As the number of predominantly technically demanding jobs, (e.g. code generation or data entry) falls, the demand for predominantly mentally demanding jobs (e.g. business analyst or project manager) continues to increase. Information technology (IT) professionals need to recognize the changing requirements to succeed and prosper in the current environment. With a ready supply of IT talent available in the marketplace, automatic code generators and technical work being sent overseas where labor is cheaper, it is no longer acceptable to be technically proficient. Al Fahami, President of Caspian Software Inc., says "IT knowledge is a commodity today. Additional skills, such as business degree, are highly desirable in new hires." Keeping or finding employment depends on a new set of skills and motivation in today's more competitive atmosphere.
Success depends on the ability to manage priorities, so that the IT professional is "productive" and not just "busy". Very few employers are hiring entry-level personnel any more. Management wants people who can cut through the clutter of handling paperwork and interruptions while producing results. As organizations reduce management staff, supervisors no longer have time to deal with problems. They need staff members who are accountable, affable and adaptable. They prize personnel who can deal with uncertainty and solve problems independently. Timothy L. Rink PhD, President of HTI Inc., believes "The ability to mentor staff, users and customers is very beneficial, especially for a small business like ours." The shrewd IT professional is constantly on the look out for ways to demonstrate a reliable, consistent return on an employer's investment.
What is Success?
Before getting into the ways and means of success, it is important to define success as it relates to the IT professional in the current marketplace. Simply stated, the successful person sets goals and achieves results. This description flies in the face of traditional definitions. The old leadership paradigm suggests there are only a few successful people and all others must follow their footsteps. It implies the better one is able to get others to comply, the more successful one becomes. It also presupposes that the better one is at following a manager, the more one becomes a good "team player" or "corporate soldier".
By contrast, the results-based definition of success is not about following a person, it is about following a proven set of procedures that lead to clearly defined results. Ron Oates, President of Productive Systems Inc., says it this way, "When someone gives you work, ask why it is important. Learn how to listen and how to ask questions. Always understand what your role is and what is expected of you." Within this definition, everyone can and ought to be a success because they focus on processes that lead to the desired outcome.
Prepare a Personal Vision Statement
The first step in this process is to prepare a career-oriented vision statement. At first glance, this task may seem easier than it really is. Some companies spend tens of thousands of dollars to develop a corporate vision statement. Oates suggests that you read "lots of business books to gain perspective on how executives think and the theories they use, so you can align your vision with the business". A vision is a statement of where one wants to be professionally in three to five years, compared to where one's employment is today. Willie Neumann, President and Co-Founder of Hyper Active Inc., recommends "Take the long-term view. The longer our employees are here, the more trust I have in them. With trust, comes judgement. Good Judgement leads to more responsibility. I view my long-term employees as partners in the business." A vision may or may not be specific. In most cases, it is not. The vision should contain compelling words, creating energy and focus on one's goals and future. It should be a powerful force setting the strategic direction of one's career. Put the vision statement where one can read it every day, such as a planner or workspace wall.
The Ohio State University Marching Band has one of the best examples of a vision statement. It's vision is to be "the best d*** band in the land." It is brief, compelling and focused. There is no doubt in the minds of the Band's 225 members of what is expected each performance. Band leaders post it on their web site, display in the locker room and print it on the cover of every album. No one, whose personal vision does not align with the Band, will survive the physical conditioning, daily practices, weekly inspections and constant challenges for a position in Saturday's performance.
Write a Career Mission Statement
The next step is to write a mission statement relating to the job at hand. It should include a statement of purpose or description of one's role within the organization. It should focus on outcomes and results rather than methods. In general terms, outline the activities or tasks necessary to accomplish the purpose or role. Some people include personal values or choose to articulate their employer's values in their own words. Alternatively, a mission statement is a brief declaration of what one must do in the next year to take a significant step in the direction of one's three-year plan. In other words, identify what one should do to get a healthy start on achieving the vision in three years. Without being too specific, the mission statement is longer than the vision, but brevity is a good rule to follow. Rink states "When you understand your role in the big picture, you can better control expectations of users and customers. Understanding financial statements and a good business sense allow you to communicate benefits and objectives."
Failure to understand one's role and purpose within the organization can result in failure, lack of recognition, minimal pay increases, demotions, transfer and even termination. Finally, the importance of a mission statement is summarized quite eloquently by Lewis Caroll through the words of the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland, "If you don't know where you're going, it doesn't matter which way you go." To find examples of mission statements, locate and read the mission statement prepared by one's employer or use any search engine, such as Google, enter "mission statement" and "information technology", and click search.
Define Critical Success Factors
Accompanying the mission statement, is a list of critical success factors, which are those things that are both necessary and sufficient to achieve one's mission in the next year. Critical success factors are usually limited to not fewer than four, or more than eight items. Fewer factors are better as resources may be diverted into trivial pursuits or spread too thin to accomplish anything. Develop the list from a job description, management suggestion or personal insight into the operations of one's employer. Fahimi states "The ability to identify a problem and suggest a solution is key indicator of success. Too many employees just want to perform the process. Too few are willing to change the process for the better of the company." Rink says "IT people have a tendency to use too much technical jargon. My senior technical people have to be able to talk to customers." An external appraisal or self-assessment may help to define this list. These factors should focus on building one's strengths and overcoming limitations that prevent one from achieving goals. Some examples of success factors are:
In the beginning of the movie, "Jerry McGuire", Tom Cruse's character creates a mission statement with several critical success factors. Unfortunately, the success factors were not in agreement with his employer's vision of a successful sports agent and he loses his job. Whatever critical success factors one identifies, they need to be specific to the job at hand and focus on the company's objectives. When this happens, one multiplies chances for success and recognition of one's efforts is not far behind.
Set Goals
Next, establish objectives to accomplish the critical success factors. They can come from any number of sources, such as identifying a problem, satisfying a personal or career goal, or completing a corporate assignment. There is no limit to the number of objectives one may define to achieve the critical success factor. A general rule is to include "whatever it takes, but only what is necessary" to attain the desired goal. To establish its true value, spell out the rewards for achieving the goal and the negative consequences if it is not. If it is not possible to identify the benefits and costs, then it may not be worthwhile. Next, list any obstacles standing in the way of accomplishing the goal. If the goal is so important, identify what is keeping it unachievable.
Finally, list all possible solutions and ways to overcome obstacles. Objectives may include attending a training course, acquiring a specific skill set, eating lunch once a week with a manager outside of the IT department, or obtaining a lead assignment for a key project. State them in a positive way, as it is virtually impossible to achieve the positive when focused on the negative. To be a good objective, it must meet the following criteria: specific, measurable, attainable, realistically high, and trackable. Some people find it easy to remember these criteria by using an acronym consisting of the first letters of each word, or SMART. It is helpful when people realize that objectives help them work smart, not hard.
Translate Plans into Action
Finally, each objective will translate into an action plan. The action plan is one or more specific activities, spelling out what needs to be done and when. Action steps lead to results. Moreover, results lead to success. The process defined in the previous paragraphs is a powerful engine of success. An essential characteristic of successful people is the ability to achieve desired outcomes by following a predetermined set of processes that lead to those outcomes. To keep his employees focused, Rink holds quarterly meetings where he reviews goals, financial results, important projects and problems with everyone. He believes "Our Company's success depends on what IT can do to keep us ahead of the competition." Oates uses open book management to implement his plans. He states "Our consultants have to understand business processes and how to take advantage of technology to accomplish our client's goals." With a vision, there is direction. With direction, there is confidence. With confidence, there is urgency. With urgency, there is focus. Without such a process in place, there is only mediocrity, frustration and stagnation.
Conclusion
With action plans in place, it becomes easier to set priorities, delegate paperwork and minimize interruptions. These plans provide a framework to help make decisions about what is important and what is just busy work. Fahimi believes IT personnel are too isolated and view internal users as their customer, instead of the company's clients. He frequently shares his vision with all employees so they feel a "part of the action" and can make better decisions. Neumann agrees "I use weekly staff meetings and lunches to help my people learn and grow. I try to provide a great environment where they are not afraid to take on more project responsibility." A blueprint for action provides guidelines to eliminate uncertainty and concentrate attention on problems and issues needing resolution. When goals are clearly stated, procrastination is not an option. Finally, action plans are clear documentation to one's supervisor that the employee returned more to the company than it cost to pay salary and benefits. In short, one must manage the assigned workspace as if the employee was the chief operating officer of that area. There is no better way to demonstrate the worth that one provides to the company during an evaluation.
It is no longer sufficient to have superior technical skills or knowledge to become successful. Every company has an employee who is an expert or a walking encyclopedia of IT knowledge. Yet, success eludes this individual. Everyone knows it is important to set and achieve goals if they want to be successful. Yet, too often setting goals happens but achieving them does not, in spite of the best intentions. Oates states "Successful IT professionals must pay attention and watch what's going on all the time. Many critical skills cannot be taught. They must be learned." While people are goal-seekers by nature, they are not goal-setters by habit or design. In addition, there is a natural tendency toward negativity in the face of change. Only by incorporating this process into one's daily routine, can the engine of success replace old habits and attitudes. Repetition of these new processes is critical to making one's vision a reality, transforming mediocrity to success, and changing frustration into enthusiasm.
About the Author: Since 1992, Robert J. Yorde has provided consulting services to small and mid-size companies in the midwest. The approach taken is practical and results oriented. Cost-effective solutions, designed to meet each client's needs, combine theory and reality. Prior to 2002, areas of focus included Job and Product Costing, Financial Reporting, Controllership, System Implementation, Project Management, Training, Procedure Documentation, Custom Programming and Data Conversion. In 2002, Mr. Yorde broadened his focus to assist companies achieve better results by developing their people. Experience shows organizations don't want change, they just want things to work better. Mr. Yorde uses proven processes, developed and refined over the last 25 years by Resource Associates Corporation, to incorporate the skills necessary for success in any type of organization. Mr. Yorde, CPA/CMA, has over 15 years' experience helping business owners and executives manage the change required by competition. Before establishing Whetstone, Mr. Yorde was a controller for a small manufacturing company and a management consultant for an international CPA firm. He has a liberal arts degree from Ohio Wesleyan University and MS from Ohio State University. Mr. Yorde can be reached via email at whetstone@core.com.
Copyright (C) Robert J. Yorde. All rights reserved. Used by permission.