Can a team truly build trust if there’s no freedom to disagree?

Building trust in a team

Can you trust a team?When there is no freedom to talk about disagreements?

I think teams have to go through uncomfortable moments,as a source for significantly transforming the team and making it better.

And there are uncomfortable conversations that need to be had in order to overcome trust issues.

And I believe that there is one principle that must prevail, and that is transparency.

We are here for you in the most difficult moments, in the less difficult moments,I think you've had to have these uncomfortable conversations.

And I think that's very interesting, especially when you're growing.

It's normal to have different opinions, but there always has to be that freedom to understand that intellectual humility we were talking about,that everyone has their own knowledge and is totally, well, that's just the way it is.

We're free, but we're also here to learn and draw conclusions and, even if there are opposing opinions,to try something, and if it doesn't work, pivot or go with another feature.

Although Vitalera works remotely,What efforts do you make to ensure that the teams can put a name to a face, and get to know each other?

Yes, we try to see each other at least once a quarter.

Yes, what being remote gives you is the chance to have people from different places,and I think that's a big advantage because there is a lot of talent that is not only found in big cities,but also from further afield.

And yes, at knowing we'll see each other in X amount of time,well, it helps us to be a little more human.

But being remote doesn't mean we aren't highly productive.and that we can take things out,because I believe that, in the end, there is a working methodology and an organization within the flexibility we have, given that we have parents who are well organized, as they can be managed very well remotely.

Could you give us a specific example of when you realized the value of the real solution you were creating beyond the case of Miguel?

Yes, I think the fact that large companies such as Occident, Harvard,The Hospital Clínic and other large hospitals trust us,I think that's when you start to see that it is no longer just a few patients who are satisfied or doctors who truly see that this is useful,but rather companies that truly trust, are committed, and implement that kind of solution.

What would you say is Unai's role in this case?The CTO of Vitalera?

I admire Unai a lot because I think he has been able to understand very well the issues with our product and create solutions that add value.

At the end of the day, our company is very much a product company.and especially before the pandemic he thought, "Let's open this up so that third parties can connect." And thanks to that, today the infrastructure and design,let's say, also API-based,allows us to connect with medical records.

And if that decision, that vision, hadn't been made,we wouldn't have been able to connect and we probably would have died,because we would not have been able to grow with large companies and I think Unai had a vision,a very important vision and is a fundamental part.

And well, I feel lucky to work with him.You say that Vitalera is very product-oriented.

What internal mechanisms do you have in place to ensure weekly and monthly that everyone is on the same page?

Mondays are an important time for us to discuss,So, how was your previous week and what's coming up?

And then there are the dailies.Each business unit, technology, the most part of Scoping Business,where the value is analyzed a little, what is coming next,what are the priorities and why are we taking so long to do something?

Why we are stuck and how we can improve?It's about checking those three things every day.and then automating with tools such as yours or task managers.

How do you ensure that a remote and diverse team that everyone understands the company's vision and mission?

I believe that, especially during the personnel selection stage,that there really is that motivation to be part of an organization with purpose and impact.

And then it also needs to be reinforced.Every time hospitals send us videos of patients,that motivates us a lot. They send us many cases.

We have a channel where we share stories from our own customers and it's very rewarding and really empowering.

That really motivates the team and the people who are also developing the product.

Could you ever have imagined at any point during your research career that in just a few years time you would be changing the lives of people in Brazil, in the United States or in Spain itself?

I don't think so, but we always wanted to and the goal of doing something more than just research.

And I also strongly believe that there are moments when purpose comes together with in this case with Unai, who was the person with whom we founded Vitalera and it was at that moment that our goals came together.

And now it is what it is.But I don't think we ever would have imagined it.