From Engineering Precision to Broader Business Thinking
I worked with István for several years in the same company. He was mainly responsible for the sales and business side as the sales manager and later on as the CEO of Grepton, while I was responsible for the technical and professional side. As a software engineer, I naturally tend to think in systems, logic, details and quality, sometimes probably too much so. István helped me a lot in understanding not only the technically correct answer, but also the business, leadership and human aspects behind a situation.
During our work together, I often turned to him with situations where I mostly saw the technical or rational side of the problem. He listened patiently, then helped me take a step back and look at the same situation from a different angle. He did not simply give ready-made answers. Very often, he used stories, examples and good questions to help me understand what was really happening.
At the beginning of our conversations, I often received very concrete advice from him. This was especially valuable because these topics were less natural for me at the time: sales, leadership, ownership thinking, and the dynamics between people. Later, I increasingly felt that instead of just receiving solutions, I was gaining a way of thinking that helped me make better decisions on my own.
As a perfectionist engineer, it has always been important to me that the work I do is professionally solid. István helped me see that beyond finding the “right solution”, it is just as important to understand how a decision affects people, the business, and the company as a whole. This perspective stayed with me later as well, including during the time when I worked as an agile coach.
I greatly appreciated István’s calm, honest and supportive presence. He did not try to turn me into someone I am not. Instead, he helped me make better use of the way I naturally think and work. I am happy to recommend him as a mentor to anyone looking for practical, human and thought-provoking support based on real experience.