[04:40] You’re a certified pilot, what’s the story behind that?

I got certified a year ago. Last year, the property company I worked for wanted to expand their operations into inspections. To showcase this, they wanted to make marketing videos using drone shots of roofs and damage, etc. To legally fly a drone, you have to be licensed, and I was the most experienced with them, so I got certified. It isn’t the same as an aircraft pilot license, but I am working towards that.

[09:15] What does digital transformation mean to you?

The need for digital transformation has to be implanted in employees’ minds. Otherwise, once the change kicks in, there will be poor adoption rates and pushback. Sometimes it means replacing people that don’t want to adapt. If you don’t adapt, your company can easily fall behind. You need to evangelize the benefits. People are afraid of change, and real estate is a very change-resistant industry. Things are done the same way for years and years.

[15:55] To enact effective change, it has to be in line with the interest of the business. Do you ever find yourself dealing with competing interests within the leadership team, and if so, how do you deal with that?

In my experience, the biggest challenge I face is siloing between departments and markets. There can be different rules and operations procedures between departments, and it can be a difficult thing to navigate. It can sometimes be a case of the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing. You have to get everyone on board and working to meet the same end goals.

[19:23] If I’m a business leader, how do I identify siloing within the company, and then how do I go about fixing it?

This is such a hard problem to deal with that there is no universal solution, but I do have some tips on things you can do. When our company started growing explosively, it meant it was much more difficult to get everyone you needed in the same room at the same time. There’s also the introduction of new people, or people that are ultra-protective of how they do things in their department. How do you get inter-department communication flowing?

We implemented a company-wide live chat system so anyone could reach out anytime for help. It was a great way to demonstrate how that channel can be of benefit for the company above just IT support. It became a great way for all departments to communicate and ask questions across departments. The IT department was also working on creating cross-functioning teams to prevent the issues surrounding departments, saying “that’s not my problem, I’m not dealing with it.” That way, the problems are tackled in a more efficient and timely manner, and the issues become visible company-wide. It creates a collaboration culture.

[34:07] Internal marketing as an IT professional is a hugely important part of the job that many don’t see.

The marketing department is one of your best allies when it comes to messaging internally. It’s always helpful to have their input on internal messaging.

[37:21] Many people think of ITL and they think of tickets. I don’t think that’s necessarily the case. What are your thoughts on ITL?

It’s a framework that supplies you with tools and knowledge to achieve the goals of the organization. I recommend learning it for anyone in IT looking to move into a leadership or executive role. It can be invaluable.

[39:34] You are kind of a futurist; you look to the future and see what could be potentially on the horizon.

Yes, and I always have someone in my team to act as a brace. If I fly too high or run too fast, they can bring me back down and remind me of why it would be too hard to implement right now.

[41:15] Let’s talk about the future of digital transformation and what you see coming.

I strongly believe that AI will be a much bigger piece of our day-to-day.

[42:00] How do leaders prepare for that kind of integration?

Leaders need to be able to navigate a volatile and changing world. If they are good at this, they will be able to identify new opportunities and threats it could pose.