“How do we not only face change, but thrive through it?” This question was at the heart of our leadership panel for aGROWda 2024, Agoda’s annual company-wide learning event. Titled “Exploring New Pathways to Evolve”, the panel featured Idan Zalzberg (CTO), Mai-Linh Bui (CFO), Matteo Frigerio (CMO), Ittai Chorev (Chief Product Officer), and Andrew Smith (SVP, Supply), who took the stage along with moderator Corinna Comerci (Director, Global Accounts Operations). Our leaders talked about embracing change personally and professionally, offering key insights on growth mindset, goal-setting, and the importance of support networks. Their conversation touched on the challenges and opportunities that come with change, learning from role models while staying true to oneself, and the role of curiosity in personal growth. Of course, they also shared personal stories and tips for building healthy habits and leaning on support networks to navigate life’s twists and turns.
Here are five key takeaways from their panel on embracing change.
1. Embrace Change with a Growth Mindset
Change can be tough, but when you approach it with a growth mindset, it opens up new possibilities. At Agoda, we’re all about continuously learning and evolving—both in our work and personal lives. The panelists stressed that it’s not just about starting the change but also embracing the possibility of failure. As Mai-Linh Bui put it, “When you make changes, I think you have to realize that you may fail. It may not work and that’s OK, because you’re going to learn something from the experience. So, you’ll change and do something else. You try something different.” Building new habits takes consistent effort and resilience, but the rewards are worth it.
2. Set Achievable Goals and Keep Them In Mind
Big goals can feel overwhelming but breaking them down into smaller steps makes them much more manageable. This way, you can focus on small wins without getting stuck on the bigger picture. Andrew Smith shared, “Change compounds: start with small, easy, incremental things that you can get going with. When you make a change, you’re always going to experience setbacks. But remember your end goal and know why you’re doing this. When you have a setback, you want to fall back on something that’s a bit more deep-seated and remember that there’s a good reason why you’re making this change,” reminding us that setting realistic goals is key. At Agoda, this philosophy of taking measurable steps aligns with how we approach both personal and business growth.
3. Learn from Role Models While Staying Authentic
Looking up to role models is great, but it’s important to stay true to who you are. The panelists talked about finding a balance between learning from others and adapting those lessons to fit your own personality and style. “Finding the right people to learn from is important. I don’t really like to copy people one to one. You need to identify who to learn from and understand that you might want to adopt different ideas from different people,” Ittai Chorev explained, pointing out the value of authenticity. This echoes Agoda’s emphasis on individuality and diversity—encouraging everyone to learn from others while staying true to their own unique perspectives.
4. Cultivate Curiosity and Continuous Learning
Curiosity is a powerful tool for personal growth. It helps you explore new ideas and discover opportunities you might not have found otherwise. The panelists highlighted how curiosity pushes people to look beyond the obvious and try different paths. “When you’re curious, you don’t follow the standard route. You explore and learn from different perspectives. Sometimes, it might feel like a waste of time or seem irrelevant, but sometimes, you’ll discover a piece of treasure that no one else has noticed,” remarked Idan Zalzberg. At Agoda, fostering a culture of curiosity is a big part of our success—it’s what drives innovation and keeps us moving forward.
5. Build and Rely on a Support Network
None of us succeed alone. The panelists emphasized the importance of having a strong support system, whether it’s family, friends, mentors, or peers. At Agoda, we know the value of collaboration and support, both in our work and our personal lives. Matteo Frigerio shared, “Family has clearly shaped who I am today. My kids are without a doubt the people who’ve had the most profound impact on me and my personality. They’ve taught me to be kinder and more patient, and it sounds cliche, but they helped me find a sense of meaning in what I do,” Having a network of people to lean on and learn from makes navigating change so much easier.
Embracing Change is a Lifelong Journey
This panel was full of practical advice for embracing change with confidence. Whether it’s adopting a growth mindset, setting achievable goals, learning from role models, or building a solid support network, these strategies can help you thrive through change—both at work and in life. As our leaders showed, it’s all about staying open to new possibilities and growing along the way.
