HED: Career Profile: CIO, Payce, Inc.
DEK: Josh Lindenmuth says verbal communication is the big skill IT leaders need to advance in their careers.
META: job, employment, career, CIO
Name: Josh Lindenmuth
Title/Employer: CIO / Payce, Inc.
Age: 31
Education: B.S. Engineering, Cornell University
Tenure In IT industry: 19 years (10 full-time)
First Tech Job: IBM tech support for local companies while in middle school.
Current Role: I am currently the CIO for Payce, Inc., a medium-sized payroll outsourcing firm in Towson, MD. I am responsible for all aspects of the company's technology strategy, infrastructure, design/development, and hiring.
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What's been your best job and why?
My favorite job was working as a project manager for Accenture. I was excited by the opportunity to run a new project every few months, to constantly learn, and to significantly impact the direction of large multi-national corporations. For a young hard-driving professional, the benefits of being a management consultant were extensive.
What do you think is the number one non-IT skill IT professionals need today?
Verbal communication. This is particularly true if the IT professional wants to move into leadership roles. Too many IT professionals can only communicate effectively via written mediums.
What do you credit your career success to ?
My wife. As corny as it sounds, she helps to keep me grounded and focused on career decisions that are beneficial at both a personal and professional level.
What are the top three skills a high-level IT manager needs today?
- Entrepreneurship/Creativity: Big problems aren't solved by following a recipe, they need bold solutions that require a critical thinker.
- Business Savvy: An IT Director or VP who doesn't understand her or his company's business cannot achieve breakthrough successes.
- Good Technology Planning experience: I'm always amazed by how many senior IT executives plan for the best-case scenario when developing budgets. Understanding the need for contingency, the impact of incorporating business cooperation, and the inevitability of scope creep are key to successful project management.
What's your favorite IT resource site and why?
Google. While I bounce around about 100 magazines, forums, and technology blogs, I always start with Google when I need to find something.
What is the best career advice you've ever received?
"Learn to play the game." My father used to always say this when I'd get in trouble for being eccentric or arguing with the teacher in school. Being right isn't always worth fighting for, and I never fully embraced this advice until about three years into my professional career.
What's the top advice you'd give to a new IT staffer?
Always seek out new opportunities. Successful people are those who find new ways to help their team/company, not necessarily those who just do a good job with the tasks they are given.
What would you advise someone looking to find the type of role you currently have?
When can you start? Just kidding, I'd probably tell him or her to seek opportunities to immediately demonstrate leadership capabilities. Also, always think about the skills you'll need for two or three projects or jobs in the future, as you should already be demonstrating the skills for your next position.
What is the one career decision you would change if you could?
Not getting my MBA. I had the opportunity to attend a top 5 business school after I left Accenture, and turned it down for various reasons. I still hope to someday get an Executive MBA through a program like Wharton's.
If you had the choice to jump into any other job, tech or non-tech, what would it be?
I would possibly choose to take another IT leadership role, but for a larger corporation, if I could help them succeed in a dramatic way. Or I'd choose something creative and entrepreneurial, like starting my own advertising agency or founding an internet startup.
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