Behind the Collaborative Advantage: Meet PGi Melbourne’s Paul Crighton

PGi’s employees are passionate, creative, driven by innovation and obsessed with providing best-in-class customer care. We attribute our global success to them and they’re often the first thing mentioned when people share why they love working at PGi. We think they’re special and we would like to share some of their positivity and passion with you. In honor of our award-winning employees we have dedicated the month of June to Employee Appreciation. Every Tuesday in June, we’ll post an employee spotlight from one of our 2,100 global associates, the men and women that bring the Collaborative Advantage to life.

This week, meet Paul Crighton, PGi’s Vice President of Sales South Asia located in Melbourne, Australia.

Tell us a little bit about your role at PGi in Melbourne: 

I have been with PGI for six years and prior to that I spent over 18 years in software.

I run sales strategy and execution for 60 people in the Asia Pacific Region.  The focus is on transforming the team from a product led sales force, traditionally selling products to the IT department, to a solution led sales force selling SaaS to various lines of business. In addition, I work closely with my sales leaders on their key deals to ensure we get the best possible outcome for PGi and our customers.  I also work closely with other sales leaders across the globe to leverage global best practices where it makes sense.

What is your favorite thing about PGi? 

My favorite thing about being at PGi is definitely, hands down, the people I work with.  It sounds cliché but I truly believe I am working more for my team mates and the greater good than for self -gain.  The culture we have built in Asia is a wonderfully empowering, yet a fully inclusive culture.

Which PGi core value (Positivity, Responsibility, Humility, Creativity and Sustainablity) do you most exemplify? 

Being a high yellow in HBDI* terminology I believe creativity is the strongest of the PGi values I demonstrate on a daily basis.

*HBDI measures thinking preferences and has been used to help develop employees, regional strategies and drive business outcomes in APAC since 2011

What is the best professional advice you have ever received? 

I think the best professional advice I have ever been given was the 75/25 rule.  Put simply “75% of what we do in our role is great and we love it and 25% of what we do is not so great and we dislike it, when things are tough it is tempting to spend all of your time in the 25% making things seem worse.  The trick is get into the 75%, do the things you love doing and then you will turn the situation around.

READ ALSO: Paul Crighton in PGi Demonstrates the Benefits of Collaborative Technology 

Have you always lived in Melbourne? If not, where else have you lived?

I have traveled the world. My family and I are clearly nomadic in nature.   I lived my first 35 years in England and then the next 10 years between Melbourne and Sydney.  We recently moved to Singapore for two years and have now returned back to spend a couple of years at home in Melbourne before the next adventure to who knows where.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? 

In my spare time I love nothing more than to spend time with my wife and daughter having fun, going to AFL Games and supporting the local team, Collingwood.

We also love to travel and are quite nomadic by nature having lived in 9 different houses in 10 years. I started a running hobby late in life three years ago and I have now run one marathon, The Great Ocean Rd, and a half-marathon in Singapore. I also enjoy getting out on a boat and fishing in Port Melbourne bay for the local snapper.