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Climbing the (IBM) Technical Ladder CAPP-L Workshop November 2008

Laura Haas IBM Distinguished Engineer Director, Computer Science. Climbing the (IBM) Technical Ladder CAPP-L Workshop November 2008. Who am I?. Basic facts AB in Applied Math from Harvard PhD in CS from UT Austin Joined IBM in 1981 as a Research Staff Member

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Climbing the (IBM) Technical Ladder CAPP-L Workshop November 2008

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  1. Laura Haas IBM Distinguished Engineer Director, Computer Science Climbing the (IBM) Technical Ladder CAPP-L Workshop November 2008

  2. Who am I? • Basic facts • AB in Applied Math from Harvard • PhD in CS from UT Austin • Joined IBM in 1981 as a Research Staff Member • Left Research in 2001 to work in Development • Appointed Distinguished Engineer in 2002 • Returned to Research in 2005 • Director of Computer Science, Almaden Research Center • WW lead for Information Software Research (2007)

  3. Who am I? • Basic facts • AB in Applied Math from Harvard • PhD in CS from UT Austin • Joined IBM in 1981 as a Research Staff Member • Appointed Distinguished Engineer in 2002 • Director of Computer Science, Almaden Research Center

  4. Who Is an (IBM) Senior Technical Leader? • Title? Could be one of many • IBM Fellow or Distinguished Engineer • Senior Technical Staff Member (STSM) or Certified Technical Professional • Research Staff Member or Technical Staff Member or … • Position? Could be • In any division (Research, S&D, Services, SWG, STG, …) and geography/country • In any specialty (Information Development, Support, Development, Quality Assurance, Sales, …) • Usually reporting to an executive or another senior technical leader • Role? Should involve all of the following • Business: • Key technical consultant and strategist for your neck of the business • Shape business decisions on technology and technical implementation, skills, hiring, processes, etc. • Technical: • Provide thought leadership • Provide technical guidance and leadership to critical projects • Broad responsibility impacting multiple functions, or a major program, significant engagement or account • Develop and document intellectual capital which is used by others inside and outside IBM • People: • Help define what people learn for your technical discipline and/or profession • Mentor / guide other technical individuals in their professional development

  5. What Does It Mean to Be an (IBM) Senior Technical Leader? • How do you know you are one? • You have influence on a personal and public level • People listen to you • You are influencing the company and (or) the world • You are mentoring the next generation – and sought for that • People know your name • What does IBM expect from its technical leaders? • To develop a pipeline of future “technical business” leaders • The loss of any individual shouldn’t kill the business • To set and execute on technology directions • Make money for share holders • To continue and grow IBM’s technical and business reputation • To own and run the business from a technology perspective • Impact

  6. One View of the Ladder

  7. The Best Technical Professionals(Laura’s 5 I’s) • Innovate • Solve problems in new ways • Invent new algorithms, system constructs, etc • Patent their work • Initiate • See new opportunities and pursue them • Anticipate issues and head them off • Think broadly about how to be more effective • Implement • Make sure that the task gets accomplished -- well • Take responsibility for all aspects of the task • Influence • Shape how key players think about the task, technically, motivation, etc • Work within and across teams • Impact • Create quantifiable improvements in quality, function, performance, process... • Enable increased customer satisfaction and/or revenue • With increasing effects as level increases

  8. Things to think about (what else do you need?) • Technical depth and breadth • Communications skills • Correct, concise, clear • Match form and style to occasion, recipient • Connections: A network of real relationships • Mentors, mentees, teams • Visibility • Basic skills • Prioritization and time management • Analytic skills • Negotiation skills • “Business” sense – understanding the broad goals • A good character • Trustworthy, caring, committed, courageous • Positive, empowered and self-aware • Share the credit, take the blame • Credentials • Vita, patents, publications, awards • Avoid derailment: personal, interpersonal, organizational blunders

  9. The Moral of the Story • Technical leaders are people who are listened to • They influence the business, and its people • Work to have influence, not for the title • Technical knowledge and skills are the foundation • Personal characteristics are the key • Know thyself • Grow your positive attributes • Avoid derailment factors • Good leaders need good followers • Grow your teams • Think people, people, people

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