Episode 20

Its All About the People

Published on: 26th March, 2024

Summary:

In this episode of the Smart IT Podcast, Diane discusses the importance of the people aspect of IT and the need for continuous learning in the field. She emphasizes the need for IT professionals to be intentional with their learning and to stay updated on new technologies and industry trends. Diane also highlights the role of IT leaders in supporting and developing their teams, as well as facilitating discussions and decision-making. She encourages IT professionals to engage with frontline users and understand their needs. Lastly, Diane advises individuals to prepare for future roles by identifying their skill gaps and taking steps to fill them.

Discussion Topics:

  • Introduction
  • Starting with the People Aspect of IT
  • The Importance of Continuous Learning
  • Being Intentional with Learning
  • Preparing for the Future
  • Supporting and Developing IT Talent
  • Navigating the Flood of New Technologies
  • Facilitating Discussions and Decision-Making
  • Engaging with Frontline Users
  • Preparing for Future Roles
  • Wrap Up

Takeaways:

  • Continuous learning is crucial for IT professionals to stay updated on new technologies and industry trends.
  • IT leaders should support and develop their teams by providing opportunities for learning and growth.
  • Engaging with frontline users and understanding their needs is essential for successful IT implementations.
  • IT professionals should be intentional with their learning and identify skill gaps to prepare for future roles.


Hashtags: #smartit #people #talent #learning #continuouslearning

 

Show Notes

Diane on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianekenyon/

The Smart IT Podcast YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@thesmartitpodcast

Captivate Website for all episodes:

https://the-smart-it-podcast.captivate.fm/


Resource Links:

Austin Women in Technology: https://awtaustin.org/

Austin Technology Council: https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/

Austin Forum on Technology & Society: https://www.austinforum.org/

Agile Austin: https://www.agileaustin.org/

Innotech Austin: https://www.innotechaustin.com/

Austin Society of Information Management: https://www.austinsim.org/home

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About the Podcast

The Smart IT Podcast
Where IT explores what's next...
The Smart IT Podcast, where IT professionals can assemble and hear from each other, industry leaders, thought leaders, and those in adjacent fields to collaborate and learn from each other and explore what’s next for IT.

The Smart IT Podcast explores what’s next for IT as it continues to find ways to get the important things done for our organizations.
Preparing for the next decade, we need to think differently about how we approach our work to continue to thrive into the future.

Smart IT is an approach, conceptual framework, and development model to getting the important things done by transforming the way traditional IT thinks, works, and leads. It supports the disruption of the status quo, simplifies the complex, reduces uncertainty, and improves risk mitigation.

There has never been more pressure to deliver for our organizations; but I know IT is up to the challenge.

That will require IT to lead by working smarter. Let’s do it together.

About your host

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William D. Reed

As someone who has spent decades bridging the gap between those who build solutions and the people who need them,I’ve seen firsthand why so many great ideas fail—not because they aren’t innovative, but because they never truly reach or work for the people they were meant to help.

Today, through my work at Willway Labs and my Frontline Innovation framework, I help enterprise leaders, product teams, and innovators dismantle real human problems at the frontline—where solutions are actually experienced, adopted, and trusted.
Because innovation isn’t complete when you launch… it’s complete when it works in someone’s life.

What I do is help organizations close that gap—so their ideas don’t just exist…they deliver real value.