You Can Sing Beautifully
Career and Life Tips from Artem
Artem didn’t study singing when he took music lessons. He was assigned to the piano, because that suited him more.
Later, Artem found out he really loved singing, and started practicing a lot. Years later, on a trip to Oslo to see the Norwegian National Opera, he actually got the chance to sing a little with the famous organization. Now, that’s amazing for someone who was once told that singing wasn’t his specialty.
What Artem’s story teaches us is the power of dedication and chasing what you love. Recently, we caught up with Artem, who is now the head of the traffic management unit at Kyivstar. He has many awesome tips on how you can sing more beautifully in whatever you do.
Let’s begin:
1. Pick up the microphone
Originally, Artem didn’t plan to sing. But he saw the chance to learn and took it.
“We were actually going to sell all the musical equipment once our class was over, but I decided to use it and start working on my singing skills,” recalls Artem.
During his career as an engineer, Artem has employed similar willingness to take initiative. When he sees the microphone (i.e. opportunity), he picks it up.
“In 2000, Kyivstar had just celebrated 100,000 subscribers and I literally became like the 303rd employee. It was exciting because Kyivstar was in the growth stage and I got the chance grow with them,” notes Artem.
Artem started his career with Kyivstar. The company allowed him to take on responsibility immediately and apply his theoretical knowledge in a practical manner. He started as an engineer for the traffic management unit and performed other tasks as needed. By learning on the job and improving his hard and soft skills, Artem worked his way up to head of the traffic management unit.
“All of my early work at Kyivstar was so fresh and interesting. There were general guidelines for how to handle technical tasks, but I was given the space to come up with my own solutions. This job challenged me in a way that’s helped me improve tremendously,” explains Artem.
So, when an opportunity comes that can help you grow, take it. Or, as Artem would say, pick up the microphone.
2. When a child wants ice cream…
That child asks for (or screams for) ice cream. It’s as simple as that.
“Young children really know what they want and they go for it directly. They don’t care what others think. They just follow their hearts, or stomachs. I always wonder how they always find their way to the nearest toy store in any city. It is like they have an internal GPS for ice cream or toy stores”. says Artem.
The lesson here is straightforward yet profound: Go for what you want and do what you love — and don’t think twice about it. Artem advises young graduates to follow this philosophy.
“Figure out what you really like and do it. Then, work won’t feel like a job and success will come naturally. At Kyivstar, I really enjoy the work and it’s also been really rewarding to see the network grow and customers happy,” states Artem.
“When you do your job with love, you will achieve great results without putting so much effort. It is similar to singing: you can technically perform well, but you cannot touch your audience feelings without singing with the soul….”
So, ask yourself: What do you like? And then do it. Of course, if you really like ice cream, it may be hard to find a career, unless you’re a professional eater like Matt Stonie (he’s eaten 12 pints of ice cream in 35 minutes).
3. The sky is full of a variety of stars
No star is alone. If you’re going to have great success, you need a good team around you.
“You don’t need a team of stars. What you need is a star team,” emphasizes Artem.
But how do you build a star team? Artem says it requires having a diverse group of talents.
“You want people that do different things well. You need folks that provide fresh perspectives. You need creative folks and those that pay attention to detail. This is how you build a well-rounded team that does it all well,” attests Artem.
At Kyivstar, Artem points out that having different generations working side by side is an advantage. The team just has to communicate well.
“With a diverse team, honesty is paramount and trust must be established. This is how the best in everybody is brought out. Everybody on my team has the chance to teach and be taught. We’re all teachers and learners — and we must be open with each other,” says Artem.
I am really grateful to everyone in my team and to my colleagues for their professionalism, for their attitudes, for their empathy, for their help, for just being real.
It is great honor and pleasure to be the part of such cool team. The traffic management unit team is really a brand. We have our logo, flag and slogan “Let your traffic g0”.
When you work well with a diverse team, knowledge spreads. And that means plenty of good things can happen.
4. Communicate like doctors in an operating room
Communication is crucial in both work and life. It’s especially important in the medical field, as lives are on the line. That’s why, when Artem talks to his team about good communication, he uses the example of doctors in the operating room.
“In the operating room, everything must be done efficiently. There must be empathy for the patient. You must work as a team, or else you’ll fail, and the cost of failure is extremely high. People don’t question each other’s role. They focus on solutions and how to reach them most effectively,” stresses Artem.
Those are some solid observations. As a father, Artem also takes lessons on communication from his child. He’s always amazed by how easily children just talk with one another.
“Adults can really learn a lot from children about how to network. They just go up and start a dialogue with others. As adults, I think we lose sight of the fact that communication is really basic at its core. There’s no need to complicate things so much, just flow and be simple” explains Artem.
Now, if you want to be a great communicator, be like a doctor in the operating room and a child on the train. You’ll solve issues more effectively with your colleagues and build your network more quickly.
5. Sing your heart out
Don’t take this statement literally. What we mean is to just do the things that you enjoy.
When Artem has free time, he’s spending time with family. He also does sing his heart out, too (well, at least figuratively he does).
“I love singing with other people. It’s a great way to connect with others and share an experience,” expresses Artem.
And when Artem’s not singing, he is participating in different sporting and educational activities. He believes that he is responsible for his personal development. He also enjoys a good meal and likes cooking. Borscht and varenyky are his go-to Ukrainian dishes.
“On long weekends, you may also find me at Ethnographic Complex, Ukrainian Village. It’s a great place to connect with the history and traditional roots of Ukraine,” says Artem.
So, there you have it. To sing a beautiful song in your life, you have to take time for yourself.
It’s time to sing!
To sum it up: Having success in your life and career involves grabbing opportunities, doing what you love, working with a diverse team, communicating well, taking responsibility, and relaxing along the way.
Artem has given you some good notes on how to sing a beautiful song. All that’s left for you to do is create it.
