CatchUp With the Crew: Leonard Souza

In “CatchUp with the Crew,” we take you inside life at ClickUp. You’ll get to know our team, see what makes us tick, and better understand what makes ClickUp such a unique place to work.

This week, we’ll hear from Leonard Souza!

Name: Leonard Souza
Title: Director of Engineering
When I joined: June 2023

Why did you join ClickUp?

I had the opportunity to lead engineering at Webflow, which was one of ClickUp’s first significant clients a few years ago. During this time, I got to know Tommy and Zeb and we hit it off. We kept in touch even after signing the deal – and now, here I am!

I’m also super excited about the future of workforce analytics. There is a lot of innovation happening in AI and how it impacts the space, and I want to be part of that journey.

What do you do at ClickUp?

I lead the teams that are evolving workforce productivity analytics. In addition to running these teams, I look at operations engineering, product, and design and bring all the worlds together in alignment.

Tell us what a typical day looks like for you.

I usually start my day at 3:45 AM and begin work around 5 AM. From 5-7 AM, I do solo deep work and then 7-11 AM is all meeting time. Around 11 AM I have lunch and transition into a quieter afternoon.

How would you describe the culture at ClickUp? What makes it different from other jobs you’ve had?

We definitely operate with the energy of a start-up but with a lot more support. People really care about each other and that helps mitigate some of the stress that is inevitable during high growth.

What do you like best about your job?

I really enjoy helping other people succeed and do their best work. When I enable my team to lead a balanced and healthy life, I feel the most accomplished.

What’s your favorite thing about the engineering team?

You never want to feel like the smartest person in the room, and here, I never do. I’m constantly feeling like I’m bypassed by others. And I love our culture of wanting to solve things. That problem-solving mentality is something that exists throughout all of ClickUp.

What qualities do you think a successful ClickUp employee embodies?

There are several qualities. Most importantly being able to check your ego at the door. Humility with intelligence is what I look for. As long as you’ve tried to find an answer, being able to admit when you don’t know something is key.

I also think those that seek to amplify their teammates are the ones that can expect it to come back to them. Finally, being comfortable with change is a very helpful skill set at ClickUp since it’s so fast-paced. I highly recommend reading the book, Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. I learned a lot from it!

Want to join the ClickUp Crew? We’re hiring! Check out our careers page to see the open positions currently on our job board and apply now.