Over the course of my career, I’ve seen great changes in the IT services and technology fields. For me, one of the biggest and more important changes involve the shift in perspective of what constitutes great leadership in technology businesses.
As shared in this blog’s previous post, IT Leadership Transparency, there have been changes in IT Leadership practices that have greatly increased the imperative for transparency, which has eliminated the distance between the words spoken by tech management and their actions. For instance in the past, it may not have been uncommon for leadership to say something like ‘people are our most important asset’ while treating them as if they were the least of their worries. But in today’s workplace and market, leaders are expected to be trusted and transparent to their workforce and customers. I’d like to share these three tips with you that speak to the wisdom in tech leadership I have gleaned over the years.
People Matter More
First, people skills are no longer just a “nice to have” – rather, they’re now a requirement. It is critical not only within your immediate IT organization, but the broader workforce and business team members. In order to achieve success, you should be able to have an impartial view of the situation and resolve the issue or disagreement in a genuine and professional manner with the team(s).
Consistent Communication
Second, I’ve learned diversity is a component not only in workforce recruiting and human resources, but also in the thought process and daily operations. With the different ways to achieve results – the leadership should communicate the clear vision on the business and organization in terms of where it is headed, why and what is required in order to succeed and exceed expectations. Coaching a team with accountability requires that leaders are candid and honest at all times, whether they are in ideation and development phase, or implementation/analysis and completion.
Socialize Success
And third, upon exceeding the expectations of employees and customers, you should follow through with communication and feedback to all parties involved. This also applies if there should be a mistake or misunderstanding as communication is so critical that it can turn this situation into a win-win for both sides, whether it is the business and customer or employee and employer.
In summary, enhancing your leadership will not only enhance your brand as an executive and employee, but also as the business or brand of the company. These suggestions can make an impact on whether you are seen as the leader or follower among your competitors in the industry. As you may expect, failing to focus on earning your influence will erode all sorts of value, both short term and long term.
Todd Ringleman
@toddring
How are you addressing this in your organization? Are you looking for best practices from an experienced team of leaders and teams that have the winning qualities? Contact us today to share your stories and situation and learn how we can work together in the future success.
Todd Ringleman
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