Tech leadership – Skills or People First?
Sheila and I have been having some great conversations about leadership and what skills are needed to become a great leader.
When it comes to tech leadership, should we prioritise technical know-how or outstanding people skills?
It seems that while a solid tech foundation is essential for some companies, the ability to motivate teams, have great communication/people skills, and have the capability to create a positive work environment holds its own weight.
Below is Sheila’s journey into IT leadership.
“What I discovered when I moved to lead an IT team was that what they needed was strong leadership and not technical expertise.
Most of my career had been spent working in the business side specifically setting up and leading Customer Service teams. I built a great relationship with IT teams because they were our enablers and supported our systems that were the lifeblood of what we did.
I was also a demanding customer as I wanted to introduce new technology that would help us deliver innovative and effective services to our customers.
My perception from the business side was that IT teams loved the tech but didn’t really like people. They struggled to treat colleagues as customers and found it hard to understand the challenges the business faced.
They were so far removed from the end customer that they didn’t realise the impact they had on the service we could provide.
I was promoted to head up a digital transformation programme and when out Head of IT left, I asked if I could take on leading the IT team.
There was some resistance initially as I was not a technical person but eventually it was agreed, and I became the Director of IT and Innovation.
Now, I may not be a technical person, but I do know my way around systems, I understand the concept and I love implementing new technologies to support the business.
What I also have is great leadership skills and a passion for customer service which were the two big things that are often missing from IT teams.
When I took over the team I listened to their frustrations and immediately found ways to improve the things they raised.
I introduced an exciting vision and got them involved. I implemented service standards and customer service training which dramatically improved the service to colleagues.
I led with strength and conviction. I made decisions. I removed blockers and challenged the way things have always been.
I was firm and demanding with the team but provided clear guidance and support to ensure they were successful.
I introduced team building and fun and shared an innovative vision that got they excited and committed to delivering like they had never delivered before.
I also built bridges between the business and IT so that we improved the way we all worked together.
In summary, it is not technical skills that you need to build an IT team but strong supportive leadership.”
We would love to know what your take on this is. Are you team “Tech first” or “People first” when it comes to leadership in the tech space?
