This second of a two-part series relates how a technical manager successfully met the challenges of implementing a new software product with a new, hand-picked team. Julia Austin, an experienced technical organization leader in the high-tech industry, spent the last 13 years managing teams responsible for developing and implementing software systems. Her career includes time at a Big Six accounting firm, an information technology organization supporting systems in the medical field and, most recently, serving as VP of engineering at a start-up software company.

Julia Austin

Q: Having led a successful team on a process-based change, how did you manage your teams in your new position at the software development company which was immature in terms of implementing corporate processes?
 
A: What I found worked best was to initiate a process very subtly, and position it as a starting point that needs input and suggestions so that those who were adopting it started to find ways to improve it and actually asked to help mature the process. This self-creation process was far easier to implement and institutionalize than creating something autonomously that was then forced on an organization. Because of this approach, I developed a lot of credibility and a good track record for implementing processes that were not too heavy, and were appropriate for a very time-to-market organization. This credibility enabled me to implement further policies and process changes faster and on larger scale – often cutting across multiple functional groups within the company.
 
Q: Have you managed projects where you had no direct reports and thus no "official" ability to create deadlines and objectives?
 
A: Absolutely! I was a Release Manager at the software development company and had no direct reports, yet I had to get the entire Engineering department – about 300 people – to adopt a common methodology for releasing software on a weekly basis on their live 24x7 network. I introduced very basic processes (schedules, concrete milestones per phase of the development cycle, etc.) and ensured developers/engineering managers adhered to these by establishing myself as the person who could declare go-no-go for software releases. Because most releases had many different projects coming together at once, developers/engineering managers accepted me as the objective third-party administering the process. Of course, there was someone who could always override my decision: a director, the VP of Engineering at the time, or even the CTO. However, each time I found I had to defend my case to senior management I was specific about why code was really not ready by detailing what criteria had not been met for the release. These were basic criteria like blatant bugs or not having ANY documentation for their code. Over time, my ability to say no with facts to support it earned my credibility and people started to just accept the process and the calls I made.
 
The other thing I leveraged in this role was being part of the gang. I was a peer with the development team and engineering managers and if getting the release out meant pulling an all-nighter or getting on a conference call with the West coast at midnight on a Saturday, I did it. Members of the organization respected the fact that I was willing to stick with them and roll up my sleeves to help. So, when I called upon them to help me improve the process or mature it further, they often helped me!
 
Q: Was there a particular person or group that helped you learn how to encourage and manage change successfully?
 
A: I've had several mentors along the way and a few project leaders I've worked with who I drew techniques from. A lot of my skills were developed through trial and error though. Recognizing that something isn't working and stepping in to change it as fast is possible is not only a good learning experience, but also told my teams that I wasn't afraid to admit it if I made a mistake and that I wanted to make things better ASAP.
 
Of course, having support from your boss always helps too. I have been lucky so far to have a couple of bosses during my career who knew when to step in and help when they saw me struggling and who would go to bat for me and defend my position on tough issues. Their ability to strike that delicate balance between knowing when to offer help and when to stand by and wait to be asked to help was always impressive. They did this by establishing a personal and professional rapport with me early on in our working relationships. This rapport increased my confidence as a leader as well as increased my loyalty to these leaders. There was a lot of mutual respect and trust. Thus, when they were effecting change in the organization, I was always supportive and willing to help to make it happen.
 
As I grew professionally, and had staff of my own, I was able to do the same and found my team was as loyal and supportive of me because of this mutual trust and respect.
 
Q: What do you think are the key traits of a manager who can do this?
 
A: Besides what I’ve noted already, here are several other key traits:
Managers implementing change need to be credible and exhibit confidence in themselves and in their team. They need to be knowledgeable enough about the content of what they are managing to be able to make critical decisions and they need to be able to say, “In the end, it’s my decision, but I’m willing to listen to alternative ideas before moving ahead.”
 
Managers need to be honest and supportive with their teams in times of uncertainty, such as when the full impact of the change is unknown or there are critical success factors that your team is depending on another team to complete successfully. It’s OK to say, “I don’t know, but I’m hopeful we will find an answer together,” or, “As long as we do our jobs well, and support the other team any way we can, we should succeed.” Downplaying issues or hiding the fact that as their leader you don’t have the perfect answer all the time will surely backfire down the road and can be a detriment to a potentially successful project.
 
Managers of change need to be sensitive to the human aspects of change – downsizing, changing work content, career paths – can have a ripple effect that can change an entire culture of an organization. Preparing for the aftermath of change is just as critical as your implementation plan.
 
Last, it is important for managers to keep the end-goal in mind while managing the day-to-day, to have fun and to keep a sense of humor during the toughest times.
 
Q: What kinds of habits or traits did you consciously change in order to become a better manager for implementing change?
 
A: I started to listen more to others’ ideas and, if I didn't agree or choose to implement them, to communicate clearly why. Being up front and honest in these times fostered better brainstorming in the end and strengthened working relationships with co-workers and staff.
 
I also consciously decided that it wasn't important to get the credit for every good idea, as long as the right results transpired. Making the team successful made me successful in the long run. Additionally, as I matured in my management role, I became more selective about when to jump into the heat of corporate politics. Sometimes, a hot issue is really a personality conflict and often I could achieve what the company needed me to do regardless of the conflict. In these times, I would put on my thick skin, hunker down and do my best to work around the conflict. The most important things were
a)      getting to the end-goal, and
b)      not compromising my integrity along the way.
 
The conflicts that I chose to step into were those that were potential barriers to the success of a deliverable for which I, or someone on my team, was accountable.
 
Q: How do you feel your skills to manage change effectively has formed your path in your career and how do you see yourself putting these skills to work in the future?
 
A: I think that my ability to build credible and strong relationships with many levels within an organization has helped me move ahead. I've always made sure I've been a "get-it-done" individual who is part of the team as well as a committed leader of an organization. I respect the people who work for me and always find ways to help them excel. When my team excels, I excel. As for the future, I think I'll continue to be in leadership roles where I can implement scalable, flexible solutions that enable the company to grow and prosper.
 
Part I of this article appeared in the June 2003 issue of Spectrums.