Tomorrow I’m giving a presentation to the New Jersey
Area regional
meeting of the International Legal Technology
Association (ILTA) on "Leadership Principles for Technology
Managers."
Topics I’ll address include:
- What Leadership is Not (hint: it’s
not about being a slave to your Blackberry, pager,
IM, and SMS) - What Leadership Is:
- Vision: Having one that is credible, tangible,
and distinct - And the creating the environment that lets people
actually get there (hint: it’s not about
command and control) - Keeping your eye ceaselessly on the future
- Vision: Having one that is credible, tangible,
- Communication, which means:
- Being fluent in the language of finance, which
is what the business world speaks - Managing expectations, and tamping down unrealistic
hopes - Avoiding the trap of being caught up in conversations
about "governance"—deliver results,
not reports, and avoid the inward focus governance
assumes - Talk about problems solved, not technology. And
above all - Be Brief!
- Being fluent in the language of finance, which
- Why Change is the Hardest Challenge of all
- With a nod to Machiavelli:
“There is nothing more difficult to carry out, or more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things. For the reformer has enemies in all those who profit by an old order, and only lukewarm defenders in all those who would profit by a new order. This arises partly from the incredulity of mankind, who do not believe in anything new until they have had actual experience of it.â€
And I’ll close by differentiating between "implementers,"
"managers," and "leaders." - With a nod to Machiavelli:
This graphic uses the metaphor of A City:
- Implementers worry about "capability:" They’re
focused on the pavement. - Managers worry about "viability:" They’re
focused on the layout of the street grid. - Leaders worry about "culture:" They’re focused on The Vision For The City.
Implementers and Managers have to agree on Requirements: Which
and How
Managers and Leaders have to agree on Objectives: When
and Why
And in the process of managing change, Leaders focus
on The Market, and what signals it’s giving out about
the need for change, while Managers focus on the Leaders.
Bruce: This post is just as applicable to law firm chairs and managing partners – and to practice group leaders and others holding important law firm leadership postions – as it is to IT managers. If I still held one of those positions, I’d paste your post on the bulletin board next to my desk and read it every morning before starting the day. I may do so anyway. It’s priceless advice. Rich