Scott Kriens, Chairman, president and chief executive officer, Juniper Networks

Listening to Scott Kriens, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Juniper Networks, talk about the company's mantra is like listening to the steps for a special recipe. Add one cup water to one cup flour. Stir and repeat. In Kriens' case, though, it makes more than just dough.

'We focus,' he says. 'We execute. We learn. And then, we do it again. We have a clear view of our opportunities. We have a measured executive effort. And, we learn a great deal and make sure it goes back into the mix for next time around. In any new market, those who learn the fastest, win.'

Juniper makes high-performance IP (Internet Protocol) systems for service providers such as Cable & Wireless and MCI WorldCom. In a new industry like the Internet, the learning curve is steep. And without learning quickly, it is easy for companies to fall by the wayside.

One of the biggest challenges for Kriens, though, is making sure he protects the quality of the company. For example, rather than fill an empty position with a candidate who is only 90 percent right for a job, Kriens would rather wait a few more months to find the person who is 100 percent suitable.

'We would get more out of that person in nine months than we would out of the person who was 90 percent right and here for 12 months,' he says. 'In a fast-growing environment, compromise looms at every turn. It's easy to compromise quality for expediency, but it really impairs our ability to reach longer-term goals versus what it saves us in the short term.'

Moving forward

Kriens believe the other critical element for success is creating an environment where people can communicate and share ideas. At Juniper its called 'Survival of the Fittest Idea.' By creating an open forum for ideas, the company can stay current and continue to grow.

'In order to keep up with the latest technology, we all have to be learners and teachers,' Kriens says. 'We depend a lot on each other because no one person can be current on all things. However, the company as a whole must be current.'

In the end, Kriens believes it's the passion of his employees that will keep the company moving and shaking. It then becomes Kriens' job to keep the motivation level high, which he does by paying attention to all the little details and keeping employees notified of when and how important goals are met.

'When you're in uncharted waters, like the Internet marketplace, you need confidence in your navigation skills,' he says. 'By pointing out the accuracy of your navigation to date, it builds a self-fulfilling confidence that we can continue to execute and succeed going forward.'

SCOTT KRIENS

Position: Chairman, President and Chief Executive Office

Background:

• Bachelor's degree in economics, California State University, Hayward
• Founder and officer of StrataCom, Inc. (established the company's first customer relationships, including those with customers who built the first Frame Relay and ATM networks)

Early Influences: 'I ended up in the industry completely by accident. When I graduated from college in 1979, computers were a novelty. We were just young people having a lot of fun. I learned that the best opportunities come from doing something not a lot of people know about but wish they did.'

Favorite Part of the Job: 'I love sharing the excitement of winning with the team. There's no better place to be than in a winning locker room.'

Most Rewarding Moment: 'The birth of our first product in 1998 and, more recently, the announcement of our third major product launched in 18 months. But, I'm most proud of the fact that our people are not distracted. They're more focused and driven now because they see the potential we have.'