Being a Tech Exec Category

Managing a Micromanager

As you progress in your journey as a tech exec, you will encounter a diverse range of individuals and interact with various personalities. Amongst them, the most vexing leader to work with is undoubtedly the micromanager. Learning how to manage a micromanager can make your life much easier.

This person needs to be in control and wants to know everything you are doing. This is painful because you really need to be on your toes. There is a lot of extra work with a leader who is a micromanager because they constantly want to know what you are working on and want to provide lots of input.

Managing the micromanager

If you’re new and unfamiliar to the micromanager, it takes time to establish comfort. Follow their instructions, stay patient, and they’ll value your ability to comply. Eventually, most micromanagers become more lenient, but trust takes time. The trick is to gain trust swiftly. Here’s what you can do:

Regular updates – frequent status reports will help your manager feel good about your activities.
Face to face meetings – the more your manager sees you, the more comfortable they are that you are focusing on work.
Frank conversations – Although this might be uncomfortable, talk to your manager about giving you more space. Explain that you feel good about where you are with your work, and that you feel like you can be independent.

Micromanagers often display signs of insecurity and tend to have nervous personalities. Building a connection and understanding their interests can help foster a positive relationship. Take advantage of opportunities to discuss topics like family, activities, and sports to create common ground.

Building a connection based on shared experiences, such as attending the same university, can help foster a sense of comfort and trust. This, in turn, allows for more flexibility and understanding in your interactions. However, it’s important to remember that cultivating such connections requires patience and investment of time.

Patience is tough

Your manager may frustrate you, but patience and controlling your temper is key. Showing anger or impatience with a micromanager won’t help. Consistently updating your manager and demonstrating success will eventually lead to the freedom you desire. Stay guarded until your manager becomes comfortable with you.

In summary, remain composed, even in situations where your manager scrutinizes your work, seemingly due to a lack of trust. It’s not solely about trust, but rather a matter of control. Dealing with such personalities can be challenging, but rest assured, you will gain valuable insights from these experiences.

Click here for a post on how a tech exec matches personalities to relate to their counterpart.

Leverage Your Strength – a lesson from history

In May 1940, the German army swiftly invaded France, leading to the astonishing defeat of the Battle for France. This unprecedented downfall stunned Europe, especially considering France’s prior reputation as a formidable Western nation. A tech exec can learn from this lesson in history.

Germany didn’t solely triumph with might; even though the French had a bigger, technologically advanced army and knew about the upcoming German invasion, they should have been prepared to repel the invaders effortlessly.

How did it happen?

The lack of trust and effective communication among French politicians and generals was exacerbated by their stagnation in the past. In 1914, France faced a challenging scenario when German forces overwhelmed them. However, their perseverance and strategic prowess proved decisive. The French tactically withdrew, synchronized their remaining armies, gathered crucial support from allies, and counterattacked. Teamwork made the Battle of the Marne pivotal for the allied forces in World War I.

Twenty-six years later the French were still using 1914 tactics against 1940’s technology.

Leverage your strength but update your strategy. The generals believed armor supported infantry from behind, underestimated planes as frontline weapons, relied on horses to outpace the enemy, and used motorcycle couriers instead of rapid communication. They also misplaced trust in misguided technology and overestimated Maginot Line defenses along the German border. The French generals, WWI veterans, failed to recognize technological advancements and clung to outdated strategies. General Gamelin, head of the French military, even lacked a telephone in his headquarters.

The French thought they knew the enemy.

The Germans effectively employed tanks, planes, troops, and weapons in innovative ways. Tanks, bombers, and infantry quickly penetrated, catching the French off guard. The German generals swiftly adapted their tactics using telephone and telegraph. Unfortunately, France failed to grasp the technological possibilities, leading to their complete defeat within 10 days. Unthinkable, but it happened.

A lesson for companies.

Silos in a company are a natural result of its structure, but they must not impede collective power and success. A tech exec should aim for a unified approach to operations, with shared standards across the leadership team. Keeping up with tech advancements and leveraging them before competitors is crucial. Embrace cross-team collaboration and resource sharing to enhance experience and boost versatility.

Organizations that stick in a ridged silo model and do not collaborate will lose to their competitors.

Leverage your strength and avoid having your teams move in different directions, as it weakens a united force. To effectively leverage your combined organization, do the following:

Have a common mission and set of objectives agreed to by all leaders.
Ensure roles and responsibilities between teams are well defined and understood.
Communicate the operating models for each team to all stakeholders, which will help minimize a silo mentality.
Better coordinate work going between teams ensure linkages are understood. This improves teamwork.
Ensure an effective leadership structure where leaders trust and are communicating with each other.
Have a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in our teams so individuals can be deployed appropriately.
Ensure that technology is understood and used effectively (to meet business needs) across all teams.

Don’t forget to empower your team! If you leverage your strength, the combined organization, you’ll be unstoppable… and you will have a much more cost-effective technology environment.

Click here for a post on how to empower and use the full strength of your team.

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Protect Yourself from Layoffs

You may have noticed that many tech companies are undergoing layoffs, affecting employees at all levels, and even executives aren’t immune to this trend. The tech industry is experiencing upheavals due to various factors such as economic shifts, changing consumer demands, and increased competition. However, there are steps you can take to better protect yourself from layoffs. For instance, continuously updating your skills, expanding your professional network, and staying informed about industry trends can fortify your position. While these strategies can enhance your job security, regrettably, no guarantees exist, and the landscape remains unpredictable.

Why are layoffs happening?

During Covid, traditional service businesses faced layoffs, while tech companies thrived and supported the adoption of hybrid working models. The shift in work dynamics due to Covid benefited software and consulting companies that offered remote working solutions. As businesses normalize, tech companies reduce staff to cut costs. Economic uncertainty affects purchasing decisions, especially for commodity software providers, consulting organizations involved in software installation and customization, and technology services.

So, with all this happening, how do you protect yourself from layoffs?

Unfortunately, no one is immune or indispensable. Consulting companies often have an overstock of benchwarmers who become dispensable during slow periods and are usually the first to be let go. In companies facing reduced purchasing, layoffs generally impact higher-ranking leaders due to the bigger cost-effectiveness of staff reduction. As a leader, one must never be complacent, particularly during economic downturns.

Here are some actions to help protect yourself from layoffs:

If you often come across as disagreeable and difficult to work with, it’s crucial to change that impression swiftly. Although it’s challenging to shake off a negative reputation, those who don’t are often the first to be let go.
Enhance your marketing messaging to highlight your strengths and the value you bring to the organization. Ensure that your immediate supervisor acknowledges and agrees with your contributions.
Regularly update your boss—I’d suggest weekly—on your activities and the perception others have of you. Highlight any positive contributions and, if possible, have others vouch for your work. If a client, such as a business leader, deems you indispensable, your chances of maintaining your position will improve.
Ensure your colleagues appreciate and enjoy working with you, and that they speak positively of you. Refer back to the first point: if you are not well-liked, it could give your leadership a reason to consider removing you.
If you’re engaged in projects deem important, ensure your boss recognizes the value they bring to the company. If there’s a chance to transition to a high-impact project, now is an opportune moment to advocate for that move.

In these uncertain and stressful times, it’s crucial to stay prepared for any changes that might come your way.

There is no true way to protect yourself from layoffs. However, keeping an updated resume is a fundamental step in ensuring you are ready for new opportunities. Additionally, reaching out to executive recruiters can significantly aid your job search, as they have access to a wide range of job opportunities and can connect you with potential employers. Many companies are actively hiring, despite the current climate, so leveraging platforms like LinkedIn to connect with recruiters and industry professionals can greatly enhance your chances of finding a suitable position. Networking and maintaining professional relationships can be invaluable in navigating the job market during challenging times.

Click here for a post on the importance of laid-off employees supporting one another.

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Importance of Technical Skills

Technology is reshaping the business landscape, and employees must adapt to avoid obsolescence. As organizations rely more on digital tools, adapting to technological advancements is key to professional resilience. Particularly, tech executives must prioritize the importance of technical skills to remain at the forefront.

Understanding emerging technologies impacting your work is essential. For instance, ChatGBT exemplifies a tool that replaces certain human tasks, offering advanced conversational capabilities and efficiency, though it’s not the only transformative technology. As a technology leader, it is your duty to prepare your organization for such shifts. This preparation involves understanding the impacts of new technologies and devising strategies to integrate them into existing processes.

With the importance of technical skills as a high priority you need to develop a comprehensive plan.

Grasp the technological impacts on the workforce and business as a whole. Align the technology team with business leaders to develop an employee training strategy, focusing on necessary technical skills and strategic thinking to leverage technology effectively. Encourage a culture of innovation where employees feel comfortable experimenting with new tools and methodologies.

The cloud greatly impacts business operations, transforming IT service approaches and enabling businesses to engage in decision-making with more agility and efficiency. By using cloud capabilities, businesses achieve seamless enablement and enhanced agility—the ultimate goal of investing in a flexible, globally deployable infrastructure. The shift to cloud technologies enables organizations to scale operations quickly, respond to market demands with agility, and optimize costs. Relying on vendors for infrastructure management creates new opportunities for IT departments, making a strong training plan crucial. This involves equipping teams with the skills to manage vendor relationships and ensure that cloud solutions align with business objectives.

IT is transitioning from infrastructure support to business enablement.

The IT team needs Agile skills, vendor collaboration, quick identification and implementation of new technologies, and active engagement in becoming more business-centric. This transformation requires IT departments to change their mindset, focusing on understanding business goals and how technology drives value. Training should develop these skills, enabling IT professionals to be strategic partners in the organization’s growth and innovation.

One way for tech executives to stay informed about emerging technologies is by networking with other professionals in the industry. Attending conferences or joining online communities can provide valuable insights into current trends and innovations.

Besides technical skills, soft skills like communication, collaboration, and adaptability are increasingly important in the tech industry.

As technology advances, teamwork and effective communication between departments and teams are crucial for successfully integrating new technologies.

In summary, technology is constantly evolving, and individuals and organizations must adapt to thrive in this fast-paced digital landscape. As a tech executive, staying informed, planning for effective technology integration, and fostering a culture of innovation are crucial. By staying ahead and enhancing technological expertise, you can become an invaluable asset in today’s tech-driven business world.

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Manage Emotions as a Tech Executive

If you want to move up in the leadership ranks and be a tech executive, you need to manage emotions effectively. The fast-paced, high-pressure world of technology can be overwhelming and it’s easy to get caught up in the stress and frustration. However, as a tech exec, it’s important to maintain composure and make decisions based on logic rather than emotions.

Being sad, aggressive, mad, etc. just shows to leaders that you are an emotional person, and the question comes up as to if you can handle the stress of the executive world.

Here are some ideas for helping manage emotions:

Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness is being fully present, aware of your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings without judgment. By practicing mindfulness, you can become more aware of your emotions and choose how to respond to them.
Engage in Physical Activity: Regular exercise not only enhances physical health but also boosts mental and emotional well-being. Physical activity releases endorphins, natural brain chemicals that reduce stress and elevate mood.
Connect with Others: Having a support system of friends and loved ones is crucial when feeling overwhelmed. Sharing your feelings with a trusted person can bring perspective and comfort.
Practice Self-Care: Make time for activities that bring you joy, like reading, bathing, or taking a walk. Prioritizing self-care allows you to process emotions in a healthy way.
Seek Professional Help: If you’re struggling to manage emotions, seek professional help. A therapist or counselor can provide tools and techniques for emotional management and support during difficult situations.

There are many other ways to manage emotions and cope effectively, but these five ideas are a great place to start. It’s important to remember that everyone experiences emotions differently and what works for one person may not work for another. The key is to find healthy coping mechanisms that work for you.

But remember, if you get upset in a work situation it’s better to hold it in… and let it out when you are not around your peers or superiors.

Click here for a post on expectations of a technology exec.

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