Essential Competencies for the Modern IT Professional

Article ID: 63447

Posted June 1st, 2009

IT Mgmt/Careers

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As tech skills become worldwide commodities, three essential competencies--self-management, managing others, and improving outcomes--can amplify your value

Faster. Better. Cheaper. Do more with less. Deliver against our value proposition. Innovative. Cost Effective. Adaptable. Competitive. Global. Strong ROI. Today's business leaders throw each of these terms around like beads at a Mardi Gras parade. Unfortunately, the average IT professional (and more than just a few CIOs I know in some very large organizations) doesn't know how to translate these terms into specific actions within their departments, their small groups, or within themselves. It's almost as if "magic" is supposed to happen when it comes to applying principles of effectiveness, clarity and innovation to IT-related projects and activities.

Unfortunately, magic is not readily available in a practical sense. It might happen now and then (like, when my 16 year old actually does his chores!), but we can't rely upon it. Instead, what we need is an entirely different focus on the behalf of IT professionals on the "right" essential competencies. Essential: Non-negotiable, required. Competencies: Highly developed skills, powerful capabilities. Does that make sense? Oh--wait. I used the term "right" to describe the competencies I believe are essential. Am I right? I guess it's like the definition of beauty--it's in the eye of the beholder. See what you think.

Before you read ahead and look for specific information related to which development tool represents the best earning potential over the next 10 years, I want to be clear about what I mean by the words "essential competencies." I will not talk about application design, search engine optimization, automated testing tools, development platforms, databases, networks or operating systems. My assertion is that for the vast majority of IT-types, the "techie-stuff" is rapidly becoming a commodity in which an individual is competing on a worldwide basis for low-cost approaches.

On the other hand, if you're concerned about remaining relevant and competitive as an IT professional into the next 10 years, the essential competencies I describe in this article--self-management, managing others, and improving outcomes--will be of significant value to you. So, think of adding the essential competencies I describe here to the list of marketable, differentiated techie competencies you already have.

Self-Management

The essential competencies for self-management include:

Self-awareness. This is the ability to see yourself the way others see you--not the way you'd like them to see you. If the world perceives you as inflexible--but you see yourself as principled, you have a problem. Experts have developed many tools to assist with self-awareness, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (I'm an INFP: Introversion, iNtuition, Feeling, Perceiving), and the DiSC Personality Profile (I'm Results Oriented). Being aware of who you are (your tendencies, behaviors, personality descriptors) can help you be more effective in dealing with others.
Integrity. This has an incredibly simple definition which some people find incredibly difficult to live up to: "My actions match my words." I do what I say I will do. I have integrity when I walk the talk. Period. There is no substitute, and no situation where you violate this personal covenant.
Adaptability. Adaptability is present when you are able to shape your response, your planning, or your approach to do things to fit the situation in which you find yourself. Someone who is not adaptable might say: "RPG is the right programming language for everything!" Unfortunately, those that don't adapt ultimately fail--call it technology-based natural selection. On the other hand, those that evolve and adapt succeed.
Time management. This is a discipline based on respect--respect for others (I'm on time to meetings), respect for your integrity (I will not over commit and under deliver), respect for the organizational goals (I understand my role within the bigger picture and know that effectively managing my time is important). Simply hoping results fit into the timeframes you've been given (or that you've set yourself) isn't good enough. Committing to managing your time is an essential competency that goes a long way toward establishing and building trust.
Self-motivation. Remember when your company offered a career development plan for you and funded two trips a year to COMMON and other professional gatherings? Now it's time for us to be self-motivated in all aspects of our careers, including education and training. You show self-motivation when you regularly read professional-development books. It's also present when you're spending your own time in self-study (MIT has some amazing online classes available free).
Creativity/Discovery. Too often we give up on finding answers to difficult questions or challenging situations. We quickly go through the list of things we know that we know and the list of things we know that we don't know; however, it's the rare situation where we actively look to discover a new way of doing something. We rarely spend time in the realm of "things I don't know that I don't know." Why? Our employers force us to deliver, not to discover new things. Consequently, look at the commitment to be creative as another aspect of self-motivation. It sets you apart from the rest.
Empathy. We demonstrate empathy when we move our need to be right about something behind our desire to understand someone else's viewpoints and beliefs. IT types have not traditionally been terribly empathetic with end users. The truth is, end users have developed a strong aversion to working with many IT types because of this lack of understanding. You know you're being empathetic when you listen to understand and not listen to respond. As teachers and coaches say, people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. That's empathy.

Managing Others

The essential competencies for managing others include:

Leading projects. Project leadership is different than project management. Leading projects is more about assuring that you meet intended outcomes (not schedules). In some cases, the schedule, resources and budget of a project need massive change because the factors surrounding them have changed (economic distress/opportunity, merger, acquisition, leadership change, etc.). Consequently, a project leader must clearly focus on delivering value--not just meeting schedule or budget expectation. This requires courage.
Leading teams. Some believe that without the title of "manager, director, supervisor, VP, etc." that they are not a leader. Team leadership occurs all the time--with or without an official title. My perspective on this dynamic is that we are all leaders--and need to make the personal commitment to be the best leaders we can. It may be that you're leading a team of thousands, developing a multi-billion dollar something-or-other, or you're leading the effort to take your family to the movies. We all lead people. To me, the most important aspects of leading have to do with serving those whom you are guiding and removing barriers to their ability to be successful. Give them a clear picture of what you intend for them to do, empower them to get it done, offer to provide assistance along the way, and stand back. They'll do things that amaze you, and they will give you the credit (which of course you will refuse, and instead will ensure they get all the credit for what they have done). Those are the secrets to leading teams.
Communications. Authors have written thousands of books on the subject of effective communication, and many IT professionals have attended at least one college-level course related to it; however, communication remains one of the top two or three "critical success factors" in any project, endeavor, or activity involving people. The space here is too small to delve into details, but the three things you need to become a better communicator are: 1.
1. Intention. You actively intend to be a better communicator. One simple way is to commit to delivering the message to the person, group or audience in the way they need to hear it. 2.
2. Skill. Just like any other activity, learning how to effectively communicate will improve your chances of doing it better. Attend Dale Carnegie training, join Toastmaster's International, take a refresher course in writing at a local community college, read books. 3.
3. Practice. You need to practice your new-found skills to improve.

Giving/Receiving Feedback. One of the most important skills a leader of people can possess is the ability to give and receive feedback. Giving feedback (even bad news) and being open to receiving feedback are necessary traits of an effective leader. Having skill at providing feedback requires empathy (imagining how the message will be received by the person receiving the message--walking a mile in his or her shoes), outstanding communication skills (tailoring your message in such a way that your intended message is actually the message received), and an approach that works to create action (as opposed to building resistance). Another coaching technique is helpful here--it's the "Coaching Sandwich." Always start with something positive (I really appreciate your effort here), then add the corrective feedback (but remember the team needs you to know what you're doing on every play), and then add a word or two of encouragement (I have confidence in you! You can do this). Try that once or twice--it really works well with teenagers too.

Receiving feedback can be more troubling. Most managers I know have bemoaned: "I'm the last to know anything." Why do you suppose that's the case? In my experience it's because they are not perceived as being open to receiving feedback. Being open means you leave your ego at the door, and you are interested in truly creating the best results possible for the team and the project. If you are not currently receiving feedback from those you are leading, become intentional about asking for it. Beware. You may hear some things that bother you, remember to remain empathetic (listen to understand and not to respond--no bigger and better stories allowed), and focus on improving the outcome. Then, be prepared to act. Hearing feedback and then not doing anything with it erodes trust faster than you can imagine.

Improving Outcomes

The essential competencies for improving outcomes include:

Developing Vision and Strategy. Vision and strategy come in all shapes and sizes--from BIG visions like, "By the end of the decade, we will land a man on the moon and safely return him to Earth" from President Kennedy during the early 1960s, or more mundane visions like, "I want to be in better physical condition." In either case, change started with a vision. Creating sustainable and meaningful results requires clear, focused and compelling vision. Once you have established the vision, you can move into more of the "how" and "what" of getting things done. These are more typically part of the strategy--things like goals and SMART objectives (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based). Becoming an expert at vision and strategy provides fantastic job opportunities and professional satisfaction. I promise.
Leading Change. Authors have written thousands of books on this subject as well. Leading change is far simpler if you have a compelling and clear vision against which to operate (see above). One of the most important things about change is that you need to reach people emotionally (the heart) before they can be reached intellectually (the head). It's not that change is scary--it's just that most people have never learned the process of leading related to change. Becoming comfortable with uncertainty is a needed component. Adaptability is vital. Empathy, communication, integrity, time management--all these things are critical to being an effective leader in a time of transition. Someone once said, "Change is inevitable, but progress is optional." Remember that change simply for change's sake is useless. You need progress for it to be meaningful.
Driving Benefits from Measurement and Control Systems. In my experience, getting groups to develop SMART objectives is hard. Most people have never done it, and the process of reaching that level of specificity in their objectives is not a skill they have practiced; however, with some nudging most people can become quite good at developing SMART objectives. Once they do, they not only have the chance to measure their results, but they also can find new ways to improve things. Of course, if you develop something that's specific, you must hold to it. It continues to amaze me how many people fight the notion of being accountable for the outcomes of what they do. An essential competency for a modern IT professional is the need to drive benefit from measuring and controlling things. After all, what you measure is what you do.
Commitment to Continuous Improvement. The final essential competency for modern IT professionals is about "moving the story forward" on an ongoing basis. I once learned that a film editor does not choose the scenes to include in a movie based on the quality of the acting, the power of the special effects, or the personal desires of any one person. Instead, the editor includes the scenes that move the story forward. Moving our stories forward is vital. We find ourselves competing on a global basis for talent, for resources, for funding, etc. Committing to the long-term view where continuous improvement is critical in methods, policies, skills, efficiencies, product quality, etc., is absolutely necessary for success.

Be Competent

Okay--so maybe you're on to me now. The list of essential competencies I just shared applies to anyone in the workforce today who is looking to be relevant and employed for the long term.

Rules for remaining relevant in the world of IT have changed from those that worked ten, even just five, years ago. Being the fastest gun in the West with techie-stuff doesn't cut it today. Businesses, non-profits, institutions, government entities--truly any group that uses IT solutions needs to explore new possibilities in effectiveness, efficiency, and innovation. As such, these organizations require IT professionals to have the same essential competencies as all other professionals in the organization.

Are you staying up-to-date technically? That's a good idea, but it's not enough. Adding a focus on developing skills related to the essential competencies means you'll have a world-class advantage over those still thinking and acting like tech commodity providers. The choice is yours!

Robert Tipton (rtipton@systeminetwork.com) is the managing partner of R S Tipton, Inc., and a long-time contributor to System iNEWS magazine. His book, Untangling IT: 25 Years of Lessons in Effective IT Leadership (available at the System iNetwork Bookstore at pentontech.com/education) and R S Tipton's workshops and consulting services focus on the process of creating higher levels of effectiveness through innovation, inspiration and common sense.

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