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Introduction
How would you rate your personal "I.Q." with regard to
understanding business and corporate politics? Do the techies
you lead understand these concepts and their impact?
In my experience, techies tend to focus (almost exclusively)
on the technical challenge(s) at hand. They may exhibit a limited interest
in the business climate and industry trends — as these factors can have a direct
impact on the direction of their work and on their compensation — but most techies
waste few (if any) cycles paying attention to business strategy and politics.
Although the average techie may get away with ignoring business concerns and corporate
politics, the inescapable truth is that techie leaders cannot afford
that luxury — ever!
In this chapter, you are introduced to:
- Why business and political savvy are important;
- How business and business management challenges are shifting;
- Important considerations concerning techie productivity and its impact
on the bottom line;
- The role of corporate politics as it pertains to technical leadership; and
- The unwritten rules of power and influence.
Background
When I first became a techie leader, I believed that working very
hard and keeping my team productive meant I was doing a great job. This belief was
fostered by the "day's work for a day's pay" mentality of my parents
and other family role models. Unfortunately, this belief proved to be both naïve and
inadequate for functioning as a successful leader in the fast-paced world of high
technology, and it caused me some serious disappointments in the first third of my
career.
As an over-achiever, it took me awhile to catch on to the root of
some of the challenges I was facing. I compensated for issues that arose by working
harder (not always smarter) and for longer hours. I took personal pride in
the fact that I remained aloof from company politics, and insulated my group from
the distractions of day-to-day business. I was aware of company goals, but the
majority of my focus was directed toward ensuring that my group and I operated in
support of our departmental projects and goals. This limited focus led to a
certain measure of success (from a techie point of view), and I had a hard time
accepting that more could be required of me. After all, I was getting the job done,
right?
Over time (and with the help of a few good and bad role
models), I came to realize that I was not only limiting my own career potential,
but also short-changing my groups in the bargain. Although I was highly respected
for my technical prowess and my ability to get the best from my people, I was often
not considered "savvy" enough to be included in the more strategic,
direction-setting discussions held by the management levels above me. Oh, they
flatteringly consulted me from time to time, but I always seemed to be on the outside
looking in.
I eventually came face-to-face with the reality that, by insulating
my group from business and political concerns, and by not establishing a personal
"presence" in the political arena within my company, I was creating
opportunities for circumstances and individuals to blindside us and weaken our
influence. I needed to proactively represent my group and their concerns. I also
needed to understand the business factors and private agendas that were driving
decisions at both peer and senior management levels. Only in this way could I truly
be the savvy leader my groups needed and expected me to be.
...
© 2009 Yvonne T. Ryan. All Rights Reserved.
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