The sirens go off in the middle of a demo with a US prospect, right mid-sentence. Another round of sighs, gasps, and oh-ohs from that side of the screen – but for us it’s already routine.

We paused, gave a quick explanation, and walked to the shelter. Ten minutes later, the demo resumed from there. The prospect sounded more shaken than the team. We closed the deal a few weeks later.

At some point, moments like that stop feeling exceptional for our Israeli office. They become the norm. We have siren pauses mid-dailies, mid-calls – mid-everything. My military intelligence background – 7 years in Unit 8200 – taught me to develop clear coping patterns, so the response becomes consistent rather than reactive. You treat it like a drill: pause, walk, come back, keep going.

Admit productivity isn’t linear anymore

Under these circumstances, the idea of a “normal workday” disappears. The day stretches and breaks apart depending on what’s happening outside the screen. Meetings are interrupted, hours shift, and focus comes and goes.

What hasn’t changed is how we measure performance. The team still looks at output: the number of deals closed, customers onboarded, features shipped, and revenue growth. Customers don’t adjust expectations based on geography, and we do not........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)