Interview with Britta Gustafsen: Key Account Manager for IT-Carve-Outs

The morning routine of a high performer

Britta, what does your typical working day look like and which tools do you prefer to work with?

I’m one of those annoying high performers who gets up early so I can get everything done in peace and start the day in a good mood (because I’ve already achieved quite a bit). As soon as I sit down at my desk, I first check if there are any urgent emails, otherwise I look at what meetings are coming up, what needs to be prepared, and sort the remaining emails into “ongoing,” “to be processed this week,” or “must be done today.”

Then I adjust my to-do list in Monday. Next, I prioritize, attend meetings, and work through my tasks. Setting up, preparing, and conducting meetings, writing emails to stakeholders with important information, and updating lists are part of my daily tasks. I use Teams, Monday, Excel, and Word most frequently.

How do you organize yourself in your day-to-day project work, and what makes your job particularly challenging?

With my beloved project management tool, where I can organize and track finances, team members’ to-do lists, and other important milestones. But basically, you always need a good dose of flexibility, because things never go as planned. 😉

Coordinating many different aspects is particularly challenging. I have to keep track of everything at all times—which processes are running how and where, what information is needed or needs to be provided, who is doing what, when, and how much, and what the overall progress of the project is.

Who do you work particularly closely with and what problems do you have to solve on an almost daily basis?

I work most closely with the respective project manager, the IT infrastructure manager, and my key account manager counterpart on the customer side. I have to coordinate most with these two roles.

My parents’ IT problems. And then there are the customer’s IT problems. 😉

Structure as the backbone and guarantee of a successful project

You already demonstrated your sense of humor in the interview, but how do you notice in your everyday project work that your efforts are really making a difference?

I am someone who works in an extremely structured way. Someone who has been doing this job for over 10 years may not need to be so extremely structured anymore, as he or she naturally has everything in their head and instinctively knows what to do. Nevertheless, in my opinion, structure and thoroughness are the best guarantees for a successful project.

My projects are on the right track thanks to my predefined structures, so I would say that my work is the backbone of the project and keeps everything running smoothly. I’m also someone who always wants to clarify everything as quickly as possible and doesn’t want to wait until the next meeting. This also gives the project a certain dynamism and speed.

Since I joined the project, there has definitely been more laughter, and the occasional very serious meeting with “the IT guys” has been lightened up. Fundamentally, my team can always rely on my work and diligence. My work gives them more freedom to take care of their work “carefree.”

From the basement to the carve-out?

What has been your most exciting project so far?

Clearing out my basement. To be honest, I find the word “exciting” exaggerated in a professional context. I enjoy my projects a lot, but they don’t get my pulse racing with excitement. I generally enjoy my work and am happy when large, small, and medium milestones are reached. Sure, there are days when it’s a little stressful and you have to coordinate a lot, but I enjoy that too, and yes, maybe there’s a little excitement when it comes to communication channels. 😉

What have you learned about yourself in your role as Key Account Manager and PMO, and which skills do you think are often underestimated in this job?

I have learned that not everything has to be clarified immediately and that some processes take time, and that patience sometimes helps to solve problems more effectively. But I have also learned that I am someone who wants to act quickly and ad hoc to ensure that projects run smoothly, and that this is basically a good trait, but one that sometimes puts me under pressure.

Human empathy is primarily underestimated. In both positions, you deal with many different personalities from different geographical and social backgrounds. It is not always enough to simply give a firm instruction to get something done; often, sensitivity to the situation is required. I always see myself as a kind of mediator between all parties involved. My focus is always on the successful completion of the project, which is not guaranteed by taking a hard line, but by compromising where possible and responding to all sides.

Courage, motivation, and moments of pride

Britta, what advice would you give to someone who is new to this role?

Don’t be too hard on yourself. Ask as many questions as possible so that you can understand all the processes and details. Create mind maps and other graphics to better understand and organize connections. Make good, detailed plans and to-do lists, and work as accurately and carefully as possible. Be friendly and open with everyone, and be confident.

Finally, which KAM moment are you particularly proud of, and what motivates you to bring structure to projects as a PMO every day?

When I helped another KAM get the project back on track. Getting a difficult project back under control is only possible as a team, and I am proud that we managed to do it so well again.

I am someone who wants and needs to structure everything. I love it when everything is clear and you have a good overview of everything. It just fills me with joy! So everything from compulsion to natural talent. 😉

Thank you, Britta, for your open and honest insights! Every sentence conveys how passionate you are about structure, clarity, and reliability, and how this passion drives your projects and teams. This makes you much more than just the “backbone” of your projects—you are a true role model for lively, human project management.