My Personal Story
I am Yoram Zahavi, married to Talli, residing in Zichron Yaakov, and a proud father of three children.
Throughout my career, I have navigated the dynamic landscape of high-tech, gaining extensive experience in management and technological innovation. As I progressed, I began to see the profound interplay between technology and human behavior. This realization sparked my desire to transition into the field of psychology, where I could explore the motivations, aspirations, and emotional landscapes that drive individuals.
My goal is to connect the dots between these two fields—high-tech and psychology—to create meaningful solutions that address the challenges people face in their professional lives. By combining insights from both areas, I aim to support individuals who are encountering obstacles in their roles, undergoing transitions, or seeking to discover their true purpose.
This synergy reflects my belief that understanding human behavior, with attention to the nuances of social psychology, is essential in research and development-driven companies. The human factor plays a crucial role in the success of any tech organization. By prioritizing a people-first approach, we can empower individuals, foster motivation, maintain constructive communication and transparency, encourage collaboration and innovation, and create a work environment that supports well-being and productivity.
Over the years, I dared to change and evolve, pursuing dreams that opened doors and fascinating fields of activity in the tech world. As a young person passionate about software development, I began my journey as a software engineer at Intel while studying software engineering at the Technion. I continued with a master's degree in business administration at the Technion and ventured out to "conquer the world" as a development team leader at a startup, and later as the CTO at another startup. I became a principal engineer and manager of strategic innovation in artificial intelligence (AI) program at Intel, head of the AI and group manager at Citibank's innovation labs, and a principal product manager in AI at Microsoft. Today, I coach and mentor executives, managers, and employees in tech, and I am pursuing a Ph.D. in Psychology at Ben-Gurion University in the Negev.
I am fortunate to have encountered people who believed in me and gave me the opportunity to experiment, lead, and follow my desires. My work environment constantly reminded me that learning is a process, and that the values and strengths we bring with us contribute to self-fulfillment in every project or task we undertake. I met fascinating people and a rewarding environment — a fertile ground for activity and freedom of movement. In my journey, I aspired for more, challenging the status quo when necessary, and in a way (much like a salmon), I navigated toward the right place for me upstream. I was driven by a passion for breaking boundaries and leadership, for thinking outside the box and taking risks, and for nurturing autonomy and independence for myself and others. Alongside this, I also faced disappointments — the difficult and frustrating moments that inevitably arise in the realm of meaningful creation.
The concept of putting people at the center, understanding their motivations and aspirations, their needs and drives, behaviors, and cognitive biases has fascinated me over the years. Unconsciously, my area of work evolved, becoming multidisciplinary – connecting the scientific and technological world with the realms of psychology and cognitive-personal coaching. Here, the understanding of human nature, management, and technological innovation come together in one story about people, love, desires, and loyalty.
I learned that the core values I believe in – integrity, leadership, meaning, creativity, and sensitivity (this is an authentic distilled list :)) – have guided me in managing my career and navigating change. Beyond the "luck" that accompanied me, in the choices I made, I aimed to connect the dots backward and mark the next goal. I wasn’t afraid to swim upstream.
Today, I find purpose and inspiration in the opportunity to create a professional coaching process with my clients. It is a process that allows reflection on values and strengths, managing passions and aspirations, dealing with workplace challenges, and crafting a clear and correct path toward the desired change for the client.