My experience at Uniphore

If someone had told me three years ago that I'd be a "good" manager, I would have laughed. Back then, I was more introverted, comfortable in a close-knit circle, and considered myself "studious." But here I am today, getting good feedback about my technical management skills. While I’m far from perfect, I’ve grown to believe that I could become a great manager at this pace, and this is perhaps the best gift Uniphore has given me. This, of course, is thanks to the amazing people I’ve worked with.

Although I had prior industry experience, I joined Uniphore out of PhD with an academically immersed mindset. My initial focus was purely on impactful “technical” work. I saw myself trying to conduct "applied research" under managers who lacked clear vision or strong leadership. I was contributing neither to good research nor relevantly to our product requirements. At the time, I didn’t see myself as capable of changing the course. But as I sailed through these struggles, I learned to advocate for myself and for others, thanks to some incredible mentors who encouraged me to speak up.

This turning point led me to start questioning everything I did in terms of relevance to our products. This pushed me to become more agile, versatile in the tasks I picked, more predictable with the project outcomes and more willing to embrace the challenges of limited time, people and resources. I became a jack of all trades, while leading a new generation of "end-to-end ASR" services into production. Soon, I saw my coworkers trust my technical vision as we expanded our efforts into multiple project streams. This is when I saw myself contributing to multiple projects through technical management, giving people critical feedback just wherever required and yet strongly impacting the outcomes. Through this journey, we positioned ourselves far ahead in terms of ASR technology compared to most of our competitors in the contact center space. I was officially designated as a "tech lead manager" during this process.

I learned that effective management often pivoted on shared ownership. I excelled when my coworkers took accountability for their roles but struggled when it was lacking. I also grappled with the balance between depth and breadth—whether to dive deep into specific projects or spread my efforts across many. Switching between individual contribution and technical management was particularly taxing, leaving me sometimes puzzled whether I excelled at either. I also realized the importance of freeing my mind occasionally to encourage fresh ideas and improve as a "thought leader"—something I’m still working on.

Time management turned out to be one of my greatest challenges. Was it an environment issue? Perhaps. At Uniphore, long and open-ended conversations often gave valuable insights, helping us uncover many intricate challenges with our systems. They also helped me identify the strengths and interests of each individual team member, gauge the “pulse” of the team, and, in some cases, align them with organizational goals. At other times, I adapted our course to better leverage their strengths. While this approach fostered trust and made me approachable, it also highlighted the organization’s systemic inefficiencies: excessive discussion came at the cost of limited execution. In an environment where focus was sharper, perhaps I’d adapt differently.

Despite these hurdles, the camaraderie at Uniphore makes it special. We've had each other’s backs through layoffs, difficult managers, the rush to deliver and the occasional chaotic "war rooms." Boundaries between “managers” and “subordinates” blurred, creating an open and supportive culture within our group. Surely, I poured my heart and soul into this role, and often worked tirelessly, driven by the freedom to allocate my time to what truly mattered.

This journey has been deeply fulfilling and, so far, the most impactful role I’ve held. While I still wish for better control over certain aspects, the lessons I’ve learned here—from leadership to resilience—are invaluable. Uniphore has not only shaped me as a professional but has also laid the foundation for what I hope will be a long career of impactful contributions.