Page 18 - REI Corporate Newsletter (Q2_2018)

Leading Throughout my years working in the IT field, I have learned that being a good leader does not come

from winning a popularity contest. Often times, individuals in my position like to write about the cool and
innovative side of being an IT leader. Truth-be-told, the real mark of a true leader is the willingness to
take on and deal with the tougher aspects of the work we do.
with A lot of my time is spent in developing my team to effectively deal with the difficult aspects of being a

leader in the IT field. This can range from dealing with difficult end users and/or customers, taking care
of challenging projects going awry, or challenging subordinates. I teach them that having to face and
confront tough situations is critical to being a successful leader.
Balance However, being a true leader in the IT field does not come naturally. It is a balance of three key points

that I constantly convey.

1. BE PROACTIVE
One of the hardest skills to hone in on is constantly being proactive. In our busy work lives, we
have a tendency to sit back and wait for the next dilemma. One key to successful leadership is
staying out in front of the headlights, no matter how difficult or time consuming that tends to be.
Early on in my career, I learned form a great mentor to constantly practice MBWA (Management
How Rosendin's CIO empowers By Walking Around). You have to get out from behind your desk and get in front of your end

his team with the skills necessary users, vendors, and customers. Know what is happening, what is going well and what is not so
you can proactively address them.
to become successful leaders
2. NEVER BE SATISFIED
Never be satisfied with the status quo. As a successful leader, you must demand from your
team members the level of excellence you would expect in any customer service or project
By Sam Lamonica, Chief Information Officer management situation and lead by example. Through your daily performance, even when no
one is watching, expect nothing than the best from yourself and your team will set their bar just
as high as yours.

3. DO NOT BE THE VICTIM
I cannot count the number of times I have heard the statement, "Well, I was waiting for (insert
name) and (insert name) to answer my email,” or “If (insert name) and (insert name) had not
screwed up…”. First and foremost, I urge my team to be in control of their own destiny and
never play the blame game. A good leader is responsible for their actions, is able to admit when
they messed up, and fixes the problem at hand.

Working on cool or new technologies and receiving praise for successful high visibility projects is
always rewarding. But, knowing how to "right-the-ship" when a project goes off course; how to keep
business infrastructure running; how to manage an irate end user; or how to handle difficult situations
with a subordinate, are the skills that will make a difference in becoming a truly successful leader.

18 The Feeder | Issue 2, 2018 Issue 2, 2018 | The Feeder 19