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

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)

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

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

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

One View of the Ladder LevelContribution and ImpactScope and OwnershipWho Knows You Are a Leader FellowMajor industry or market impact Major corporate initiative CEO knows you Distinguished Engineer Major group impactMajor group initiativeYour GM knows you STSMMajor division impactMajor division initiative Your Sr. VP knows you SeniorMajor lob impactMajor lob initiativeYour LOB director knows you AdvisoryMajor product impact (or research area) Major product initiative Your department head knows you StaffMajor department impactMajor department initiative Your manager knows you EntryMajor team impactMajor team initiativeYour team knows you

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 Impact –Create quantifiable improvements in quality, function, performance, process... –Enable increased customer satisfaction and/or revenue With increasing effects as level increases

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

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