Becoming A Technical Leader V38a

IBM Global Services
How to become a Technical Leader
Hugh Varilly
IBM Distinguished Engineer
IBM Global Services
Europe VP, IBM Academy of Technology
14 January 2008 IBM East Fishkill
© Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

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What is a Distinguished Engineer?
 Top technical achievement in IBM apart from IBM Fellow
 194 IBM Fellows (67 active) in 44 years

- "All other men are specialists, but his specialism is omniscience"
 494 DEs currently after 9 years
 Band D, Technical Executive

- “For outstanding technical contributions and leadership”
 Not everyone will make it to DE; make sure you enjoy what you’re doing
2 Hugh Varilly | 05/24/11 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

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Disclaimer
 There is no nice neat career path to becoming a Technical Leader

- Leaders do two things – ground people in reality and offer hope
 This pitch is my view of what you need to develop to become a senior

technical leader
 Other DEs may have different views

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Agenda
 Skills – Technical, Professional, Personal
 Attributes technical leaders need to develop
 IBM Technical Leadership Competencies
 Derailment Factors
 Some of this will be self study

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A Balanced Approach to creating the development plan (IDP)

requires us to focus in 3 main areas
Your Plan (IDP)

 Acquire Skills
Train
Learn
Technical Skills
0 1 2 3 4 5
 Apply Skills
Subject Matter Expertise: s
kill
Grow
alS Practice
Maintain r son Mentoring/Coaching
Decay Pe Team Leadership Consolidate
Communications
Stretch
Written/spoken
Negotiation
Professional Skills – Techniques & Methods
Project Problem Consultancy IT SM Lifecycle

Management Analysis Architecture
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The ‘T-Shaped’ person combines depth in certain areas of

expertise with broad experience
Project UNIX Enterprise Networking Retail IT Systems

Management Systems Industry Architecture Management
Breadth: Depth:
IP Networking
Network Security
Internet Banking
 Range of differing experiences  Deep knowledge of a few relevant
 ‘Big picturing’ ability topics
 Super generalist  Connected to the ‘leading edge’

 Level 4-5 in skills terms
 Generally sought out for opinions
 Keeps up to date across the topics  IT Industry connected in the topic
 Leader in ‘networks’ in their
 Knows how to learn and filter
community
 Business and commercially aware
 Good personal networking
 Lessons from decayed skills

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We need to operate out of our ‘comfort zone’ to further our

skills and capability
 Danger Zone
- Don’t go there!
Danger Zone
- Learn to know if you are there!
- ..then know how to get back into a safer
zone
Risk Zone
 Risk Zone
- You need the right equipment to operate
here
Stretch Zone
 Stretch Zone
- Aim to be here the majority of the time
 Comfort Zone
Comfort Zone
- Challenge yourself!
- Get out of there!

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Characteristics of a Technical Leader
 Has breadth – is ‘T-shaped’; better pi-shaped
 Adaptable
- To changes in customers, technology, organisation
 Decisive
- The wrong decision is better than no decision
- Timing is important

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Characteristics of a Technical Leader
 Optimistic
- Part of having a positive outlook
- Optimistic that in IBM someone always knows the answers
 Curious
- Learn the main characteristics of new things
- As you broaden you can’t learn the detail
- Worth while spending some of your own money on your education
 Open minded

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Attributes
 Honest
- Builds trust in colleagues, customers
- Professional integrity essential for long technical life
 Courageous
- Forsake the comfort zone; go where you fear to venture
- Speak out; have a position on important matters; don’t be a moral coward
- May have to take blame for IBM failings from customers
 Modest
- There’s always someone brighter than you
- Techies hate an arrogant know-it-all
- Except when building Certification, Promotion, DE cases

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Attributes
 Cheerful
- It takes less effort to smile than to frown
 Firm, but not obnoxious
 Committed
- Takes responsibility
 Influential
- Comes from sustained track record of delivering
- From the exercise of professional judgement; from trust
- Don’t confuse activity with results

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Attributes
 Responsive
 Drive and persistence

- Beware, ambition can be a two edged sword
 Learns from mistakes

- Hopefully, mostly others’ mistakes
- “the man who never made a mistake never made anything”
 Customer Safe
- Maintain correct amount of discretion with customers
- Don’t argue with colleagues in front of customers, unless absolutely necessary

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Things to develop
 Personal Network
- IBM is the ultimate matrixed company
- A good network is essential
- Do people favours; you get them back multiplied
 Sponsorship
- Business and technical sponsors
- More than one of each
- Beware of being identified too closely with one sponsor
 Trust
- Deliver for people
- If somebody senior takes the trouble to ask you to do something – do it and go
back directly and promptly
- This is very important

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Things to develop
 Visibility
- Need to be known by senior people
- For the right reasons
- Two edged sword – forget the quiet life
 Teaming
- Teams produce better output than individuals
- Teams need empathy, give and take
 Commercial Awareness
- Contracts and negotiation
- How IBM operates in the marketplace and the implications for you
 Negotiation skills

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Things to develop
 Root Cause Analysis Skills

- Never be satisfied till you have an explanation
- An unresolved problem usually comes back; beware complacency
- Needs ability to step back and see wider picture
 Clarity
- Be clear about what you want, what you do
- Reduce uncertainty
 Ability to think on your feet
- Essential as you go higher and get more unexpected challenges
- Some people prefer to reflect before speaking (good!)

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Things to develop
 Self Awareness
- So you can minimize faults and maximize strengths
 Empowerment
- Better to ask for forgiveness than permission; but not too often
 Innovation and Creativity
- These can be taught
- Hard work, otherwise we’d do more of it
 Reuse Culture H
- Faster, easier to reuse than invent

- Innovation – putting existing things together creatively
 Ability to prioritise
t nat r op m
I
- There’s a difference between immediate and important
L Urgent H

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Things to develop
 Patent portfolio
- Almost mandatory to get to very senior technical levels
- Easier than you may think to create patents
- Financial rewards for patent filing, plateaus
- Very important to IBM’s image
 Outstanding Technical Achievement Awards
- Very persuasive in a DE case
- Also financially rewarding
 International Network
- Must be known outside your own country
- Preferably with supporters in US, AP, EMEA
- Experience of working on international projects

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Communication Skills
 Vital – in danger of becoming a lost art
 Must communicate in terms recipient can understand

- Put yourself in the other person’s shoes
- Explain technical ideas simply to business persons
- Jargon and colloquialisms are useful but only if both parties understand them
 Understand difference between spoken, email, written communication

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 Get your grammar, spelling, arithmetic right
- Sloppy work takes attention away from your message
- Get a (literate) colleague to proofread, review your important documents
 Avoid the common mistakes

- “Its” is a possessive pronoun
- “It’s” is short for “It is”
- “There” and “Their” are often confused
 Prepare well for meetings, presentations

- First items on agendas should be easy to agree
- But sometimes you have to wing it, think on your feet

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 Communication is two-way
 Be an Active Listener
- Two ears, one mouth

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Circles of Concerns, Influence
 Stephen Covey – ‘Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’
Circle
Circle of Influence of
Influence
Circle of Concern Circle of Concern
Focusing on what you can influence Focusing on what you cannot do

puts energy into worthwhile places anything about and what might happen
in the future wastes resources

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Image
 “For the apparel oft proclaims the man”
 Think about the image you project through your appearance
 Do you look as if you’re in the comfort zone?
 Do you look as if you want to get on in your career?

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Other Important Things
 Do what IBM needs you to do

- May not be attractive in short term; builds your credibility
- Don’t say (too often) “that doesn’t fit my career plan”
- Protect your management line from nasty surprises
 Own and drive your own career; joint responsibility with IBM, but…
 Get a mentor; be a mentor
 Get accredited, certified in an IBM Profession
 Do giveback
- Expands your network
- Rewarding in itself; vital for senior levels

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Further Important Things
 Join a professional body – ACM, IEEE CS, IET etc
 Be known outside IBM – for the right things
 Work life balance

- You don’t become a technical leader on 40hrs per week
- Have outside interests
 Time management
- Leave time for the unexpected
 Say “Thanks” often

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Further Important Things
 Have one or more role models

- Imitate their good attributes
 Don’t be afraid of looking, sounding like an idiot

- It comes with thinking outside the box
 Give the credit to the team; take the blame yourself
 Be the right person in the right place at the right time
 “Politics” are inevitable; in IBM and customers

- You can’t ignore them
- Learn to deal with them but don’t play them (too often)

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Further Development Things
 Make it easy for people to help you

- Don’t ask then to struggle to understand what help you need
- The easier others find it to help you, the more help you will get
- Use Communities of Practice
 Turn every adverse circumstance to your advantage

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Leadership competencies go deeper than what is visible to

the eye
 Leadership competence: Any demonstrated characteristics or

behaviour of a person that differentiates outstanding from more typical
performance in a given job, role, organisation or culture.
Skill Easy to see and

Knowledge measure
Social Roles
Self-Image Harder to see, but
make the most
Traits difference
Motive
Source: Hay/McBer.

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Technical
Leadership
Competencies
Leadership
Competencies
are based on
IBM Values

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Appendix: Technical Leadership Competencies
In the Appendix are charts that describe the specific

behaviors and attributes that are indicative of each of the
10 competencies.

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Derailment Factors

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Derailment Factors
 An early warning system for potentially career-limiting behaviours
 Characteristics or tendencies that can stall or derail a leader’s career: blind

spots, over-reliance on strengths, success going to one’s head, or having
obvious, untested areas (i.e. challenges never faced)
 Avoiding derailment is as important to career management as enhancing

competencies

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Derailment Factors
 Personal Inhibitors
- Reluctant Learner
- Lacking Self-Awareness
- Life/Work Imbalance
- Poor Self-Control
 Interpersonal Inhibitors
- Interpersonal blunders
- Overdependence
- Lack of follow-through/untrustworthiness
 Organizational Inhibitors
- Difficulty Making Strategic Transitions
- Failure to Perform
- Organizational Missteps

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Derailment Factors: Personal Inhibitors
 Reluctant Learner
- Closed to learning new approaches/skills, even when faced with new challenges
- Unable or unwilling to adapt to change; inflexible
- Negative, pessimistic outlook; first reaction to new ideas is to state all the reasons
they will not work
- Lacks resilience – the ability to bounce back from failure/setback
 Lacking Self-Awareness
- Lacks self-insight and self-knowledge
- Fails to seek or respond to personal feedback – sees even constructive feedback
as threatening
- Unaware of one’s impact on others; lacks empathy – the ability to read people’s
reaction and see their perspective

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Derailment Factors: Personal Inhibitors
 Life/Work Imbalance
- Difficulty establishing boundaries between work and personal life
- Stressed and overextended, impacting job performance; strong candidate for
burnout
 Poor Self-Control
- Unable to modulate one’s own action in appropriate ways – prone to making
inappropriate outbursts and loss of temper
- Overuse of extreme or bad language
- Overreaction to disappointments or setbacks

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Derailment Factors: Interpersonal Inhibitors
 Interpersonal blunders
- Abrasive, intimidating/bullying style – leaves a trail of bruised people
- Coarse and inappropriate
- Caustic, sarcastic, belittling tenor to conversations
- Overly ambitious; seen as self-promoting
 Overdependence
- Over-reliance on the sponsorship of powerful others – not seen as independent
- Has been with the same manager and/or subordinates too long and too often
- Relies on one core talent or technical/functional skill
 Lack of Follow-through/Untrustworthiness
- Betrayal of trust
- Failing to keep promises/commitments
- Saying one thing and doing another

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Derailment Factors: Organizational Inhibitors
 Difficulty Making Strategic Transitions

- Doesn’t think strategically and broadly; gets mired in details and tactics
- Difficulty making the transition from technical specialist to generalist, integrator
role, broad technical leader mindset
 Failure to Perform
- Handles difficult situations poorly
- Does not take a stand on controversial or unpopular business issues
- Unable to grasp quickly what should be done next
- Has moved too quickly and too often to have long-term, meaningful business
impact
 Organizational Missteps
- Cannot navigate complex organizational waters
- Shares sensitive information and opinions with inappropriate people
- Failure to appreciate organizational realities

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Best Advice I got inside IBM
 “Sit and Listen”

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Best Bit of Advice
And these few precepts in thy memory Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
Look thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue, But not express’d in fancy; rich, not gaudy;
Nor any unproportion’d thought his act. For the apparel oft proclaims the man,
Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar; And they in France of the best rank and station
The friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, Are most select and generous, chief in that.
Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel; Neither a borrower, nor a lender be;
But do not dull thy palm with entertainment For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
Of each new-hatch’d, unfledg’d comrade. Beware And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry,
Of entrance to a quarrel; but, being in, This above all: to thine own self be true,
Bear’t that th’ opposed may beware of thee. And it must follow, as the night the day,
Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice; Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Take each man’s censure, but reserve thy
judgement.
 Shakespeare: Hamlet Act I, Scene iii, Polonius advice to Laertes

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Next Best Bit of Advice
 “Get a life, Dad!”
- Megan Varilly

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Further Advice
 When in deep trouble, look straight ahead and keep very quiet

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Final Bit of Advice
 While you are angry, don't send notes to the object of your anger
- wait till next day and you probably won't send 90% of them
- Ian Thomson

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Useful References
 Seven Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen R Covey

 Gifts Differing: Understanding Personality Type – Briggs Myers & Myers
 The Mind Set series of books, videos – Tony Buzan
 A Whack on the Side of the Head – Roger van Oech
 Winning through Innovation – Tushman and O’Reilly
 Dealing with People You Can’t Stand – Brinkman and Kirschner
 Troubled IT Projects – John M Smith
 A Rulebook for Arguments – Anthony Weston
 When Cultures Collide – Leading across Cultures – Richard D Lewis
 http://w3.webahead.ibm.com/w3ki/display/TroubledProjects/Home
 The Pathfinder’s Guide to IBM:
https://w3.webahead.ibm.com/w3ki/display/PFG/Pathfinder%27s+Guide+to+IBM

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Do a self-evaluation and build an improvement plan

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Thanks for Listening
 I hope this was useful

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Appendices

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Appendix: Technical Leadership Competencies
Following this chart are charts that describe the specific

behaviors and attributes that are indicative of each of the
10 competencies.

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Levels of Competencies
 Extraordinary Strength
- The level of performance this individual shows is considered the highest standard. There is
complete consensus that this individual has an Extraordinary Strength in this competency. This
person could be referenced as a role model to aspire to when coaching others on how to
improve this competency.
 Strength
- The level of performance is widely recognized as "at the high standard for IBM" and
demonstrates solid performance, clear expertise and consistent strength.
 Demonstrated Competence
- There is consensus that the level of performance this individual shows is capable and effective,
with room to grow.
 Prerequisite
- There is consensus that the performance of this individual in this competency does not yet meet
IBM's high standard. As a result, the individual may be experiencing difficulties in the current
job. It raises questions about whether the individual can grow into a job where this competency
is required. A development plan should be implemented to raise this individual's competency up
to our high standard, or even higher, in the future.

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Client Partnering
Outstanding IBM technical leaders establish strong and long lasting partnerships with their clients (internal and external) based on trust, credibility, and
relevance, and are energized by their clients’ success. They build client trust through their technical breadth and expertise and their reputation for
technical excellence. They are able to establish productive relationships with all clients by bridging the communications gap between the business and
technology communities. These leaders know their clients’ industry and business needs in depth and use this understanding to generate outstanding
technical solutions. They also have a deep appreciation of how to leverage IBM to contribute to their clients’ success. They leverage their technical
knowledge as well as their knowledge of the marketplace and competition to build new partnerships. Because they listen deeply to what their clients need,
they have breakthrough insights that add significant value to their clients’ success – and to IBM. These leaders establish trusted relationships that foster
healthy open dialogues with their clients and client groups, leading to solutions that address the clients’ immediate business problems and create long-
term value both for the client and for IBM as a whole.
Prerequisite Demonstrated Strength Extraordinary Strength

Competence
Actively and intensely listens to clients to Focuses on identifying the right solution Builds on-going collegial relationships with Based on deep listening, provides
understand their business. to address each client’s specific need. key clients or client groups, based on mutual breakthrough insights for client growth, and
strategic interests. how IBM can enable that growth.
Starts by exploring the client’s needs and Understands the client’s industry, markets,
technical capabilities and how IBM adds technical resources, and business model, and Establishes strong relationships at multiple Provides breakthrough insights or feedback to
technology and services value. the client’s strategy for winning. levels with key business and technical decision the client that challenges the client’s current
Understands IBM’s technical competencies, Can translate stated business needs into the makers in client organizations, through personal perceptions about their own business,
insight, trust, and open information sharing. technological needs, and technical capabilities.
architecture, and solutions and uses this appropriate technological solution, clearly
knowledge to address client challenges. communicating that solution to the client and Communicates complex technical information to Acts on a deep understanding of the client’s
Analyzes technological situation to obtain a setting reasonable expectations of what can clients using a level of technical detail appropriate customer or market and how IBM can help the
and cannot be accomplished. to the client. client shift how they use technology to improve
deep understanding of the problem and
communicates straightforward technical Finds creative ways to customize IBM Works to preserve the long-term viability of the their business, supplying the technical depth
and understanding to lead the client forward.
solutions using language clients can technical solutions to address the client’s relationship based on a clear understanding of
understand technical challenges. the client’s needs and IBM’s business models, Understands where the client’s technology
Builds mutual personal relationships (e.g., and the technical needs and directions of the spend is going today and tomorrow to position
industry. IBM to provide technological support for client
gets to know clients as individuals; treats
clients with respect even when disagreeing Communicates required solutions to clients in an growth.
with them). objective, concise manner, staying true to one’s Recognizes the patterns / common needs of
opinion even when the client would prefer to clients across multiple industries to drive
implement another, less effective solution. development of important new solutions.
Engages in healthy open debate with the client, Helps clients understand the technological
often effecting technological change through that advances on the horizon and how IBM can help
debate. prepare clients for that future.
Facilitates the partnership through mutual
changes in behavior, procedures, norms,
processes or cultures.

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Collaborative Influence
Outstanding IBM technical leaders actively create and promote cross-boundary collaboration to do the right thing for IBM and its clients—regardless of formal authority.
These leaders facilitate collaboration to address short- and longer-term efforts by getting the right people together from across IBM, academia, and the technical industry,
articulating and enforcing norms of how the team will work together, defining the technical agenda and securing organizational support to enable a collaborative agenda.
These leaders also use their technical knowledge to influence and lead the team toward a solution. They create genuine interdependence and commitment to a higher
common purpose that spans organizational, skill, and discipline boundaries. They do this by winning the hearts and minds of others in order to pursue new and
extraordinary opportunities.
These opportunities may include leveraging and influencing partners, channels, technology and industry leaders.

Competence
Promotes cooperation in sharing Facilitates short-term teaming for Fosters synergies by creating cross- Creates interdependence, building
information and resources with an event-driven effort. boundary collaboration around a commitment across
others. longer-term commitment. organizational boundaries to a
common purpose.
 Includes others who can provide an
 Respects and values diversity of immediate contribution to the task.  Knows which organizational constituents to
perspectives and people, and  Leverages extensive technical influence to secure project support and how  Moves the team toward solutions that
proactively solicits and includes all network to pull together individuals to to influence these constituents to win are best from a tactical as well as a
viewpoints in generating a solution. team around an event (e.g., problem- support. strategic point of view.
 Clearly articulates basic expectations solving, crisis, client opportunity).  Promotes a self-less agenda, one that puts  Wins the hearts and minds of others
of behavior (e.g., no “finger-pointing”  Clarifies the short-term purpose, the clients’ and IBM’s overall best interests around a common cause, and creates a
or blaming; don’t “talk over” each expectations, and norms. first. sense of commitment to a greater
other or interrupt).  Fosters a genuine mutual concern for, or purpose.
 Ensures good cross-team
 Encourages impartial listening. communications and adherence to personal investment in, each other’s  Enlists other technical and business
the norms, setting boundaries on success. leaders in building the solution by
behavior and processes.  Gets agreement on roles, responsibilities, knowing who is needed and by
and mutual benefits, and ensures that persuading them to give their time and
 Reconciles conflicting interests or technical expertise.
objectives. others have clear rules of engagement while
reinforcing the norms (e.g., “How are we
going to work together, who is doing
what?”).
 Builds teams to which people want to
belong.
 Networks outside IBM to generate great
technical ideas.

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Embracing Challenge
Outstanding IBM technical leaders see opportunity in complex and challenging situations. They get energized by complex and challenging business and technical problems and take personal
responsibility to ensure that they are resolved. These leaders are able to do this by identifying the central issues in the complexity, distilling the complex technical details into a clear and
concise message that resonates with both technical and business audiences, and getting themselves and others focused on addressing the most vital priorities. In pursuing complex technical
problems, they take accountability enthusiastically while accurately conveying the risk or difficulty involved. These leaders’ enthusiasm and their strong technical confidence in a positive
outcome in difficult situations inspire others to believe they can succeed and embrace the challenge themselves.

Competence
Believes in one’s own ability in Is energized by facing very Focuses others on overcoming on- Proactively builds in others the
new and different situations. complex situations and going obstacles to success by ability and belief that they can
problems. addressing core issues. innovate and grow the business.
 Enjoys opportunities to stretch one’s
abilities and learn new things.  Enjoys solving difficult, complex  Expresses belief that the team will prevail  Creates ability in the team so they can
 Expresses general confidence in own technical problems, actually finding and engages them in solving the problems excel and energizes the team to
abilities, experience and/or judgment. them ‘energizing’. at hand. engage in the cause.
 Expresses own opinion clearly and  Sees new business or technical  Demonstrates resilience and emotional  Regularly unleashes others’ ability to
confidently. opportunities or growth potential in stamina when difficulties and problems think innovatively about complex
daunting situations. occur, taking responsibility for the situation. business and technical issues (e.g.,
 Takes on challenging technical asks provocative questions to expand
situations with enthusiasm and  Identifies and distills the central  Appreciates the complexity of the task, but
team’s thinking about possibilities,
determination, while still conveying issues in difficult problems, selecting focuses the team on resolving the key or
empowers them to develop tactics
the difficulty involved. and focusing on the most important vital few issues and moving forward.
and/or strategies).
elements.  Describes current difficulties in the context
of longer-term opportunities in order to get  Motivates others to seek and
people energized to overcome the obstacle. enthusiastically embrace challenge,
embedding this attitude into the way
 Challenges oneself and others, pushing they approach business and/or
teams into new technical areas or technical issues.
complementary product areas.
 Helps team handle stress and pressure, and
encourages team members not to overreact
in the face of challenging technical
situations.

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Thinking Horizontally
Outstanding IBM technical leaders possess broad technical knowledge and perspective, and are able to piece together seemingly unrelated facts, trends and data to see a larger technological
picture. They think creatively, considering issues from multiple and potentially divergent perspectives from within and outside IBM. This includes thinking within one’s area of technical
specialty/domain and outside of it. They think horizontally, beginning from the end-user or client’s customer and work across various parts of IBM, even including external technical communities
and suppliers/partners. They synthesize these perspectives, making horizontal connections across the enterprise and provide their new insights to their peers and the technical community. As a
result, they are able to leverage existing IBM solutions and/or create new solutions to increase opportunities to grow IBM ahead of the market.

Competence
Recognizes opportunities or Sees possibilities to add Incorporates perspectives of Leverages IBM’s enterprise
problems in one’s area of immediate value by linking internal and external parties to technical capability to address
discipline. an additional area of IBM identify long-term solutions. client or market opportunities in
with one’s own. innovative or totally new ways.
 Creates innovative solutions  Sees opportunities to add sustainable
within one’s immediate circle of  Looks to related areas of the value to a client, technology, or market  Transforms technology and the business
influence. organization and sees useful by integrating multiple capabilities by creating innovative and sustainable
 Recognizes challenges outside connections and possibilities to within IBM. client/industry/cross-industry business
personal capabilities and add value to solutions or  Understands how various pieces of solutions or models, starting from the
addresses these challenges to business issues. IBM and the customer are informally customer’s needs or market
experts and technical  Considers the implications of connected and driven. fundamentals.
communities (e.g., IBM own actions on other areas and  Anticipates the implications of the  Looks for technical ideas everywhere –
Academy). adjusts approaches to optimize dynamic relationship of technology, across IBM, outside IBM, in research, in
solutions. markets, politics, cultures, and academia, in the industry, and integrates
 Understands what is missing in geographies on and within IBM and its technical insights from inside and outside
clients. IBM to deliver solutions that address
IBM’s product set / solution
client’s tactical and strategic challenges
offerings and begins to fill the  Develops business solutions that
and helps them beat their competition.
technical gaps for strategic and become repeatable solutions for other
tactical visions. customers.  Identifies the long-term impact of a
solution through to the client’s customer.

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Informed Judgment
Outstanding IBM technical leaders possess broad technical knowledge. Outstanding IBM technical leaders possess a level of objectivity and factual knowledge in making timely decisions.
Their decisions are based on data, facts, and perspectives gathered from a broad range of sources, both inside and outside of IBM. They test their first theories with other people, and use
experiments, prototypes, facts, and data to inform and shape their decisions and subsequent actions. They learn from mistakes and identify lessons learned to improve their decision
making in the future. They integrate the facts with their technical insight and their acquired expertise and enlist other experts to contribute to the solution. This enables them to make
superior decisions, even under pressure, with confidence.

Competence
Performs standard due Even under pressure, quickly Seeks and uses non-traditional or innovative Integrates multiple, disparate sources of
diligence to gain insight or gathers information to make sources of information and identifies new information, including experience and
to inform standard business timely, objective decisions. experts in the technical community to guide intuition, to make strategic decisions
practice. significant decisions. with both immediate and long-term
implications.
 Seeks out the perspectives of
 Gathers background mentors and peers to gain  Utilizes non-traditional or innovative sources of
information regarding the insight into a situation. data regarding the problem, clients, competitors,  Builds a broad perspective from multiple
problem, the client’s business,  Establishes the facts by digging markets or technology. sources of data and insight (e.g., task
and the client’s technical forces, consultancies, academia, the
deeper, asking probing  Learns from mistakes of self and others (e.g.,
capabilities. technical community, journals and
questions, challenging initial conducts post-project reviews to inform future
 Uses readily accessible IBM connections throughout IBM and the
assertions. projects, communicates lessons learned,
industry).
information resources.  Gathers and validates conducts peer reviews of projects in trouble,
 Can identify technical information from different etc.).  Pulls together data, acquired technical
deficiencies. sources.  Demonstrates the courage to raise contentious expertise, and intuition to continually refine
their knowledge base.
 Checks routinely with peers or  Generates effective solutions issues and challenge established solutions and
methods as part of proposing technical solutions.  Weaves together the qualitative and
management to validate ideas. quickly even when there is
quantitative, analytical and conceptual, the
limited information.  Keeps abreast of technical advancements and
hard data and “gut feel” to see growth
trends, and how the competition is using those
opportunities that are well-grounded, but not
advancements.
initially obvious to others.
 Makes data-driven decisions that address the
immediate issue and consider the longer-term
impact.
 Identifies relevant new metrics to quantify results
and inform decisions.

IBM Global Services
Strategic Risk Taking

Outstanding IBM technical leaders recognize and seize opportunities for technical innovation and business growth. They focus on identifying and driving forward bold, relevant and strategic
opportunities from concept to reality; and, on coming up with new technologies and innovations that benefit IBM and the world. Together with their teams, these leaders pioneer new technical
solutions/applications and/or re-conceptualize existent technical solution frameworks into innovative new ones. They do this in the face of significant business and technical risk and despite
resistance, using their own determination and resilience, collaborating to leverage resources within and outside IBM. They balance costs and benefits over the short and long term, taking
appropriate risk to drive profitable and sustainable growth.

Competence
Delivers results by Embraces and drives short-term Commits and mobilizes significant Innovates to create significant growth by
improving performance tactical opportunities for resources for strategic needs pioneering fundamentally new technical
and technical incremental growth within large over a longer time period to approaches.
capabilities within one’s client, brand, or offering. create or seize relevant
own organization. opportunities to drive innovation
and growth.  Produces extraordinary growth in existing
 Seizes opportunities for discipline or technical area or creates new market
 Finds opportunities for incremental growth, mobilizing through significant technical innovation.
cost containment or resources beyond one’s  Takes calculated risks with explicit 
Drives IBM and partners to develop, adopt and
efficiency, changing immediate control. consideration of potential benefits or implement new/different technological and
systems and/or processes  Sets aggressive, achievable goals gains as well as costs, for tactical business models, processes, and systems.
to do so. and strategic requirements.
to realize advanced technical  Balances the need to keep technology/innovation
 Commits direct team or solutions for business growth.  Advances bold ideas in the face of
within IBM and the need to share this technology
resources under his/her  Adjusts existing approaches to resistance, and without fear of to move the market forward – resulting in a better
control to realize criticism.
generate incremental growth. IBM bottom line.
improvements or
 Knows when a project is no longer  Enlists the active involvement of  Gains commitment from multiple constituents in
efficiencies in own others from across IBM and outside IBM senior leadership in order to drive significant
organization. viable, and can define and
manage mitigation strategies, of IBM (e.g., industry, academia, growth.
 Looks for new ways to partners) to drive cross-boundary
based on objective technical  Creates a climate that inspires others to identify
accomplish more with investment in innovation, growth
assessment.
fewer resources. efforts and establishment of industry with and seize strategic opportunities.
standards.  Influences a shift in industry-wide adoption of a
variety of technologies, often taking calculated
risks with new and potentially disruptive ones.

IBM Global Services
Earning Trust
Outstanding IBM technical leaders respect diversity and the uniqueness of every person. They develop trusting relationships with all the people with whom they work, both inside and outside
of IBM. They follow through on commitments, hold themselves accountable for their actions, and act with integrity. They refrain from cynicism and blaming when problems occur. Instead,
they appreciate the unique strengths, limitations, and potential of people and develop mutually beneficial relationships based on positive regard for the individual and their organization,
whether inside or outside of IBM, and across human and technical cultural boundaries. They do what is right for the long-term good of the relationship even at the risk of a short-term or
personal cost.

Competence
Demonstrates respect for Develops an objective Fosters mutuality in working Does what is right for the long-term
technology, people and appreciation of others, their relationships. good of relationships inside and
organizations and follows through strengths, weaknesses, outside of IBM.
on commitments. perspective and potential.
 Demonstrates genuineness by
acknowledging personal  Invests in relationships by putting the
 Refrains from blaming when  Invests the time to listen to and mistakes or shortcomings. interests of others ahead of own
problems occur. appreciate others’ viewpoints,  Preserves the dignity of others, personal agenda.
 Demonstrates a healthy skepticism and adapts their interpersonal demonstrates concern for the  Does what is right for the relationship
style when others’ interpersonal negative impact that business
towards ideas and proposals, but is even at the risk of a short-term or
styles differ from one’s own.
aware of own personal biases and requirements may have on personal cost.
assumptions, listening to others with  Recognizes when they are individuals as people, and  Maintains the highest personal
impartiality. wrong, and when to give way to diffuses them where possible. standards and leads by example.
 Acts with integrity, and takes another opinion.  Invites candid dialogue from
responsibility for actions.  Demonstrates respect for others.
 Is courteous and takes the time to others’ organizational, cultural  Responds calmly and deals
or technical norms.
thank individuals who have effectively with irate clients.
contributed to technical efforts, giving Demonstrates straight talk,  Delegates or refers to people
appropriate credit to individuals and exhibiting honesty and candor with deeper technical expertise
groups for extraordinary in tough discussions with when it is appropriate to do so.
achievements. others, even when it would be
 Demonstrates respect for technology easier in the short run not to do
so.
by differentiating tech “hype” from
tech reality.

IBM Global Services
Enabling Performance and Growth
Outstanding IBM technical leaders focus on strategic and tactical priorities to provide on-going clarity to their own and extended teams. They anticipate and remove obstacles that interfere
.
with the ability of these teams to achieve objectives and pursue technical and business growth. They demonstrate the courage to challenge influential people in order to remove obstacles to
performance. This includes supporting others as they take significant entrepreneurial risk and protecting them from inappropriate consequences. These leaders challenge prevailing
practices to make lasting and systemic changes that enhance IBM’s performance, technical innovation and growth. They remain accountable at every phase of the product/project cycle,
and provide insight and guidance to their subordinates, peers and managers in order to get the job done. They focus their teams on the important details of projects, communicating the
methodology to get it done right the first time and to ensure the quality of the deliverable.

Competence
Provides direction and Focuses the team on strategic issues Anticipates and removes obstacles Changes systems or processes that
offers support to the team. and provides on-going clarity. to other’s performance despite impede growth and performance
organizational resistance. and creates new systems and
processes that promote growth
 Sets performance  Prioritizes multiple expectations against and performance.
expectations clearly and strategic direction, delegating tasks  Empowers others to take on
ensures that others when appropriate, providing focus and entrepreneurial risks for the good of
understand the importance clarity for the team. IBM alleviating undue organizational Coordinates IBMers to change
of the goal.  Keeps teams aware of organizational pressure while holding them systems that interfere with client
 Divides problem into accountable for outcomes. focus and performance.
goals and priorities, and translates goals
executable parts, tracks that seem unattainable into manageable  Takes a stand in the face of internal  Creates processes that reduce the
performance against plan pieces. opposition to enable others to focus amount of “heroic effort” or energy
and holds people  Creates effective teams quickly, on performance. needed to get results.
accountable. appropriately matching tasks with  Buffers the team from unnecessary  Establishes a climate of continuous
 May not proactively employee capabilities. bureaucracy and organizational improvement, where people are
anticipate obstacles, but  Follows up to ensure that people have processes that interfere with expected to take steps to remove
offers support when they performance. obstacles, regardless of their own
what they need to succeed (e.g., offers
occur. on-going encouragement, ensures  Encourages adaptability to position or level.
 Delivers simple solutions on individuals’ superiors are aligned). changing environments, creating a  Innovates new approaches to
time and on budget.  Motivates and encourages people climate that emphasizes agility in problem solving, analysis, and
 Is able to bridge methods & the face of changing demands. solutions when existing techniques
continuously (e.g., communicates
work styles to generate success stories widely).  Anticipates and addresses people’s fall short.
superior solutions.  Balances quality, test, and other factors needs for developing new skills and  Creates flexibility in process
working with new technologies. methodologies and organizational
against time-to-market demands.
structures to respond to shorter
project development cycles.

IBM Global Services
Developing IBM People and Communities

Outstanding IBM technical leaders proactively commit their time and effort to develop themselves and other individuals, teams, and communities in IBM. They set an example
through their own personal growth and development, as well as by coaching, teaching and mentoring others. These outstanding leaders create forums for developing
technical and business capability in others and promoting a sense of association. They also proactively take accountability for developing the future technical leaders of IBM
both inside and outside their own organizations.

Competence
Seeks opportunities to grow Commits time to coach and mentor Establishes forums for developing Takes accountability for investing in the
and further develop one’s specific individuals for their capability in others. future leadership of IBM.
own capabilities. professional development.  Thinks creatively and deeply about
 Focuses on groups or teams, often whom the high potential talent is and
 Accepts challenging  Formulates an accurate assessment what they need for development.
beyond direct reports for development
assignments to broaden skills. of an individual’s capabilities and and community building.  Focuses on energizing as many high
 Establishes relationships with development needs.  Finds challenging and relevant potential leaders as possible by helping
these leaders to identify the technical
mentors for one’s own  Provides developmental feedback assignments and developmental
issues that matter to them and to take
development. and advice. opportunities for others.
ownership over those issues.
 Understands own strengths  Creates ongoing information and  Uses creative, “out-of-the-box”
 Orchestrates cross-functional and/or
and weaknesses, and what it learning opportunities, exposure to approaches to maximize technical
takes to drive personal growth new ideas and experiences (e.g., developmental opportunities for others. outside silo assignments, and provides
and technical capabilities. opportunities to present to higher specific support.
 Pulls together and redistributes helpful
level execs). information, resources, etc. to promote Influences necessary parties to ‘Give up’

 Sets an example by continually
or move key resource to another part of
seeking new developmental  Teaches best practices and passes education, insight and development
the organization for that individual’s
opportunities, and taking along knowledge learned from past (e.g., gathers success stories to
growth and development as a leader and
responsibility for one’s own experiences. communicate to others).
to improve the leadership pipeline for
technical vitality.  Gives positive feedback for  Structures team meetings and IBM.
 Anticipates changes in improved performance in the processes to further the development
 Continually finds opportunities to build
technology and seeks to learn moment. of the team members by assigning
and reinforce the community of IBM
about and adapt to these leadership roles and asking to take
(e.g., speaks to forums, actively shares
changing technologies. others’ points of view.
and meets with IBMers across the
 Supports/enables necessary technical enterprise).
growth of team.
 Builds an organization/team capable of
succeeding without him/her.

IBM Global Services
Passion for IBM’s Future
Outstanding IBM technical leaders are passionate about IBM’s capabilities and opportunities for making a positive difference in the world. This passion comes from
realizing that IBM’s values and heritage are consistent with their personal values, convictions, and aspirations as leaders. These outstanding leaders not only want to win
in the marketplace, but also deeply believe in the quality and breadth of IBM’s exceptional technological capability. Because of their passion for technology and all of its
possibilities, they are able to generate enthusiasm, excitement and commitment to their technological vision. Their enthusiasm and passion energizes others to achieve
IBM’s unique potential to transform business and society.

Competence
Is excited about IBM’s Demonstrates pride and Is energized by personal Energizes others, internally and externally, to
current opportunity to enthusiasm for the collective opportunities to contribute to realize IBM’s unique potential.
win in the marketplace. depth and breadth of IBM. IBM.
 Confronts behavior that undermines the

 Shows enthusiasm for IBM  Sees the match between IBM  Actively seeks opportunities to stature of the organization.
to win. Values and one’s own. contribute to the technological  Refocuses people’s energy on leveraging
 Is motivated to outperform  Admires the exceptional capability growth of IBM. IBM’s unique capabilities to create new
the competition. and quality of IBM’s people.  Make tough personal choices for opportunities to win.
 Has clear vision of current  Speaks with enthusiasm about the good of IBM (e.g., takes an  Embodies IBM Values and demonstrates
assignment that is challenging and personal conviction in a way that inspires
state of technology and IBM’s exceptional capability to
personally risky, but is “the right
where it is migrating to in solve customer and societal others to do the same
thing to do”).
the foreseeable future. issues.  Creates a belief in people that IBM is capable
 Identifies oneself with IBM.
of transforming business and society.
 Expresses pride in belonging to,  Has a clear vision for the industry through the
and identifying with, the larger next decade, and actively works to promote it,
purpose of IBM. inspiring others to commit to and embrace that
 Communicates enthusiasm for IBM vision.
to others.  Inspires confidence in the broader technical
community that IBM leads the industry in
innovation and technological advances.

IBM Global Services

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IBM Global Services

How to become a Technical Leader

14 January 2008 IBM East Fishkill

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

What is a Distinguished Engineer?

 Top technical achievement in IBM apart from IBM Fellow

 194 IBM Fellows (67 active) in 44 years

 494 DEs currently after 9 years

 Band D, Technical Executive

2 Hugh Varilly | 05/24/11 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

 There is no nice neat career path to becoming a Technical Leader

 This pitch is my view of what you need to develop to become a senior

 Other DEs may have different views

3 Hugh Varilly | 05/24/11 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

 Attributes technical leaders need to develop

 IBM Technical Leadership Competencies

 Some of this will be self study

4 Hugh Varilly | 05/24/11 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

A Balanced Approach to creating the development plan (IDP)

Your Plan (IDP)

Decay Pe Team Leadership Consolidate

Professional Skills – Techniques & Methods

Project Problem Consultancy IT SM Lifecycle

The ‘T-Shaped’ person combines depth in certain areas of

Project UNIX Enterprise Networking Retail IT Systems

 Super generalist  Connected to the ‘leading edge’

6 Hugh Varilly | 05/24/11 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

We need to operate out of our ‘comfort zone’ to further our

7 Hugh Varilly | 05/24/11 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

Characteristics of a Technical Leader

 Has breadth – is ‘T-shaped’; better pi-shaped

8 Hugh Varilly | 05/24/11 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

Characteristics of a Technical Leader

9 Hugh Varilly | 05/24/11 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

10 Hugh Varilly | 05/24/11 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

 Firm, but not obnoxious

11 Hugh Varilly | 05/24/11 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

 Drive and persistence

 Learns from mistakes

12 Hugh Varilly | 05/24/11 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

13 Hugh Varilly | 05/24/11 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

14 Hugh Varilly | 05/24/11 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

 Root Cause Analysis Skills

15 Hugh Varilly | 05/24/11 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

- Faster, easier to reuse than invent

16 Hugh Varilly | 05/24/11 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

17 Hugh Varilly | 05/24/11 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

 Vital – in danger of becoming a lost art

 Must communicate in terms recipient can understand

 Understand difference between spoken, email, written communication

18 Hugh Varilly | 05/24/11 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

 Avoid the common mistakes

 Prepare well for meetings, presentations

19 Hugh Varilly | 05/24/11 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

20 Hugh Varilly | 05/24/11 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

Circles of Concerns, Influence

 Stephen Covey – ‘Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’

Circle of Concern Circle of Concern

Focusing on what you can influence Focusing on what you cannot do

21 Hugh Varilly | 05/24/11 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003, 2008

 “For the apparel oft proclaims the man”

 Think about the image you project through your appearance