Unlocking Leadership Potential With Paul Mathews

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• [01:57] From ambitious intern to influential EVP and COO: Paul Mathew’s strategic career development 
• [03:57] The power of a diverse skill set in climbing the corporate ladder
• [08:35] Why proactive career management and clear intentions are critical for advancement
• [16:53] How AI has transformed Sunnova's service delivery and operational efficiency
• [19:25] Paul's continuous search for new challenges to achieve professional fulfillment
• [22:38] The role of mentorship in shaping business trajectories and leadership styles
• [28:40] What are Paul’s sources of inspiration?

In this episode…

Strategic career pivots can lead to groundbreaking leadership roles, improving problem-solving and cross-functional experience. How can you strategically navigate opportunities within a large organization to hone a versatile skill set? 

Operations strategist Paul Mathews reveals how he kickstarted his career. Sharing pivotal moments from his 19-year tenure at UPS and his role in enhancing service and operational capabilities at Sunnova, he highlights strategies for adapting and thriving in various corporate environments. With roots in engineering, Paul emphasizes diversifying your skill set and embracing opportunities. Through his leadership, Sunnova has seen a spectacular reduction in service backlog and improvements in project delivery. Moreover, Paul's approach to team empowerment and his ability to leverage AI in business processes illustrates the importance of innovating at every level of your career. 

In this episode of The Growth Fire Podcast, Kevin Hourigan hosts Paul Mathews, the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Sunnova, to discuss the nuances of career development and leading operational transformations. Paul shares how he leveraged industrial engineering to spearhead innovations at Sunnova, how to transform career challenges into opportunities, and the inspiration that comes from an engaged and motivated team in corporate leadership.

Quotable Moments:

• "You should always make your intentions known, and you should always let people know what your aspirations are."
• "I live inside this world where I love to attack really big problems and work with teams to solve them."
• "Diversifying my experiences made me a more versatile partner at UPS, opening more doors for growth."
• "Coming to Sunnova, I'd be able to say I was part of a team that was actually trying to save the world."
• "By applying industrial engineering best practices, we've identified significant inefficiencies and made substantial improvements."

Action Steps:

1. Build strategic relationships: Network with mentors and colleagues to gain diverse experience across various departments. By leveraging these connections, you can shape a more dynamic career path that aligns with future market needs and leadership opportunities.
2. Stay open to learning: Embrace every role as an opportunity to learn something new, avoiding complacency. This approach promotes continuous personal and professional development to adapt to industry changes.
3. Implement technology wisely: Use AI to optimize operations and improve quality assurance. The efficient use of AI can dramatically improve service delivery, customer experience, and operational costs.
4. Communicate your career goals: Be transparent with your aspirations and intentions with your employer. This openness leads to mutual benefits as employers can align your career development with the organization’s goals.
5. Find inspiration constantly: Find sources that challenge your thinking and push you to innovate. Books, podcasts, and insightful conversations with team members can inspire new ideas and drive improvements in any field.

Sponsor for this episode...

This episode is brought to you by Spinutech. Spinutech is a premium digital growth agency that specializes in revitalizing lead-generation strategies and accelerating online sales for top brands.

To learn more, go to www.spinutech.com.

Guest Contact Details

• Paul Mathews on LinkedIn
• Sunnova