Are you still wondering how you can make yourself a better IT leader for 2013?
The start of the New Year is the perfect time not only for beginning a new fitness regime for your body but also an excellent opportunity to build up your leadership strength, according to technology consultant and author Patrick Gray.
Here is his list of top five New Year’s resolution for IT leaders which recently appeared on TechRepublic.com.
Learn something new about your business – While many IT workers have detailed knowledge of their of their company’s business, there often are some knowledge gaps even in senior managerial and executive levels. Take the time to learn a new aspect of your business. For instance, some companies have their IT employees spend a day working in a different department to get a feel of how co-workers in that section operate. You can use the same strategy to reconnect with your company, its products, customers and its people.
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Extend your knowledge base – Art, history, military tactics, sports and other human experiences are all fertile grounds from which a thoughtful leader can harvest information, concepts and examples which could be used to foster more effective management and leadership. Compliment your in-depth knowledge of the rudiments of business with some breadth of wisdom on subjects outside your field and you may find yourself transforming into a more interesting and dynamic person as well.
Make others happy – IT is full of missed opportunities to delight, says Gray. For example, simply following up on a long standing request and contacting the customer with the status of that request can produce immediate positive effects for that customer and your business as well. “We’re often remembered in IT for these simple acts,” he says. If you’ve cleared your to-do list, consider creating a quick executive briefing on how new technology such as tablets and cloud computing can affect your organization and how IT is considering it.
Get fit – Being in tip top physical condition leads to better mental clarity, stamina and performance. Gray suggest checking out The Hacker’s Diet, a free downloadable book by the lead engineer and founder of AutoCAD and Couch to 5k, a free running program, and MyFirtnessPal, a diet and fitness online community.
Build on your strengths – New Year’s resolutions are often meant to eliminate or correct existing deficiencies. However, this doesn’t mean that you should neglect your inherent strengths, says Gray. For instance, if you’re already an excellent engineer, you can always add new tools to your belt. “Rather than slogging through development that takes you from inept to incompetent, focus on areas which you can excel with the least amount of additional effort,” he said.
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