by Adam L Stanley | Jun 19, 2018 | Technology
Clearly, it’s not just your work
Success is multi-variant, for sure. I’ve known people who were considered amazing employees in one company and complete misses in another. I’ve seen truly smart and talented leaders miss promotion after promotion. And, of course, I have known some that I found mediocre at best that thrived. There are so many plausible reasons for the seeming anomalies, not the least of which is the fact that, while pretty good, I do not claim to be the perfect judge of talent.
Recently, however, I have begun to form a hypothesis around four traits that might just guarantee your success if you can master demonstration of all of them. They just happen to all start with the same letter. And, as always, I welcome your thoughts.
Competence
This is pretty obvious, right? Of course, if you hire someone, you want them to be able to deliver to your job description. And yet this is not always what we look for in hiring or promoting.
If you’re hired to lead a team of engineers, you must have the appropriate leadership skills and technical acumen to do so. You must be able to lead, guiding your team toward some shared vision and objective. You must understand engineering, at least enough to sniff out poppycock and identify opportunities. Likewise, CIOs must be able to talk about business strategy and how to tie strategy to technology investments. Architecture leads need to understand structure and working with developers. Finance professionals must know financial standards and practices. Sales people must be able to manage a client sales cycle. This is table stakes.
Yet, all too often there are individuals who have so mastered the art of “networking”, that they forget they actually must understand their area of responsibility. This blog is not really for those guys, however. This blog is for those who are highly competent yet still miss out. Read on, because knowing your stuff is simply not enough.
Content
I truly believe that most humans do enjoy learning something new — whether it’s from time to time or everyday. Therefore, the ability to come to the table with content above and beyond your primary role is very important to success. This could be a deep understanding of one particular area of expertise so that you are the smartest person in the room whenever this topic is discussed. Or it could be a broader, slightly more shallow knowledge of many different things. Either way, the goal is that every time you bring up one of these things someone learns.
People are by nature intrigued by something previously unknown to them. When you come with facts, studies and insight, they are engaged listeners– and that increases your value and likelihood of success.
Whenever I talk to mentees, especially younger ones, I encourage them to get a subscription to Harvard Business Review, The Economist, or The Atlantic. Each of these three publications are amazing at providing insightful analysis and background on things relevant to the world today. But your content can be loads of things. If you know a lot about diversity, support your company’s D&I goals. If you are a trained musician, bring that up and perhaps apply your music talents to the crafting of strategy, which is simply a collection of “notes” coming together to form the “music” of profitable growth.
In short, bring content and you will be invited back to the table. Or the “room where it happened.” But, guess what? It’s challenging for people to find out you have content worth inviting you if they have never actually invited you to the room. See the challenge?
Communication
As you advance in your career you must communicate with greater awareness/ with purpose/ more consciously. It is absolutely amazing how many people NEVER talk to their boss about their goals, aspirations, and development needs. You want to have a spot on the agenda at the next company retreat? Ask. You think you deserve the promotion? Ask. Know something about a topic you know is important to the CEO? Make it known. How on earth would anyone know about that if you don’t speak up?
I learned this the hard way. Heck, sometimes I still forget. Earlier in my career, there were lots of specific projects and tasks and initiatives to which I was assigned. There were managers overseeing me and my work showed my worth — but these managers were mostly low-to-mid-level. They had time for overseeing and were trying to drive their own careers.
As my career progressed (as any does), management above me were more senior people with significantly less time for oversight. I realized almost too late how important it was to communicate what I had done and how I had succeeded. The fact is, senior managers are communicating regardless of whether you’re in the room so you better talk too. And the more senior you get, the less you will have others talking about you, your needs, or your successes. Sad but true.
That said, communication is not simply about selling yourself. It is also about communicating challenges and asking for support. It is about probing to find out what’s going on that you might have missed. And it’s about being clear with your intentions and your direction so that there is no doubt the path/strategy is right. And that is where confidence comes into play.
Confidence
I must admit that it took me years to realize just how confidence shrouded so many subpar professionals in a cloak of seeming invincibility and perceived intellect. Mediocre performers become super heroes daily with a simple turn of a phrase, swagger in the walk, and well-placed compliment from a close friend for whom he or she would do the same. Confidence is important and for many, it is a very difficult task to ensure you do not confuse confidence with arrogance. In cultures where talking about yourself is frowned upon, this can be even more difficult.
Ok, now stop reading my blog and read this post on the difference between arrogance and confidence. (Click here to open, but come back!). In case you don’t have time, here is the key point: “Get the idea of ‘overconfidence” out of your head right now. Overconfidence doesn’t exist; there is no such thing as too much confidence.” The article goes on to say that “The opposite of arrogance is not a lack of confidence. It’s deference.”
This is so very important. I have seen time and again that people are so afraid of being confident that they miss opportunities to shine. They come off as weak because they are trying not to come off as arrogant. I have suffered from this as have many friends. You don’t have to suffer as well!
“In the board room, when you’re perceived as tough and aggressive for the right reasons, in the right moments, that’s an asset, that’s an attribute. That’s helped me,” said Gene Todd, interviewed in a recent article.
Bottom line
(This is why “culture” does matter, as an aside.) A lot goes into success, including teammates, partners, relationships, company, intelligence, work output, adaptability, etc. But these C-words above drive a ton of what constitutes “success” in most work contexts. Focus on being good at what you do, uniquely contribute content to the conversation, communicate your needs and your successes, and remember that it is absolutely ok to be confident.
You’ll rise up.
There are about 97 million books, podcasts, videos, and blogs about how to be successful. What if it’s just a series of C-words?
Adam
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by Adam L Stanley | Nov 23, 2017 | Leadership, Technology
The slippery slope of getting what we pay for
So, this blog may get me into a bit of hot water, but oh well. Here’s the deal: I wish I had the time to actually do more research, but I’ve been mulling over ideas around pricing and quality that I wanted to test with you out there in the blogosphere.
The perception bias is something that retailers continue to debate and examine in creating their pricing strategies. The theory is based on the concept of selective perception, the tendency not to notice or quickly forget something that caused emotional discomfort or that conflicted with prior beliefs. For example, a teacher may ignore bad behavior of a student because the student resembles a favorite nephew or grandchild. The teacher ignores the student’s shenanigans while punishing others that do the same things. But I’m not wading into theory – and there’s plenty of it. Instead, I want to put out my own observations, and if any of you out there have seen studies to illuminate this issue, please share.
Did I just pay $900 for a meal?
Ok, so think about the last time you or a friend went to a classy restaurant, one of those dining emporiums where dinner costs roughly the same amount as a monthly rent payment. If you don’t know anyone who’s done that, look at some of the reviews for high-end restaurants like Alinea, Next, or French Laundry on sites like Yelp or TripAdvisor – and note the prices, which are enough to destroy or whet your appetite depending on your own snack bracket (pardon the pun).
What I’ve noticed is that it’s pretty rare that anyone who goes to such a place will say anything negative about it unless it’s outrageously bad. The question is: did they really enjoy everything about the experience or is there some sort of bias at play that makes us believe that anything that costs so much has to be amazing? Same goes for expensive cars, clothes, homes, and so on.
What makes so many of us defend the quality of high-priced goods or services even when we can clearly see they don’t measure up? I think it’s got something to do with not liking to admit we made a mistake when we drop a ton on money on something. I’m labelling this blind spot the Embarrassment Bias.
So, let’s get to the point.
It cost more. It’s worth more.
This pervasive bias — where pricing obscures judgement — is also very active in the corporate world. Put it this way: the amount of straight-up honesty you get out of a team or vendor that has led a large initiative is often directly linked to the size of the budget involved. The more money spent, the less objectivity there is in the picture, no matter what the outcome.
How many executives out there have bought into an acquisition or a new product that has been sold by a team as a game changer that winds up being trashed? The fact is the team that built it invested massive amounts of money, time, and passion into the initiative – and along the way everyone lost the ability to see its real value. They become so blinded by the prestige and scope of the project, along with its high price tag, that their objectivity was blown out the window and they could no longer tell if it was meeting its original goals.
If someone designs you a souped-up ERP, for example, and it’s clearly not working for the stakeholders that need to use it — but you’ve invested tons of money and time on it — what’s a common reaction to the result? It’s mostly grin-and-bear-it positivity, which makes all attempts at real evaluation and ROI capture go out the window. Of course there are always people who knew things were going sideways, but until the bitter end will say “nothing is wrong”.
It takes great courage for teams to bust through the Embarrassment Bias and to halt massive programs underway and write them off, but there are notable stories of companies that have done just that. Think Cargill and their major write-off a few years back.
The human relationship to money, as explored here by MIT, is a twisted and complex dynamic. How we relate cost to value and quality has deep roots entangled with hierarchy and the primal idea that only the fittest will survive. As we all know, those who make the most money achieve the most power and respect, whether deserved or not. When it comes to high-stakes projects with big teams and crazy price tags, our egos, along with our deeply engrained attitudes about money, superiority, and quality (you get what you pay for) make it very difficult to stand back and clearly evaluate our performance and outcomes. And no one wants to risk embarrassment.
Check your biases at the door
Anyway, awareness is the antidote for most of our shortcomings, and it’s good to check in on our biases around pricing and quality now and again. I’m wondering though if you’ve seen the embarrassment bias at play in your own workplace? Have you ever seen a big-ticket initiative launch, then flop, and still be defended? Oh, and next time you go to a fancy restaurant, decide if you really like that foie gras!
Be well. Lead On.
Adam
Adam L. Stanley Connections Blog
Technology. Leadership. Food. Life.
AdamLStanley.com (Driving Value)
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Be sure to view this related blog:
Avoid Value Destroying Arms Race
Leading Change in the Digital Era
by Adam L Stanley | May 6, 2016 | Leadership, Relationships, Technology
Don’t ask for a seat at the table. Claim it!
Stop it. Just stop.
10 years ago, when IT was still an enabling function for most companies, you’d attend trade shows and conferences and there were seemingly endless discussions about “getting a seat at the table.”
Five years ago, this conversation was relevant for many companies that were recognizing the importance of technology to the business — but still not believing CIOs could actually drive the change.
Today, more and more I meet CIOs that are business leaders and run IT. This is a good thing!
But the next step is crucial. Now we need more CIOs and their direct reports claiming their seat at the table so that companies can do more internal promotion and less external recruitment.
But many CIO-chain reports still don’t know how to claim that seat at the business decision-making table. And my soapbox is for these leaders.
The short version: If you want to be relevant, you must be relevant. Do you know the business deeply and are you clear on the key things you can do to grow revenue, improve profitability and drive results? Make sure you do before you try to pull up a chair at the table!
Here are a few tips for those trying to claim their seat:
Stop trying to be the controller and be a partner
A “corporate IT” function focuses too much on rules and restrictions. It’s where business process can often bury actual business results. It doesn’t ask good business questions, and it tells business leaders what they must do, not how they could do. This leads to business leaders consulting with IT only when they have to, and not when they want to discuss strategy.
How to fix: Go watch HBO’s Silicon Valley Season 3, Episode 2 for a laugh about how “IT guys” talk to “sales guys.” Then come back here and realize this: hardcore business decision-makers want conversations and presentations in terms of actionable results — and they want them in their vocabulary, not yours. If you want a seat at the table, start by thinking about your limitations process-wise. Then invert those limitations into what can be done and re-focus your presentation ideas that way. No executive wants to hear a bunch of process tech-speak about neural nets or back-ends. They don’t really care. They want to know how results will be achieved. So you need to provide that context. That’s partnership, instead of a roadblock. Roadblocks don’t typically get the seat at the table.
Have a point of view
In line with the above, one of the potential reasons for my success getting to the table may be the fact that I frankly don’t know all that much about the details of technology. Please don’t ask me how to build a server or write code. There are so many people who know much more than I ever will. That is ok. Leadership isn’t about knowing everything; many managers miss this point. Leadership is about knowing how to drive decisions and results, and who to engage on each topic that is the subject matter expert there.
How to fix: Have a point of view about how technology drives value for your business, helps you engage with clients and colleagues, and wins work. Bring to the table your perspective of how technology is changing your industry.
Know the business and speak the language of the business
I often joke with my teams that every one of my colleagues I meet in the hall has a figure above their head. The figure represents the particular contribution to EBITDA of their service line or division. In order to effectively communicate your contributions, you must be able to make your argument in business terms — not in technology terms– quantifying the value of your proposed involvement in fulfilling the company’s strategy.
How to fix: Understand the mission of your company, but also understand the two sides of strategy. What do I mean by that? There’s a “big speeches” strategy, where a CEO tends to speak in aspirational words and concepts. That’s for public consumption, the media, and regular employees. Then there’s the strategy the CEO discusses with his/her top lieutenants, which tends to be more specific and focused. You need to understand both sides, because you need the aspirational terminology — that vets you to be a major leader and outwardly face new groups of people — but you also need to know the real deal from the closed door meetings. We talk about “code-switching” in society a lot, and it’s crucial in business. You need to be able to quickly switch back and forth from PR-facing top leader to organizational execution internally. They are different languages.
Sell the business
Never forget that every employee of any company must focus on the end customer. Every one. So, maximize every chance you have to tell someone about the company, its products or services. Try to seek out mentors amongst the business development or client account teams that can teach you how to sell the story. Your first job is to run technology, but wouldn’t it be great if a dinner conversation at a charity event you attended led to a new client?
How to fix: This one is blunt, but simple. If you want the seat at the table or the higher salary, you have to sell or be tied to the bigger clients or deals. Those are the people that get the seats first and keep them in most companies. You can make arguments that it shouldn’t be that way, but it is — and will be for a long while still.
Be social
Business is inherently a social enterprise. Relationships are built over coffee, drinks, and being in the trenches during critical projects or incidents. Because you are in technology, you will spend much of your time in the trenches with other technologists. That is great. Getting to know your teams is important. But be sure to spend some time with the colleagues in the business. Be sure there is balance as you don’t want them to think you are just the party guy or the smoozer!
How to fix: Become comfortable with ideas opposite from your own and stop spending time with people just like yourself. The more relationships you build, the closer to the power vortex you can get.
Claim your seat today.
You’ve tried to communicate the value you bring to the company, but executives at your company just don’t get it? Speak Up. Challenge yourself to be more social, to get to better know the business, to sell the business. Have a point of view and make it known. Don’t ask for a seat at the table. Claim it!
Always remember: Business leadership tends to be driven by measurement, value, and relationships. If you understand your value and the corporate value prop, that’s Step 1. Great. If you understand measurement as a whole and how your company tracks and measures goals and KPIs, that’s Step 2. Awesome. If you invest time in building relationships in and out of work — hitting goals, but also networking and schmoozing and putting yourself in front of the key stakeholders — that’s Step 3. Now you’re ready to claim a seat at the table.
As always, I would love to hear your thoughts.
Be well. Lead On.
Adam
Related Posts:
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Trait 1: Hard working AND talented
Trait 2: Pride in work product
Trait 3: Fun to work with
Investing in talent for the long-term
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