Maxim Behar: The Only Race That Matters is With Yourself

Maxim Behar is a visionary in many fields, has always been up to date with new developments, and is different in that he sometimes sets the trend himself, changing the way we think and communicate. He shares the secrets of his success and the creative tools he uses along the way in an interview - part of the project of the Daily Newspaper 24 Chasa and TREND Magazine called "Men who set the TREND".

What are your company's values and what is your personal professional mission?
- Ethical business, professional business, and clients and partners delighted by our professionalism. Our mission is more than clear - bringing happiness to our team, peace to our clients, and learning something new every day.

Why did you choose this particular field to pursue a career in - what attracts you, challenges you, provokes you? At what point did you realize this was the right direction?
- I always knew this was my direction - communication, networking, leadership. The moment of choice is irrelevant, it's the outcome that matters. I am provoked by the great dynamics of my business - Public Relations, there is nothing that makes it difficult. 27 years ago, when I started my business, I was hindered by the fact that the market developed slower than my thoughts and wishes... Now the market is well developed, thank God, I have enough competitors, which I didn't have back then, and the market now knows well what PR is and there is a growing need for it.  

What differ you from your competitors?
- We are super different. We have nothing in common. Both me and my colleagues. We're visionaries, we know a lot, we know literally every day what's going on across the state, who's thinking what and what they want to do. We're always thinking several moves ahead, we know the media to perfection, we create great content, we are in love with our work and we give our soul in everything we do. In fact, that is how we achieved to be high-rank professionals. As I do, so does every one of my colleagues, from the manager to the assistant.  

How do you motivate your team to perform well? Do you keep your distance or keep close to your colleagues? And do you know what your colleagues think of you - is their opinion important to you?
- I only keep my distance when someone on the bus is not wearing a mask. This is just a joke, of course. There is no point in keeping distance from anyone in my team, but just the opposite. This year another book of mine came out, The Morning After, in which I share my concept of a modern and totally horizontal management. Everyone in a successful office should now be on the same level and everyone is a leader in their workplace, with their own projects, clients, and responsibilities. And in this sense, for me the opinion of my colleagues in the company is not only important, but it is also the most important. Without them, the company can not take a step forward.  

How and from whom do you learn to manage?
- I've learned something from everyone and then applied it in business. First - my father, then colleagues, friends, business partners. Every day I learn something new and remember it. What's different about me is that a lot of people say, "we learn from our mistakes". On the contrary - I always learn from my successes. I carefully analyze how I achieved one thing and make a short strategy on how to achieve even more. This is a unique model. I haven't seen it anywhere, I made it up myself and it works perfectly.  

How did you find your calling?
- I never really looked for it. I was 13 years old when I was publishing the neighborhood newspaper, which - I have no explanation why - even then I had called the Daily News. I always believed that if you made а business out of your hobby, you would never have to work in your life. So I worked fifteen years in journalism, and now nearly 30 years in the PR business. The calling just found me, whatever that means.

The most interesting competition you have won?
- I literally win one or two every day. I compete with myself and what I accomplished yesterday to make it better today. The only competitions that matter in a man's life are with himself.

Which battle did you lose?
- I don't count them, I don't evaluate them, I don't remember them. And I agree with Dalai Lama who says, "If you lose, don't lose the lessons."

How often do you wake up with the feeling that everything depends on you?
- Every day. I also fall asleep with that feeling...

Many men are rethinking their lives, giving up things they previously thought were important. What would lead you to such a life turn in your case?
- Only experience, nothing else.

Is it important to have someone by your side to share your successful career with?
- Yes, it is very important and I am lucky to have her.

Have you learned the formula for a healthy family or are you still looking for it?
- I am not looking for it because there is no "one size fits all". As my uncle Moshe, who lives happily in Israel now at the age of 91, says: "To have a good family, the most important thing is that the two of you can laugh together at the same things."

How do you define and explain success - yours and others?
- Well, there is only one definition of success - being happy and feeling useful...

If you lose everything you have achieved, what will you do?
- The same again. Meeting lots of people from all over the world, connecting them with each other, and figuring out ways to make them and their businesses better. It's not just a business, it's more of a state of mind and there will always be a place for it on the planet. It's even becoming more necessary to have people like that every day. Now more than ever.