chance to be involved in many successful projects but the one I consider the most significant is definitely my latest project in the insurance sector, where I took on the role of an Agile Transformation Lead.

The reason for my excitement is that this is the first time an Endava employee from Skopje was involved in an Agile Transformation project. I always wanted to work on a project where I can help teams adopt the agile way of working in their organisation, so when this opportunity came up, I accepted it in a heartbeat. It was a big challenge for me to work with people who don’t have experience in agile delivery and help them understand the difference between doing agile and being agile. I am happy that after a few months of hard work, we managed to create a benefits-felt mentality, where the company experienced the benefits of the Agile Transformation, leading to a faster and smoother adoption process for everyone involved.

This experience thought me that every client is different and you need to do a proper discovery before starting with coaching and mentoring. It made me realize that I enjoy helping others change the way they work and how they approach problems in their projects. It resulted in me growing from a Scrum Master into an Agile Coach that can pass agile knowledge and advice not just to clients but our own Endava teams as well.

I have a great team made up of colleagues from the UK, Moldova and Romania and they all contributed to what I learned during the past year.

What do you think drives and guides you in your career?

What drives me most is working with different teams and colleagues from whom I have been learning a lot during these years and who keep challenging me on every level.

I also enjoy being part of a company which supports knowledge sharing and which offers training programmes to support delivering excellence, not just competence.

But in the end, it’s not what we get, but who we become and what we contribute; that gives meaning to our lives. Living a life of significance goes far beyond the personal success or recognition. There is another step beyond success; helping others grow.

Being Discipline Lead surely comes with a lot of challenges and responsibility. What was the most important lesson you learned over these years?

At Endava I have learned to stay enthusiastic and embrace challenges in order to get the best out of each situation. I think my colleagues would describe me as a challenge lover, who is always on the lookout for new achievements and who constantly creates opportunities to cumulate and share knowledge.

What can you tell us about your life outside of work?

I like to live life at its fullest, I love being surrounded by my family and like to travel a lot. While I am very keen on exploring, I never forget to focus on enjoying the simple things in life.

When it comes to the aspect outside work that shaped me the most, it surely is being a father. Spending time with my daughter is what I really enjoy. Hearing her laugh and experiencing her joy brings a kind of happiness, which I can hardly describe and never will get enough of.

When it comes to hobbies, I enjoy sports, which in my case are many, from swimming to fitness and running; they relax my mind. At the same time, practicing sports reminds me of the importance of being healthy no matter the results and letting actions speak for themselves.

Last but not least, I must admit I am a travel-addict. Travelling made me realise that I enjoy exploring new places, new cultures, religions and that I am excited about meeting and connecting with people who shaped my awareness and empathy, both necessary for my everyday work. I learned that it is very important to be surrounded by people who bring out the best in you.

If you were to start work at Endava tomorrow, what would be that one piece of advice you would give to yourself?

Great leaders don’t settle for just maintaining their greatness. It is always about pushing their limits, stretching for the extraordinary. As the New Balance commercial tells us: “Happiness is pushing your limits and watching them back down.” On your journey remember always the words of Zig Ziglar: “When you are tough on yourself, life is going to be infinitely easier on you. PUSH – Persist Until Something Happens! Be extraordinary. Be more than you ever dreamed you could be!"