Are IT people special?

Do they need to be managed differently from the rest of your staff?

Consider Character & Competency

Personal Character

(Way of BEING)

Personal Competencies

(Way of DOING)

Job Competences(Technical)

Performance

Organization Activities

(Core Competence)

Performance

After Kenworthy, 2005Adapted from Young, 2003

Brief overview of the 9 Characters

Conqueror

ConnectorCompliant

Controller Conjuror

Craftsman Chess Player

Conductor

Cavalier

Leadership Character

Lead

ersh

ip C

ompe

tenc

y

A note about the DataData Sources IC/TL M/SM CL Total Ethnic notesIT 87 273 61 421 52% N. Asian

Operations 234 1,982 578 2794C Level, 72% Caucasian

• Data submitted are self-assessments using GAPPS or MECA tools• All data submitted between 2006 and 2011• All subjects based in Asia/Aus/NZ. • 78% of all subjects in South East Asia

• Data is reported at .05 Significance

IT Team Leadership Roles

IC n=87, M/Sm n=273, CL n=61

IT Roles and Ops RolesIT Operations

IC n=87, M/Sm n=273, CL n=61 IC n=234, M/Sm n=1.982, CL n=578

IT and Operations Teams Compared

Significantly* lower representation Significantly* higher representation

IT Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths Weaknesses• Well-disciplined, efficient and

practical• Make good use of group, draw

team together• Co-operative, averting friction• Quick to explore new

opportunities (new projects that excite!)• Single minded and professional

dedicated

• Lack creativity, think within the box and accept everyday realities as cast iron. • May be seen as uninspiring or

slow-moving• Indecisive when lack data • May be weak on follow-

through• Limited in interests

Do IT have a different Mindset?IT Mindset Ops Mindset

61%

39%

Fixed Growth

51%49%

Fixed Growth

n=421 n=2794

Leadership Competencies

CAJ V&I

Strat

Pers

Eng Comms

Mang R

es

Empower

Develop

Achieve

Self-A

ware

Resilience

Encourag

e

Sensiti

vity

Persuasd

e

Conscientious

Intuitive

Below ZoneIn ZoneAbove Zone

Benchmark: Successful IT Manager/Sen Mang/C Mang South East Asia n=421

Significant Competency Issues

Benchmark: Successful IT Manager/Sen Mang/C Mang South East Asia

CAJ V&I Strat Pers Eng Comms

Self-Aware

Sensitivity

60%28% 24%

56% 56%28%

Below ZoneIn ZoneAbove Zone

n=421

So how?• Developing Competencies

• Critical Analysis and Judgment, Strategic Perspective• Business Financial Acumen

• Vision and Imagination• Encourage New Thinking

• Developing Character• Shift from Fixed Mindset to Growth Mindset (change belief)• Establish this is a daily process (not an event)• Mentor managers how to lead up and across

• Leading up – #1 item - When to push and when to back off• Leading Across - #1 item – Let ting the best idea win

Are IT people special?

• Do they need to be managed differently from the rest of your staff?• Yes

• Are IT people really different from the rest of an organization’s employees? • Yes

• That unkempt antisocial geek in the corner is your best programmer. Do you let him do what he does best or counsel him to fit your ideal employee profile? • No! You mentor him to be the best that he can be in his job AND

develop him as a person

Dr. John Kenworthywww.LeaderShipAdvantEdge.com

enabling successful IT leaders to be more successful