Organizational Savvy - Career Lessons Learned

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Organizational Savvy - Career Lessons Learned Joan Herbig, CEO, ControlScan

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Organizational Savvy - Career Lessons Learned. Joan Herbig, CEO, ControlScan. Agenda. Overview of Experiences What I’ve Learned Any Questions?. 2. My Background al Background. Serial entrepreneur with > 24 years of experience in technology - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Transcript of Organizational Savvy - Career Lessons Learned

Page 1: Organizational Savvy -  Career Lessons  Learned

Organizational Savvy - Career Lessons Learned

Joan Herbig, CEO, ControlScan

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Agenda

• Overview of Experiences

• What I’ve Learned

• Any Questions?

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My Backgroundal Background

• Serial entrepreneur with > 24 years of experience in technology

• B.A. in French and Masters in Computer Science• Married for a long time (to a very patient man) with

2 children• Interests include traveling with family, cooking,

hiking, and (someday I hope) wine collecting

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Professional History• Digital Communications Associates (1987-1994)– Leader in PC to mainframe connectivity solutions (IRMA)– Began career in customer support, moved into marketing, product management,

international marketing and product line management– DCA was acquired by Attachmate in 1994– “CULTURE”

• XcelleNet (1995-2004)– Leader in mobile systems management– International Product Manager, then Vice President of Marketing, then President, then CEO– Company was sold to Sybase in 2004– “CHANGE”

• Cambia Security (2005-2007)– Security change management solutions– Sold to nCircle in 2007– “MARKET”

• ControlScan (2007-present)– PCI Compliance Solutions for small merchants– “BUSINESS MODEL”

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Agenda

• Overview of Experiences

• What I’ve Learned

• Any Questions?

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“The single biggest constraint on the success of any organization is the ability to get and hang on to enough of

the right people.” - Jim Collins

# 10 – Get on the bus with the right people

• Surround yourself with people who are better than you– Check your insecurities (and your ego) at the door

• If you find yourself on the bus with the wrong people, get off the bus

• Treat people well

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#9 - Listen more than you talk

• Hone your listening skills (with bosses, peers, customers, competitors)

• Get comfortable with silence, but don’t be a wall flower• Use “we” more than “I” – Perform an “I-ectomy”• Practice the listening “Game”

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“I, I—ay yi yi. This is a man badly in need of an I-ectomy.”- Peggy Noonan

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“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”- Neale Donald Walsch

#8 - Stay outside your comfort zone

• Being uncomfortable is part of life – get comfortable with it• Be decisive – it’s far better to make the wrong call than to

make no call at all• Raise your hand, speak up• Do something everyday that gives you a knot in your stomach

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“My greatest fear is that Coca Cola associates become arrogant. Arrogance kills an organization” - Muhtar Kent

#7 – Check your arrogance at the door

• Arrogance makes collaboration and group work difficult • Arrogance makes an individual less open to learning• We need to be confident to be effective leaders, but there is a

fine line between confidence and arrogance

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“Life is not fair; get used to it.” - Bill Gates

#6 – No excuses• Approach your career in a genderless fashion• Remove your victim glasses • You alone are responsible for your career and you can’t hand

it off to someone else• Realize that your success or failure depends on you• Beware of rationalization

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“Out of intense complexities intense simplicities emerge.” - Winston Churchill

#5 – Break problems into 3 actionable items

• Develop and refine your problem solving skills• Practice the ability to understand complex problems and to

break up the solution into simple actions• Communicate in ways that are easy for others to digest and

act upon• Think and speak in threes

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“Those who built the good-to-great companies, however, made as much use of "stop doing" lists as "to do" lists.

They displayed a remarkable discipline to unplug all sorts of extraneous junk.” - Jim Collins

#4 – Start, Stop, Keep

• Great organizations aren’t all things to all people• Learn how to say “no”• Focus can be a differentiator• Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a hedge strategy

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“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” -Albert Einstein

#3 – Have no fear

• Seek counsel from trusted advisors (especially those outside the organization)

• Ask stupid questions, and then listen• Be a Curious George (“Hmmm, really? How did you do it?”)• Write someone every day and ask them for help

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“The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word 'crisis.' One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for

opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger - but recognize the opportunity.” - John F. Kennedy

#2 – Where there is chaos, there is opportunity

• Use times of turmoil to move from the middle of the pack into leadership positions

• Take on the tough assignments, even if you are ill prepared• Perseverance matters - be the last “man” standing

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“Ladies and gentlemen: Wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists

whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.” - Mary Schmich , Chicago Tribune

#1 - Wear sunscreen

• Work Hard…Have fun!• Don’t take yourself too seriously

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• Step and stay outside your comfort zone• Avoid “wet logs” at all cost• Embrace chaos• Shut up and listen• There are NO “Rock Stars”

In Summary

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Agenda

• Overview of Experiences

• What I’ve Learned

• Any Questions?

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