The document outlines expectations for technology leaders at Shopzilla. It discusses leadership dimensions such as being an owner who follows through, a technologist with both width and depth of knowledge, an innovator who seeks opportunities for improvement, and an effective communicator, decision maker, mentor, delegator, and teammate. It also lists anti-patterns to avoid, such as being territorial or refusing responsibility. Next steps include leaders evaluating their own strengths and weaknesses, using the dimensions to coach others, and setting success measurements.

1. Expectations of a
Technology Leader
November 2, 2011

2. Agenda
• Overview
• Scattered Thoughts
• Leadership Dimensions
• Anti-patterns
• Next Steps & Milestones

3. Overview
• Why go through this effort?
• Way of evaluating ourselves as leaders and identify opportunities of growth
• Blueprint for how to mentor our leaders-in-training
• What is a leader? According to the Marine Corps
(http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/usmc/leadership_traits.htm):
• Justice
• Judgment
• Dependability
• Initiative
• Decisiveness
• Tact
• Integrity
• Enthusiam
• Bearing
• Unselfishness
• Courage
• Knowledge
• Loyalty
• Endurance

4. Scattered Thoughts
• Leadership in the eyes of Shopzilla’s technology leaders:

5. Owner
• A leader sees things through to completion:
• Follow through
• Commitment
• Accountability
• Responsibility, especially in the face of failure
• The ability to get things done
• Unprovoked diligence

6. Technologist
• A leader exhibits both width and depth in various technologies
• Width
• Wide understanding of different system patterns
• The ability to apply the right technology to the right business problem
• Depth
• Deep experience in those technologies such that the team can be lead
toward effective execution
• Strategy
• Working with the business teams to leverage technology to create
business value

7. Innovator
• A leader continuously seeks opportunities to make things better
• Constantly recognizing opportunities on their own
• Leveraging ideas raised by the team
• Converting those opportunities into an action plan and seeing it through to
completion

8. Communicator
• A leader is an effective communicator
• Ability to set the appropriate tone for the situation
• Urgent but calm under pressure
• Applies effective communication to all mediums
• Chooses words carefully
• Tailors communication style to the audience

9. Decision Maker
• A leader is an effective decision maker
• Exercises good judgment
• Is able to critically think about the problem, ask the right questions, and come
to a decision
• Leverages the knowledge and expertise of those on the team
• Is able to argue, defend, and support decisions

10. Mentor
• A leader is a coach and mentor
• Challenges the team and helps them achieve
• Invested in the team’s success
• Converts bad situations into coaching opportunities
• Sets examples for others to follow
• Makes others around them better

11. Delegator
• A leader is a force multiplier
• Recognize and leverages the strengths of the team
• Identifies the appropriate opportunities to shield vs. engage
• Is able to organize a team around a specific project or problem (such as a
swat)

12. Teammate
• A leader is an exemplary teammate
• Puts the needs of the team ahead of themselves
• This extends not only to the team they manage, but fellow leaders across the
organization
• Looks for opportunities to make the team better
• Shares success/failure experiences
• Resource allocation decisions
• As leaders, it’s important for us to recognize

13. Anti-patterns
• What is the opposite of what we want in our leaders:
• Refuses to accept responsibility
• Territorial
• Cryptic
• Inflexible
• Deflating
• Selfish
• Difficult to work with
• Poor communicator
• “Not my responsibility” mentality

14. Next Steps & Milestones
• Evaluate each dimension and identify areas where we can personally improve
• Do we feel comfortable reviewing this as a group?
• Utilize these dimensions as a blueprint for how to coach leaders-in-training
• Review by end of Q4 in advance of annual performance appraisal early next
year
• Success measurements?