There’s a skill set that bad IT Managers just don’t have…
If you’ve worked with an inept IT Manager, then you already know the poor management of resources can completely drain the energy from an organization. IT Management is not about pushing paper and pretending to be busy.
Great IT Managers are not only skilled communicators but show excellence when it comes to organizing people, systems, projects, and even money. And yet, where so many IT Managers begin to stagnate is that they aren’t able to properly quantify that excellence.
Using KPIs to Skyrocket Your Career in Tech
Key Performance Indicators (KPI) a measurable value that demonstrates how effectively a company is achieving key business objectives. Great organizations use KPIs to evaluate their success in reaching targets. Not-so-great organizations don’t even understand what KPI stands for. This poses a problem (for the company) and a great opportunity for adept IT Managers.
KPIs allow smart IT Managers looking to make a difference the ability to quantify their contribution individually and as a team. If you’ve been using KPIs for some time now then you’re likely rolling your eyes at this article, but much of the technology industry in Texas is still lagging behind in setting long-term goals with metrics which can be tracked over time.
IT Managers who bring a clear set of goals to the table on a minimum of once a quarter have a high likelihood of drawing attention to themselves—and the kind that leads to upward career growth and unique job trajectory.
How To Set Effective KPIs That Impress
Make Sure Your IT Management KPIs are Well-Defined
Loose goals don’t often inspire confidence or motivate teams. Holding your team to a high expectation with a clearly defined picture of success gives them the opportunity to rise to the challenge, rather than slump into complacency.
Understand Macro-Objectives
There’s no need to reinvent the wheel and more IT Managers find that when they tailor their KPIs to that of the larger company as a whole it tends to bode well for their team. Your own manager will have their own KPIs. A smart IT Manager understands that when they help their superiors hit their goals, it makes everyone look good. Designing your KPIs around helping hit macro-goals set from above can be a strong strategy for standing out in a good way.
Monitor Performance at Regular Intervals
Wishful thinking and future-tripping can be fun but rarely leads to efficient work or a strongly motivated team. Being precise about where you are in relationship to your overall KPIs will help you steer the ship in the right direction. Many IT Managers don’t like to introduce pessimism into their meetings, choosing to look on the positive side of things. But strong leaders understand that being hyper-critical of current positions and progress can be the key to solving problems before they get out of hand. Constructive criticism via regular check-ins with key team members is ideal.
Set Short and Long-Term KPIs & Rewards:
An IT Manager who knows how to motivate their team will always have an advantage. But, even if you’re not prone to giving epic locker room pep talks, great IT Managers understand the importance of setting short-term goals and rewards that will stair step into long-term goals and success. Start with macro goals and then encourage your team to break those into steps. Then have them break those steps into steps. Repeat until every member of your team has an in-depth clarity of how they will achieve success. A good IT Manager doesn’t need to micromanage and do everything themselves, but it’s useful to know how to inspire your team to be strong self-managers. Be sure to reward a strong work ethic that gets results.
IT Management and Project Management Certifications for High-Tech in Texas
While certifications are not always required, they can often mean the difference when employers are juggling the credentials of two different candidates. IT Managers looking to advance their careers can look into these certifications to add as feathers in the cap:
Strong KPIs Lead to Career Success for IT Managers in Texas
Utilizing key performance indicators as an IT Manager helps you circumvent the challenges that arise with undefined goals, scope changes, inadequate skills, lack of accountability, improper risk management, and more.
Strong KPIs are not just for upper-management to grade you and your team. They can be an incredibly powerful tool for having hard, but necessary, conversations with members of your team. They also offer you a valuable way for assessing progress and rewarding successful efforts.
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