Ana Carolina (Carol) Prado is a project, product, process and services manager with 20 years of experience, graduated in Information Science, post-graduated in Project Management, Business, Innovation, and Leadership. She has worked in nationally recognized technology, innovation, and business consulting companies such as Softplan, TOTVS, Falconi, Mastermaq and Nérus. Currently serving as Head of Products at NDD Tech in Brazil, guiding the strategy of Kubo, the LXP (Learning Experience Plataform) in the market traction phase. Her experience in project and process management aligns with Knowledge Management initiatives by identifying the impact of this discipline on organizations’ strategic and operational results, leading to her specialization in service project management and consolidating her seniority in the field.
Recently, in an exclusive interview with CXO Magazine, Ana shared her inspiring professional journey in project management and technology, insights on the importance of digital education in today’s era, significant career milestone, her future plans, words of wisdom, and much more. The following excerpts are taken from the interview.
Hi Ana. What inspired you to pursue a career in project management and technology, and what motivates you to continue in this field?
Technology brings us the possibility of working in different areas of the job market, but also the opportunity to work in partnership with different areas of knowledge, since technology is fundamental for any type of business today. In this way, the technology professional can expand their knowledge and their work by working on different projects, experiencing constant learning. Furthermore, project management allows us to apply techniques and perceive the results within a timeline, allowing us to have a clear view of our impact on a delivery for a company. It is very satisfying to be part of the changes provided through technology projects, as it allows us to continuously develop skills.
It is worth reflecting that when I chose this area, at the end of the 90s, Brazil still invested little in technology, including in the professional training of people for this area. Therefore, the moment of choosing this career was crucial given the potential offered by it, just as we are seeing happen today with the area of artificial intelligence. I deeply believe that it will be increasingly strategic to choose areas of study and career considering the scenario of increasingly rapid and robust innovations to achieve professional success.
What do you love the most about your current role?
Continuous learning drives and motivates me, without a doubt. The possibility of continuously acquiring new knowledge is fundamental for my career to have meaning and purpose. I started my education in technology and continued to specialize according to market trends. When project management boomed in Brazil in the 2000s, I sought specializations and worked in practice in this area, working in a project office of a large national software company. Those were the golden years of PMBOK. When the area of process management boomed in the 2010s, I once again sought specialization and participated in the wave of the “BPM” theme, even participating in the launch of a product at the multinational software company where I worked (TOTVS). This area also prepared me to assume the leadership of a new structure in the company, the Service Engineering team, which became a reference for the other business units. Still in the 2010s, Brazil began to feel the weight of the lack of investment in technological education, leading to a shortage of people with knowledge in technology, from software development to its implementation. Thus came my opportunity to work in the area of knowledge management and corporate education, bringing all my background in technology/projects/processes as an important differential to create programs focused on the company’s intellectual capital. This is just one example of how continuous learning not only motivated me throughout my career, but also paved the way for all the growth opportunities that I was able to obtain and experience. And so it continues to be. In recent years I have sought specializations in leadership, innovation, knowledge management, educational technologies and, currently, I am also delving into a new area: biotechnology, already thinking about the challenges we will have in the coming decades.
Can you share your insights into the importance of digital education and how it can be used to drive business results?
It’s no longer an option for a society to be uneducated in technology. Technology is embedded in every business today, as well as in various routines that guarantee citizens’ access to their rights. Digital education is now a prerequisite for any country, and we clearly see the impact generated in countries that do not invest in education and scientific research. We see an increase in unemployment and hunger, an increase in social problems such as violence. People without learning opportunities are people without employability opportunities, and that is why digital education is fundamental.
Furthermore, we are clearly experiencing the impact of the absence of digital education in various countries around the world when we talk about the topic of “fake news”. Big techs have total control over the algorithms used in social networks and with this create communication strategies that are not perceived by the vast majority of users, who are totally influenced by the restricted (and often incorrect) information they are consuming. Digital education also brings this awareness about how technology works and allows the user to have a critical look at the content they access daily and thus not be manipulated in “information bubbles”. We are living in a decisive moment on this topic and it is up to the whole society to discuss the impact caused by the absence of digital education since early childhood.
How do you stay current with the latest developments and trends in technology and innovation?
Staying constantly updated is a major challenge. Changes are happening faster and faster, and we need to choose specific strategies, as we will never be able to know about everything. I continue to update myself on a daily basis through short courses, events in the field (whether in-person or online), participation in local business associations (such as Acate in Santa Catarina), participation in women in technology groups (such as Tech Female Floripa, ShesTech and others), books (still the best source of structured and quality knowledge), news portals and also social media (following quality profiles, especially selecting professionals and companies with good references). Recently, I did an immersion in the topic of “product management”, due to my current position as product manager at a national technology company (NDD Tech), focused on developing an innovative digital learning platform (Kubo LXP). I sought courses, books, experts and even benchmarks to deepen my knowledge on the topic.
But as I mentioned, in parallel I monitor macro trends about which I want to specialize in more depth, always observing the business segments with potential in the coming decades. My current challenge is to deepen my knowledge in biology in the future to get an opportunity in the area of biotechnology. But it is a big change of “basic knowledge”, since it is not an area in the comfort zone of technology. And if you still ask me what else I would like to be studying more unfortunately I don’t have enough time, I would like to already be doing a postgraduate degree in “Neuroscience and Learning”, a field that once again unites my professional pillars: technology, knowledge management and now biology. How about a day with 36 hours?
What do you think are the most significant opportunities and challenges facing women in technology and leadership positions today?
There are two main problems: the challenge of an entire cultural context and the other is the challenge of self-knowledge and female empowerment.
When we talk about the job market and society, we just need to look at history. In Brazil (and in many other countries around the world), women have had to fight for their rights in the last 60/70 years, which includes the very right to work without the authorization of their spouse, which was only enacted around 1960. Today this seems absurd to us, but it is still a reality in many other countries where the sexist and patriarchal culture still limits the freedom of women. Afghanistan in the 70s was a reasonably developed country in terms of women’s freedom and what we see today is exactly the opposite, in an oppressive and violent culture. Therefore, we are talking here about political, religious and social issues that are very complex and that unfortunately do not allow all women, in every corner of the world, to be truly free – that is, they prevent them from having their most basic rights.
When we talk about the challenge of self-knowledge and empowerment, combined with a sexist and patriarchal society, we still have female self-sabotage because we are continually “taught” that we are not enough or competent for the opportunities that exist. And many of us come to believe that we are really not good enough for certain positions or areas. When the field of technology emerged as a graduation option in the United States, the classes were practically half women, half men. But in the middle of this journey we were excluded from these areas. The same occurs in Brazil when we talk about STEM careers. Most of the university students who opt for exact sciences areas are still men because over the years we have been much more oriented towards care areas, such as health and education. A big fallacy! How many incredible women in history were great scientists, researchers and leaders? Several women have reached the top. Therefore, I understand that there is a lack of self-knowledge about their own potential – from learning to professional practice. But there is also a lack of empowerment through cultures, structures and companies that open opportunities for women to show what they are capable of.
Who has been a significant influence or mentor in your career, and how have they helped shape your professional journey?
I’ve been fortunate to have great leaders who were also my mentors. And I’ve also had leaders who taught me what kind of professional I didn’t want to be, and that’s fundamental!
My first significant leadership experience was with Lídia Maria de Souza, the project office manager where I worked for many years. I was a recent graduate, and despite having worked before, I hadn’t yet worked in such a critical area, especially in such a large company. Lídia was extremely intelligent and dedicated, going far beyond the work done by the other managers who were her peers. She was also quite demanding and correct, always striving to deliver her projects and manage operations flawlessly. Lídia saw my potential and shaped me in terms of a vision of excellence, commitment, and responsibility like no other leader has shaped me to this day.
Of course, I had many other leaders for whom I have enormous admiration and who also believed in me professionally. Cléber Piçarro, Siomara Machado, Leonardo Dicker, Mário Alex Santos, and currently Rafael Sartorel, each in a different company/job opportunity. They all allowed me to learn in different circumstances, developing different and complementary skills and abilities. In addition, I was also fortunate to work with professionals who also influenced me through the partnerships we established, as was the case with Cristiano Romanelli, Angélica Santos, Janize Rodrigues, Isabela Ruegger, Fernanda Silva, and Talita Caetano. Partnership is also an important mentoring mechanism when trust and open dialogue are established, including bringing sincere feedback that doesn’t require the power of leadership, but rather the power of relationship.
What has been your most career-defining moment that you are proud of?
In 2014, I undertook a project that redefined me not only as a professional but also as a person. I was challenged to create a technical training program to develop the next generation of consultants at the Belo Horizonte/Minas Gerais business unit of TOTVS. It was a gamble by our management (Siomara Machado) to create a professional standard for the software implementation team. We developed an internship program where the learning period itself was the selection process, developing people identified by their potential and not necessarily by their formal knowledge (the university of origin did not matter, it did not matter if the person had not yet had experience in technology). It was the first edition of the “Basic Academy” project, in which we trained 20 professionals for the job market and hired 15 to work at TOTVS itself.
Years later, in 2018, I was hired in a new opportunity to carry out a similar initiative in another Brazilian company, which operates especially in the software sector for public justice (Softplan), where I was able to carry out several knowledge management projects, including the training program for new professionals. We trained 67 people, of all ages and genders, and hired around 85% of the trained professionals in different sectors of the company. It is an initiative that empowers people through knowledge and employability, giving them a unique opportunity for real life change. It is very gratifying to follow the journey of each person who has gone through the program, which has even been nationally recognized as an innovative internship program.
How do you prioritize your well-being and self-care amidst a demanding career?
The secret lies in setting time limits. I’m passionate about my work and dedicate myself diligently to my studies to continue improving, but I’ve learned to respect my limits and dedicate time to my health. However, this wasn’t an easy lesson, as I’ve always been very demanding of myself (reflecting a bit of the self-sabotage I mentioned about “never feeling enough”). Nevertheless, my body and mind have limits, even if I don’t agree with them.
Therefore, I always try to set aside time for physical exercise and personal activities that allow me to rest my mind and body. I currently live in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, and being close to the beach is an excellent strategy for seeking a better quality of life. So, there’s nothing better for self-care than setting aside time to be happy and at peace. Even though my career demands a lot, it’s necessary to distribute time wisely and understand that we are a machine that needs to recharge its batteries to continue functioning well.
What are your long-term career aspirations, and how do you see yourself evolving as a leader over the next five years?
I continue to develop my technical and leadership skills daily to be ready for the next opportunity that arises. We need to be prepared, even if there isn’t a specific opportunity defined yet. I intend to further my studies in the areas of biology and neuroscience to enter this market segment, bringing all my technology knowledge as a foundation for connecting with these new areas.
I admire the work of Professor Miguel Nicolelis (the Brazilian neuroscientist responsible for the unforgettable kick at the opening of the 2014 World Cup) and all the movement he has been making so that technology is used for the well-being and health of people, working on incredible projects that are breaking down the barriers of the brain. I also admire several companies that are seeking biotechnological solutions for a more sustainable economy, with a reduction of impacts on the climate and the environment.
I understand that these are fundamental areas for the human future on this planet and also so that we can face critical situations such as hunger and the pandemics that are yet to come.
What advice would you give to women who are looking to transition into leadership positions in technology?
Empowerment and self-awareness.
Seeking formal and informal knowledge about leadership is crucial so that you can apply effective techniques in your daily routine, but also so that you can assess which action is most coherent with each leadership context. Knowledge is fundamental for making choices, including what you understand or do not understand as the best way to lead. I believe that all training that leads us to be more fair, transparent, and relational will always be a starting point for good leadership. And as for informal learning, listen to feedback from your peers and even your friends, but also accept praise and recognize your value. We will all always have something to improve, but we need to be aware of our potential, our achievements, and our value.
Last but not least, I reinforce the “human” factor of the leadership role. We all have vulnerabilities and at various times it is important to acknowledge them. Of course, leadership also requires us to “filter” the message that we will convey to our teams, especially so that they are not demotivated in our moments of questioning or failure, but teams that are built on trust work infinitely better. Therefore, being a human leader will continue to be our greatest differential due to several characteristics: creativity, empathy, and adaptability. We are experiencing the revolution of artificial intelligence and our humanity is exactly what makes our intelligence unique.