[0:19] Can you tell us about yourself and what you do?

I am a long-term technology leader with a background in software development, leading, and building teams. I’m currently VP of IT for a specialty retailer, an RV dealership group, and my focus is on developing and supporting applications.

[01:06] What sparked your interest in IT?

Things have changed and so have I. Communication and understanding technology has been key in translating needs to businesspeople, as well as to the tech people and helping them understand business needs.

[02:46] Tell me more about your role in advertising on TV?

In the 80s, I was tasked with taking on a new division that was dealing with software and systems for TV advertising on a small level. It was the advent of cable TV, and we incorporated PC use in that. We were looking at controlling Beta and VCR players and getting files to them to inject commercials. We started from the ground up and built the systems.

[08:30] Tell me about your career progression from there.

I moved on to work in another cable-based company where we went from supporting 8 programs to 32. Then, I went to work for a San Francisco cable company and built their MIS department before moving on to consult across the country. I moved to Nashville where I joined a company as an IT specialist and helped their team with servers, new languages, and moving into the expanding tech. Next, I went to an ISP that wanted to move into application providing. Finally, I started where I am now as a consultant, and I’m still here 20 years later.

[16:30] Tell me about your experience with team building and how to avoid pitfalls.

Communication is the answer and the problem. Everyone has their own journey, and you have to recognize that and meet people in the middle. I need to understand pain points, and I need to help teams understand how to attack those problems. Relationship building is also key; making it fun while also meeting goals. You have to build trust with your team and with external clients to be effective.

[22:18] Tell me about a time when it wasn’t about the technology.

An application can be software or technology, but it usually has a human element in the process and procedure that guides interaction. You can’t ignore that. Another thing is training. It’s continual and you can’t get frustrated with the process.

[26:30] A common problem I see is a lack of follow-up on tasks and results.

There is sometimes a bit of overload on methods of communication these days, and you have to follow up to make sure the solution actually worked, did what it needed to, etc. You can’t take silence as agreement.

[31:40] Tell me a story that you tell other geeks about failure and how you learned that lesson.

I learned it by being burned too many times. Giving something to an end user and seeing it not work after we supposedly tested it. You have to think of extremes when testing and understand how the application is going to be used. You don’t want to box yourself into a way of thinking. Just because you have a hammer doesn’t mean everything is a nail.

[35:00] It comes back to communication and follow-up and providing good service.

Exactly. It helps you to know their friction points, and how they use applications. Understand the goal and what they actually want to achieve. You need to pause and ask what they actually want to address to create an effective solution or discover an existing solution that we have.

[44:34] What was one of your hardest learned lessons?

Recognize that you may have a chip on your shoulder, so be prepared to address it and turn it into a motivator. Don’t take things out on other people. Take your preconceived notions of a negative and see how you can turn it around and use it.

[48:00] I hate manuals and training etc., but now there’s a big button in whatever you are using that says “help.”

Exactly. Training is much easier now. You used to have to go out of the office, but now there’s everything at your fingertips. As a leader, you need to motivate and encourage self-learning.